The Dallas Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final for the second consecutive year. It was their third straight loss, one step short of the Stanley Cup Final. Before their offseason begins, they have made a stunning decision at head coach. The Stars have fired head coach Pete DeBoer after three seasons behind the bench.
NEWS: Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today Pete DeBoer has been relieved of his head coaching duties.
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— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) June 6, 2025
“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,” Stars GM Jim Nill wrote in a statement. “We'd like to thank Pete for everything that he has helped our organization achieve over the past three seasons and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Article Continues BelowThe Stars reached the Western Conference Final in all three years DeBoer was there, winning a total of 149 regular-season games. He has made the West Final in five of his last six seasons, dating back to his time with the Golden Knights.
Despite his on-ice success, DeBoer is out as the coach of the Stars. He made headlines after Game 5 of the West Final, which ended their season. When asked about pulling Jake Oettinger early in the game, DeBoer threw his franchise goalie under the bus. While it is true that the Oilers had Oettinger's number, it was a wild press conference targeting the guy who got Dallas deep in the playoffs three times.
It is an interesting end to a successful run in Dallas for the long-time head coach. The Stars have restarted the coaching carousel just after the Bruins hired Marco Sturm to fill the final position. Dallas will have their choice of a limited pool that includes former Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft and veterans Peter Laviolette and John Tortorella. Who could the next Dallas coach be?