former Stars Coach Pete DeBoer Reflects on Controversial Goalie Pull, Dallas Tenure, and Olympic Future
DALLAS, TX – In a candid interview with NHL.com, recently fired Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer addressed the fallout from his late-game decision to pull goaltender Jake Oettinger during a crucial playoff game, his three-year run with the Stars, and his enthusiastic embrace of an expanded role with the Canadian Olympic team.
DeBoer acknowledged the scrutiny surrounding the goalie pull, a move that ultimately didn’t yield the desired result and preceded his dismissal by Stars General Manager Jim nill a week later. “You know you’ll get scrutinized one way or the other,” deboer stated. “And in the moment…you can’t worry about that.So when people might say, ‘hey, Pete DeBoer, if you could do it over again, would you?’ Yeah, but when people ask that, you don’t know what the outcome is. You just know there could be repercussions if it doesn’t work out.”
despite the ending, deboer expressed understanding of Nill’s decision.”Look, if we’d made the first round my first year, the second round my second and then the third round in the third, you could say we were making progress,” he said. “But getting to the third round three straight years, we weren’t able to get over the hump. I get it.” Nill himself affirmed DeBoer’s contributions, telling NHL.com, “Pete did a great job for us in three years. The results speak for themselves.”
Just hours after his firing, DeBoer received a call from St.Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong, who also oversees the Canadian Olympic team. Armstrong reassured DeBoer his position as an assistant coach for Canada was secure and would, in fact, be expanded in the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper also reached out, echoing Armstrong’s sentiment. “Both told me: ‘You know what, this doesn’t affect anything that we’re doing.Regardless of what happens here, we’re going to make sure we keep you busy. And this actually might be a big benefit for Team Canada, and that you’re going to have the time to concentrate on Olympic things maybe we don’t have because we’re dealing with our NHL teams every day.'”
DeBoer is already actively involved in Olympic preparations,with a planned trip to Italy to assess the hockey facilities. He will also be scouting potential players across the NHL, with the final roster announcement slated for january. Armstrong emphasized DeBoer’s value, stating, “Pete is an outstanding coach and when one door closed in Dallas, the Olympic door opened wider. With Pete’s resume he will be on everyone’s short list when an NHL job becomes available.Until then we will fully immerse him in our preparations for the 2026 Olympics.”
DeBoer expressed his excitement about the opportunity, recalling the thrill of coaching in the 4 Nations tournament. “I remember going into the dressing room when we first got together and, even after coaching in the NHL all these years, pinching myself looking around the room at all the collection of talent in there,” he said.”And during that Saturday game in Montreal against the U.S., the crowd, the atmosphere, the fights, it gave me chills. And the same thing happened when we won.” He keeps a photo from the 4 Nations championship prominently displayed in his recreation room, stating, “It always brings a smile.”
