Fired Stars Coach Ready for NHL Return

With some teams questioning their current head coaches, this veteran of the profession and former Dallas Stars coach might be able to swoop in and save the day.

May 9, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer talks to media after their loss to the Winnipeg Jets in game two of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images / James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

If Pete DeBoer has his way, he’ll be behind the bench as an NHL head coach very soon.

The former head man of the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars said in an interview on SiriusXM that he definitely has an interest in coaching again at the highest level of professional hockey.

“I don’t think there’s any question I want to coach again,” DeBoer said. “I’ve enjoyed my time off, but the juices are flowing, and I would love to get back in and have an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup.”

Over a 17-year head coaching career, DeBoer has accumulated a 662-447-152 record. He’s reached the Stanley Cup Final twice — once with the Devils and another time with the Sharks — but failed to win it both times. He’s currently an assistant coach for Team Canada and has been heavily involved in the country’s preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics in February.

Where Could DeBoer End Up?

May 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoers and Stars superfan Natalie Gauvreau look on during the game between the Stars and the Colorado Avalanche in game seven of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

There have been fervid rumors over the past couple of weeks regarding Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch and his future in Alberta. Should that job come open, the Oilers would then require someone who can jump in and right the ship before the window to win a championship with Connor McDavid ends. The hangup on DeBoer has been and always will be that he’s yet to win the ultimate prize: the Stanley Cup. But has not doesn’t equal cannot, and it would be DeBoer’s aspiration to prove the doubters wrong.

Other potential fits lie with either the Toronto Maple Leafs or Buffalo Sabres. Both squads entered the season with second-year head coaches — Craig Berube and Lindy Ruff, respectively — but have struggled immensely out of the gate. As always seems to be the case in the NHL, the calls for their jobs have been roaring loud, and DeBoer might be someone who could swoop in and capitalize.And don’t forget about the Nashville Predators, either. They’re another team toiling in the dumps, and DeBoer could be a candidate to lift them out.

Of course, the prospects of DeBoer landing a new gig are dependent on how wanted he is by NHL franchises. And given how his tenure ended in Dallas, there might be some hesitancy in handing him the keys to the castle.

His Time in Dallas Ended Poorly

DeBoer was let go by the Stars following the team’s third consecutive exit in the Western Conference Final this past summer. He controversially benched starting goalie Jake Oettinger early in the first period and then proceeded to seemingly blame the netminder for the Stars’ inability to get past the Oilers for two straight seasons. Just one week after those comments, Dallas let him go.

Still, his three-year tenure with the Stars — which saw the team go 149-68-29 — was one of the best stretches in franchise history. The only thing that was missing, and has been missing from DeBoer’s résumé for his entire career, was a Stanley Cup. Should DeBoer land another shot in the NHL, it’ll be his goal to finally win that elusive championship.

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