The climb to the NHL’s mountaintop is a difficult one littered with frozen pucks and shattered sticks of teams who came close, but ultimately failed to reach the summit of professional hockey. The Dallas Stars are braver than most, attempting the climb each season and coming off three consecutive appearances in the Western Conference Final. However, the franchise has seen their Stanley Cup dreams dissipate each time, merely a vision caused by altitude sickness during their ascent.
As the Stars sit in the disappointment of their Western Conference Final loss the the Edmonton Oilers — for the second time in two years — the organization did some soul-searching. With the reality setting in of three straight visits to the league semis without a Stanley Cup appearance to show for it, Dallas brass fired head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday. The move makes it clear the Stars will do whatever it takes to finally get over the hill and compete for the sport’s coveted trophy.
With a vacancy at the helm of their coaching staff heading into the offseason, who will be the next head coach of the Dallas Stars?
Who will be the Stars’ next head coach?
Multi-time NHL Executive of the Year Jim Nill made it clear Dallas’ decision to move on from DeBoer was not an easy one, calling it a “difficult day.” The now-former head coach’s resume speaks for itself, as does the Stars’ .655 points percentage over the last three seasons under his direction, the league’s best mark. However, his decision to pull goaltender Jake Oettinger in a win-or-go-home Game 5 against the Oilers, as well as his public throwing-under-the-bus of the goalie (signed to an eight-year extension in October, at that) in the ensuing press conference probably shortened DeBoer’s remaining time with the team.
It’s certain that Dallas will look for a hire who can take the team’s contending roster to the next level. Nill also told the media he would prefer to avoid a retread candidate in the search and that he may also consider hiring a coach from a foreign league since the Stars have so many international talents. So, who are the leaders in the race?
The obvious pick: Neil Graham, Texas Stars (AHL)
The Oilers gambled on Kris Knoblach when they hired the former AHL coach to take over the iconic franchise a couple of seasons ago. All the team has achieved since then are two Stanley Cup Final appearances. Their bold move of avoiding one of the league’s infamous retreads paid off, so could the Stars look to do the same?
Neil Graham was promoted to head coach of Dallas’ AHL affiliate midseason during the 2019-2020 campaign. Since taking over full-time, the team has a .554 points percentage and consistently developed talent for the pro squad. Graham’s team is also in the midst of their best season yet with a 43-26-3 regular-season finish and an ongoing playoff run in the third round. Since the Texas Stars run a very similar system to the Dallas team and Graham is well-liked by the players and front office, the fit seems almost seamless. As Nill said, “All he’s done is win and develop players.”
Potentially in consideration: Peter Laviolette, Jay Woodcroft, Steve Ott
All three of these guys have their own unique stories and could very well be in consideration for the head coach job.
Peter Laviolette brings Stanley Cup experience which Dallas sorely lacks, having led three different teams to appearances in the title round and won it all in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes. He recently led the New York Rangers to a Presidents’ Trophy and Eastern Conference Final berth in 2023-2024 but fell short and was promptly fired after missing the playoffs in the following year. He brings experience, plain and simple.
Jay Woodcroft’s name has floated amongst Stars circles over the last 24 hours. He first served as a head coach for the Oilers and took them to a couple of playoff appearances, including a Western Conference Final. However, he was very quickly fired after a poor start in 2023-2024. One thing he brings is a familiarity with Edmonton, so perhaps he could help Dallas vanquish their personal boogeyman. On the other hand, he doesn’t have a ton of experience as the lead voice in a locker room.
Finally, Steve Ott also seems like a popular pick. A former Dallas Star himself, fans are clamoring for Ott due to that connection already. He does have some coaching experience as an assistant with the St. Louis Blues in recent years, winning a Cup in 2019. If Woodcroft’s lack of head coach experience scares the front office, though, Ott certainly won’t be the answer either. He’s a fun pick, but a very high-risk one.
Pipe-dream pick: David Carle, Denver University
The Chicago Blackhawks just tried to recruit David Carle to the Windy City to no avail. The 36-year-old ended up signing a long-term extension with his current employer, essentially citing a desire to raise his family in Denver along with the turnover of NHL jobs as reasons he didn’t make a move to the pros. Still, could Dallas lure him to the Lone Star State?
Carle is one of the hottest names for any coaching search, and for good reason. Denver University remains a historic program in NCAA hockey and has won two national titles under Carle’s guidance with a couple more Frozen Four appearances and an overall .690 points percentage. The coach would likely be a home-run hire, but convincing him to leave a job he loves is a tough sell. However, the Stars present a much better opportunity than the Blackhawks did, so perhaps he’d consider coming to compete for a Stanley Cup.
