Dallas Stars Fire Coach Pete DeBoer After Third Straight Conference Final Loss

DALLAS, Texas — The Dallas Stars announced the firing of head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday, just days after their defeat in the Western Conference finals.

DeBoer, who led the team to three consecutive appearances in the conference finals, saw his tenure end following a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the series. Stars general manager Jim Nill explained the decision, stating, ‘After careful consideration, we believe that a new voice is needed in our locker room to push us closer to our goal of winning the Stanley Cup.’

DeBoer, who joined the Stars in 2022, finished with a regular-season record of 149-68-29 and a playoff record of 29-27. Despite the team’s strong performance during the regular season, including winning the Central Division in 2023-24, they fell short in the playoffs.

Franchise goaltender Jake Oettinger struggled during the playoff series, particularly in Game 5 when he allowed two goals on the first two shots. DeBoer replaced Oettinger in an attempt to spark the team, but the strategy did not yield the desired results.

Oettinger later reflected on the game, stating, ‘The reality is if I make one or two of those saves, then I’m still playing in the game. The way I’m looking at it is, how can I get better from that?’ He emphasized his focus on improving his performance and not letting outside factors affect his play.

The loss to Edmonton marked the third consecutive season the Stars failed to advance past the conference finals, making them one of the few teams in NHL history to face this fate.

With DeBoer’s departure, the Stars begin the search for a new head coach, joining a growing list of teams looking for leadership this offseason. Nill will provide further details at a press conference scheduled for later today.