The Dallas Stars announced the firing of head coach Peter DeBoer, eight days after their third straight Western Conference finals loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The decision comes as a surprise given that DeBoer had a year remaining on his contract.
Stars general manager Jim Nill stated that a new voice is needed in the locker room to push the team closer to winning the Stanley Cup. The Stars lost Game 5 by a score of 6-3, despite franchise goaltender Jake Oettinger giving up two goals on his first two shots.
DeBoer pulled Oettinger in favor of Casey DeSmith, and although Oettinger had spoken out about the decision, DeBoer maintained that he didn’t take it lightly and wasn’t blaming Oettinger for the loss. However, the move raised questions about the team’s relationship with Oettinger, who is set to enter a new eight-year contract extension.
Oettinger defended his performance, stating that if he makes one or two saves, he can still play in the game. The 26-year-old netminder also downplayed concerns about his relationship with DeBoer, saying that his focus is on playing well and stopping the puck.
The Stars’ need for a new coach comes as they face an offseason with significant cap space to address a roster that has seven pending unrestricted free agents. The team joins the Boston Bruins in seeking a new head coach, sparking a coaching carousel that has seen several notable teams make changes this offseason.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/45464246/stars-fire-coach-pete-deboer-losing-west-final