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Peter DeBoer Reportedly Expected to Be Named Stars HC After Golden Knights Firing
Jun 20, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 20: Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer speaks with the media after a victory over the Washington Capitals at T-Mobile Arena on April 20, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Dallas Stars are reportedly on the verge of hiring their next head coach.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported he is "hearing that Peter DeBoer will be the next head coach." DeBoer is available after the Vegas Golden Knights fired him in May.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN noted it is not quite a done deal at this point:
It’s likely headed that way but sources saying a contract still hasn’t been ironed out as of now. But both sides working on it. https://t.co/ibGYYkksaP
The Dallas position is open because Rick Bowness stepped down in May.
DeBoer is a notable name for the Stars. He has coached for the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks and Golden Knights and has a 513-379-123 record and 123 playoff games on his resume.
He took over in Las Vegas for Gerard Gallant during the 2019-20 campaign and led the team to the Western Conference Final, where it lost to the Stars.
Vegas then reached the second round of the playoffs in 2020-21 but missed the playoffs entirely in 2021-22 despite a solid 43-31-8 record.
As for the Stars, Bowness was the head coach from 2019-20 through 2021-22 and posted an 89-62-25 record. They reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning before taking a step back recently with a first-round exit this past season after missing the playoffs in 2020-21.
Dallas has been among the most disappointing teams in the league since its Stanley Cup Final run, falling short of expectations despite no shortage of talent on the roster with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Roope Hintz and more.
DeBoer is accustomed to coaching in situations with high expectations after his time in Vegas, and he will look to help the Stars take the next step after they failed to replicate their recent success the past two seasons.
Stars HC Rick Bowness Steps Down Following Playoff Run After 3 Seasons with Team
May 20, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 24: Head Coach of the Dallas Stars Rick Bowness watches game action during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 24, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
Dallas Stars head coach Rick Bowness announced Friday that he is stepping down following three seasons behind the bench.
Bowness' contract with the franchise expired after the Stars were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a first-round loss to the Calgary Flames.
Stars general manager Jim Nill also released a statement wishing Bowness the best of luck and praised him for stepping in a few years ago:
His dedication and commitment to the game, and the impact that he's made on countless players, coaches and support staff throughout his five decades in the League is unmatched. He has dedicated his life to our game, and we are honored to say that the Dallas Stars are part of his legacy. When he was called upon to lead our team a few seasons ago, he stepped into the role seamlessly and helped guide our team through unprecedented global events that affected our players and staff both on and off the ice. On behalf of the entire organization, I want to wish Rick, Judy and the rest of their family nothing but the best moving forward.
Bowness served as head coach of the Stars from 2019-20 through 2021-22, finishing with an 89-62-25 record. He stepped in during the 2019-20 season as an interim replacement for Jim Montgomery and led the franchise to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2000.
The Stars fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the final, but Bowness was rewarded with a two-year contract.
Since that run, the Stars have played well below expectations. Dallas missed the playoffs in 2020-21, finishing fifth in the Central Division with a 23-19-14 record.
The Stars improved somewhat in 2021-22, finishing fourth in the division with a 46-30-6 record, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
With Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Roope Hintz, Alexander Radulov, Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg on the roster, the past two seasons have been a massive disappointment for the Stars.
It's unclear what's next for Bowness, but he is one of the most respected coaches in hockey. The 67-year-old has coached 2,562 games as an assistant or head coach in the NHL, having also served as head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes.
In 639 NHL games as a head coach, Bowness went 212-351-76. His best years behind the bench came in Dallas, as he finished with losing records in each of the other cities he coached in, save for his one year in Boston.
The Stars join the Jets, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers and Vegas Golden Knights in search of a new head coach. Barry Trotz, Peter DeBoer, Claude Julien and Alain Vigneault could be among the hottest names in this offseason's hiring cycle.
The Best NHL Landing Spots for Coaches on the Market
May 20, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 09: Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer speaks with media during a press conference after a victory over the Arizona Coyotes at T-Mobile Arena on April 09, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
The NHL announced the Jack Adams Award finalists Thursday, which means three coaches can (probably) say they are safe to keep their jobs beyond this season: the New York Rangers' Gerard Gallant, Calgary Flames' Darryl Sutter and Florida Panthers' Andrew Brunette.
These are three very different coaches with varying styles. Gallant is considered an affable players' coach. He's a motivator and has his players' backs, all while guiding them through the season with an even-keeled demeanor.
Sutter is as old-school as they come. He grew up playing in the frozen farmlands of Viking, Alberta, was previously the coach and general manager of the Flames before he returned to the farm for a year and then came back to help the Los Angeles Kings win two Stanley Cups. He has long implemented a grinding, physically demanding style of play.
Brunette, who carries the interim label, stepped into a difficult situation and deftly guided the Panthers to the Presidents' Trophy after Joel Quenneville resigned.
Other teams aren't quite as lucky with their coaching situations. The week began with the New York Islanders filling their opening by promoting assistant Lane Lambert shortly before the Vegas Golden Knights fired Peter DeBoer, the second coach in the franchise's five-season history.
Barry Trotz is still on the market, having been fired by the Islanders last week, though he has already interviewed with the Winnipeg Jets. Openings exist in Detroit and Philadelphia. Speculation looms that there may be another vacancy in Dallas, and the bench bosses in Chicago and Montreal still have interim tags ahead of their names.
With that said, let's take a look at the landscape and try to predict where a few coaches will end up, as well as examine some up-and-coming coaches who could vie for head jobs soon.
Detroit Red Wings: Mike Vellucci
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 24: Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach Mike Vellucci looks on during the game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburg Penguins on April 24, 2022 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
General manager Steve Yzerman recently fired Jeff Blashill and will keep his cards close to his vest in the search for the Detroit Red Wings' new coach. This is how the franchise legend has always operated, and there is no reason to expect he'll suddenly do things differently.
It gets tough to move in complete secrecy in this business unless you're Lou Lamoriello and all you have to do is tell the club's owner that the coach is getting fired without consulting anyone who could leak information.
But if Yzerman wants to cast a wide net, he'll have to talk to agents and team executives in order to receive permission to speak with candidates. And he should talk to Pittsburgh Penguins president Brian Burke and general manager Ron Hextall regarding the availability of assistant coach Mike Vellucci.
Vellucci is a Detroit-area native from Farmington, Michigan, and he was the longtime head coach of the OHL's Plymouth Whalers before he worked up the pro ranks in the front office with the Carolina Hurricanes, as the head coach of the AHL's Charlotte Checkers and as the head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Vellucci brings experience but isn't a recycled NHL head coach. Yzerman has gone outside the traditional pipelines to fill head coaching jobs in the past, hiring a relatively unknown commodity named Jon Cooper when he was the GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Given Yzerman's history with Cooper, if Vellucci doesn't move him, then maybe Cooper's assistant Derek Lalonde will.
Philadelphia Flyers: John Tortorella
VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 8: Head coach John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena March 8, 2020 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)"n
John Tortorella proved to have some behind-the-times views when he said on ESPN that the lacrosse-style goal that burgeoning Anaheim Ducks stars Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano combined for earlier this year was bad for the game. There is no doubt the lightning rod of a coach would get the fans talking in Philadelphia if nothing else.
He is known for being demanding and holding his team accountable, but behind the curtain, his demeanor is that of a coach who fiercely protects his players, which would also be helpful with a demanding, blue-collar fanbase such as the one in Philadelphia.
He has the credentials: Tortorella led the Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup title, is a two-time Jack Adams Award winner, has coached a team to a season of 100 or more points three times, reached the playoffs 12 playoffs times and recorded 10 series victories.
His calling card is defense, and the Columbus Blue Jackets were adept at limiting chances when he was at the helm. The Flyers had little structure under Alain Vigneault and later under interim coach Mike Yeo, bleeding chances in the defensive zone.
Last season, Philadelphia allowed nearly 2000 five-on-five scoring chances (1,971), per NaturalStatTrick.com, which was the eighth-most in the NHL. Playing like that certainly can't help when it comes to developing a goalie like Carter Hart.
However, Tortorella's effectiveness can wane as the tough love wears thin, especially if his teams aren't winning. But hey, it's worked for Sutter. Tortorella might not be a long-term solution but instead a way to bridge the gap to the next coach.
If not Tortorella, then Trotz could be the answer.
Winnipeg Jets: Barry Trotz
RALEIGH, NC - APRIL 8: Head coach Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders communicates with players and watches action on the ice from the bench area during an NHL game on April 8, 2022 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
Few coaches do more with less than Trotz.
The system is the star with the 59-year-old, and it's heavily predicated on defense and limiting chances. But he has proved this style of play can win, as is evidenced by his 914 career victories and a 2018 Stanley Cup.
The Jets could have some key long-term pieces in place to retool around in forward Kyle Connor and defenseman Josh Morrissey. Franchise cornerstones Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Connor Hellebuyck will still be around for a few more years, and Pierre-Luc Dubois is in need of an extension, as he'll be a restricted free agent this summer.
Trotz, a Dauphin, Manitoba, native, once brought the Cup back to the province during his day with it after he won the title with Washington, but he has a chance to bring it back as more than just a display item.
The other name that could be in the mix is Randy Carlyle, the 66-year-old former Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs coach.
Carlye hasn't coached since he was fired from his second stint with Anaheim in 2019. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the former Winnipeg defenseman is interested in getting behind a bench again.
Carlyle's style was a little stale toward the end with the Ducks, though the second time around in Orange County, he did prove to have a softer demeanor and showed an ability to adapt.
He could be continuing to evolve, and if that's the case, then it makes sense for a team to at least inquire about the 2007 Stanley Cup-winning coach.
Vegas Golden Knights: Rick Tocchet
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 16: 2021 Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Tocchet speaks during his pregame Hall of Fame induction ceremony prior to his team's game against the Calgary Flames at the Wells Fargo Center on November 16, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
Rick Tocchet made some strides with the Arizona Coyotes, taking them to the playoffs in 2020. But the TNT analyst wasn't given much of a chance to show what he could do as a coach in Arizona since the club decided to rebuild and go in another direction in 2021, hiring former Ottawa 67's coach and Team Canada World Junior coach Andre Tourigney.
Prior to that, Tocchet's first head coaching job came in 2008, when he got the interim role in Tampa Bay after the Lightning fired Barry Melrose. Tocchet was fired after the 2010 season, having posted a 53-69-26 record in two years.
The 58-year-old has played in 1,144 career NHL games and won two Stanley Cups as an assistant coach on Mike Sullivan's bench, overseeing a power play that often featured Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
It's tough to get a read on the Golden Knights given the club's tendency to make decisions on a whim, like parting with former coach Gerard Gallant in the middle of the season and trading away former franchise face Marc-Andre Fleury. But Tocchet developed a respected, no-nonsense approach in Arizona, and with a roster of veterans who want to win and who know what it takes to do so, that style could be effective.
Dallas Stars: Peter DeBoer
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 04: Head coaches Peter DeBoer of the Vegas Golden Knights (C) and Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche look on from behind the bench during the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills as part of the 2022 NHL All-Star Weekend on February 04, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
Look, this is a shot in the dark, but it seems as though Rick Bowness has outlived his effectiveness. The Dallas Stars made it to the first round of the playoffs and pushed the Flames to seven games, largely based on the performance of emerging young goalie Jake Oettinger.
But getting into the playoffs shouldn't be the goal for a team that was in the Stanley Cup Final while in the bubble two years ago. Sure, we could point to the flukey nature of the bubble, but it was an even playing field for everyone in Edmonton and Toronto, so no one can say they didn't earn it.
The Stars are in a tough place with an aging core and some top young talent. They either have to move on from players such as John Klingberg or risk clinging to the past and mediocrity. That won't be easy, considering Tyler Seguin has five years left on his contract and Jamie Benn has three.
The club was at an impasse with Klingberg, an impending unrestricted free agent, earlier this year, but he has expressed a desire to stay in Texas.
No decision has been made on Bowness, but if Dallas decides it has enough talent to continue on this same path and go for it in the near future, it might want a win-now coach such as DeBoer, who has led two teams to the Cup Final (New Jersey Devils in 2012, San Jose Sharks in 2016).
Under-the-Radar Names
COLOGNE, GERMANY - OCTOBER 03: German national coach Marco Sturm is seen at the NHL Global Fan Tour prior to the NHL Global Series Challenge game between Edmonton Oilers and Kolner Haie at Lanxess Arena on October 3, 2018 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/NHLI via Getty Images)
There is a dearth of European coaches and executives in the NHL. Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen (Finland) and Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin (Sweden) are the only two Europeans to hold high-level executive positions. There are no European head coaches.
Marco Sturm could soon change that. A veteran of nearly 1,000 NHL games, Sturm is getting NHL coaching experience as a Kings assistant on Todd McLellan's bench. He has also coached the German national team in international competition.
Rikard Gronborg's name comes up every year. The longtime Swedish national team coach is guiding Switzerland’s ZSC Lions but has worked in North America in collegiate ranks.
Patrik Elias has also coached the Czech junior national team and with the Devils as a special assistant of sorts. He expressed interest in coaching in the NHL a few years ago, though he may need some experience as an assistant or as the coach of an AHL team first.
And speaking of the Devils, Alain Nasreddine, who briefly served as New Jersey's interim coach when John Hynes was fired in December 2019, parted ways with the Devils recently. Nasreddine could either take his lockdown penalty-killing system elsewhere in the NHL or try to become an AHL head coach to gain experience in the big chair.
Kris Knoblauch's name was mentioned last year after the Rangers fired David Quinn. The coach of the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack since 2019 and a former assistant coach with the Flyers, Knoblauch could be ready to make the jump to an NHL head coaching job.
Quinn is also on the market, as is Claude Julien. Both coached at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 27: Joe Pavelski #16, John Klingberg #3, Miro Heiskanen #4 and the Dallas Stars celebrate a goal against the Arizona Coyotes at the American Airlines Center on April 27, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)
The 16th and final NHL playoff spot was filled Wednesday as the Dallas Stars clinched a berth thanks to a shootout loss by the Vegas Golden Knights against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Stars, who fell to 45-30-6 after a 4-3 overtime loss against the Arizona Coyotes, failed to qualify for the postseason last year. Dallas' last playoff run culminated in a trip to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, which it lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.
Despite losing Wednesday, the Stars leapfrogged the Nashville Predators for the first wild card spot. Here's a look at the updated Western Conference standings:
Wild Card
Dallas Stars: 45-30-6, 96 points
Nashville Predators: 44-29-7, 95 points
Central Division
Colorado Avalanche: 56-18-6, 118 points
Minnesota Wild: 51-22-7, 109 points
St. Louis Blues: 49-21-11, 109 points
Pacific Division
Calgary Flames: 50-20-10, 110 points
Edmonton Oilers: 47-27-6, 100 points
Los Angeles Kings: 43-27-10, 96 points
The Stars got off to a slow start this season, sitting at 18-16-2 midway through January. But the team rattled off four win streaks of three games or more in the second half of the year to put itself in position to compete for a playoff spot.
Dallas is led by a trio of 70-point scorers in Joe Pavelski, Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. Pavelski leads the team with 54 assists to go with 27 goals. Robertson has a team-high 40 goals with 38 assists, while Hintz has 37 goals and 34 assists.
In addition to the top three scorers, the Stars have gotten solid production from Tyler Seguin (48 points), John Klingberg (47) and Jamie Benn (46).
The Stars face an uphill battle in the postseason, as they will be matched up with the Calgary Flames. It would be a surprise to see Dallas get past one of the best teams in the Western Conference, but the Stars will surely put up a fight to try to make their way back to the Final.
Stars' Ben Bishop Won't Return to NHL Because of Degenerative Knee Injury
Dec 11, 2021
EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 13: Goaltender Ben Bishop #30 of the Dallas Stars makes a save in the second period of Game Two of the Western Conference First Round of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff between the Calgary Flames and the Dallas Stars at Rogers Place on August 13, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Dallas Stars goaltender Ben Bishop won't return to the NHL because of a degenerative knee injury, general manager Jim Nill told the Dallas Morning News' Matthew DeFranks on Saturday.
"It's no secret, he has a degenerative knee injury, and he went down there, he wanted to be a big part of this. He wanted to do everything he could to get back," Nill said. "In the end, by going through the process, going down there and playing, he found out that it's the end of his career."
The 35-year-old underwent surgery last year to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
The news comes after Bishop had been on a conditioning stint with the AHL's Texas Stars. He appeared in his first game since August 2020 on Thursday and gave up eight goals on 34 shots.
Bishop had been one of the most successful goaltenders in the NHL since entering the league during the 2008-09 season as a member of the St. Louis Blues. He appeared in 13 games for the Blues before being traded to the Ottawa Senators before the 2011-12 season.
The former third-round pick spent a season-and-a-half in Ottawa before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2012-13 season. He spent about four seasons in Tampa Bay before joining the Los Angeles Kings during the 2016-17 season and later the Stars.
Bishop appeared in 413 career games over his 11-year career, compiling a 222-128-36 record, 2.32 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. He was a two-time All-Star and three-time Vezina Trophy finalist.
One of Bishop's best seasons came during the 2015-16 campaign when he went 35-21-4 with a 2.06 GAA, .926 SV% and six shutouts as a member of the Lightning.
Bishop is in the fifth year of a six-year, $29.5 million deal. He is expected to meet with the media Tuesday morning.
The Stars have primarily relied on Braden Holtby and Jake Oettinger in net this year. Dallas is sixth in the Central Division with a 13-9-2 record.
