DALLAS — The Stars officially announced Peter DeBoer as their next head coach on Tuesday afternoon, two days after it was initially reported that he was coming to Dallas.
DeBoer, 54, succeeds Rick Bowness as the Stars coach and comes to Dallas after spending parts of three seasons as the head coach of the Golden Knights. He was fired this spring after Vegas missed the playoffs for the first time in its short franchise history.
DeBoer has also been the head coach of the Sharks (2015-20), Devils (2011-15) and Panthers (2008-11). Previously, he was an OHL head coach for 13 seasons.
The Stars will formally introduce DeBoer as their head coach during a press conference on Wednesday morning at the American Airlines Center.
“Over the last few seasons, I have seen firsthand what the Stars are building with a mix of dynamic young players and established leaders,” DeBoer said in a statement. “The chance to become this team’s next head coach was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. I would like to thank Tom Gaglardi and Jim Nill for the chance to help guide this team as we work together to bring another Stanley Cup to Dallas.”
DeBoer takes over a team in transition.
The Stars have moved away from Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin as their core pieces, and ushered in the era of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen and Jake Oettinger. They’ve made the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, the best stretch for the franchise since the mid-2000s under Dave Tippett. But they were 48-49 in regulation the last two seasons.
For five years now, the Stars have struggled to consistently score goals, and the depth behind Dallas’ top lines has been an issue. First, they were too reliant on Benn, Seguin and Alexander Radulov. Now, they’re too dependent on Robertson, Hintz and Joe Pavelski.
By most measures, the Stars are stuck in the middle of the NHL. Last year, they were 15th in points percentage (.598). In the last three years, they were 15th in points percentage (.580). In the last five years … they were 15th in points percentage (.573).
The power play ranked 11th last season; the penalty kill, 19th. They allowed more shot attempts, shots on goal and goals than they generated at 5 on 5 last season. They outpaced their opponents in 5-on-5 scoring chances, high-danger chanced and expected goals.
DeBoer will also be responsible for nurturing the next generation of Stars standouts. Top prospect Wyatt Johnston has a chance to make the NHL roster in the fall. Mavrik Bourque will turn pro next season. Logan Stankoven might be a year away, but was just named the WHL’s top player.
Not to mention the young players with pro experience that figure to take on a larger role come next season: Thomas Harley, Ty Dellandrea and Jacob Peterson.
Still, other issues await DeBoer. He’ll have to dispatch his recent reputation as someone that can’t deal with goaltenders and work with a franchise cornerstone in Oettinger. He’ll have to find a way to get more offense out of struggling forward Denis Gurianov. And of course, he’ll have to squeeze more juice out of Benn and Seguin.
DeBoer has twice guided teams to the Stanley Cup Final in his first year of coaching them. He did so in 2012 with the Devils and in 2016 with the Sharks. With Vegas, he advanced to the Western Conference Final in 2020 and the NHL semifinal in 2021.
His .566 career points percentage ranks 19th among active NHL coaches, according to Hockey-Reference, just above the man he replaced in Vegas: Gerard Gallant.
DeBoer’s hiring signals the end of a month-long coaching search that began with 30-35 candidates, Stars general manager Jim Nill said previously. The Stars fancied themselves an attractive destination for a coach, and one prime potential candidate flew off the board when Bruce Cassidy joined the Golden Knights earlier this month.
“Pete brings a wealth of experience to our dressing room, and we’re thrilled to name him our next head coach,” Nill said in a statement.
“Every team that he has taken over has not only shown immediate improvement but has been ultra-competitive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has taken five teams to the Conference finals, and two of those to the Stanley Cup Final, in his 14 years as a head coach. His resume displays the high standards he sets and his ability to get his team to play up to that level consistently. We’re excited to welcome Pete and his family to Dallas.”
DeBoer becomes the fifth head coach under Nill, joining Lindy Ruff, Ken Hitchcock, Jim Montgomery and Bowness.
The Stars offseason is about to pick up, with the draft July 7-8 and development camp shortly after that, free agency opens on July 13 with Traverse City and training camp looming in September.
