Stars hire ex-Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer to replace Bowness

The Dallas Stars announced Tuesday they have hired Peter DeBoer as their new head coach, a month after he was fired by the Vegas Golden Knights.

DeBoer, who previously led New Jersey and San Jose to the Stanley Cup final in his first season with both of those clubs, was let go by the Knights after they missed the playoffs for the first time in the franchise's five-season history.

He had been their coach for 2 1/2 seasons after replacing Gerard Gallant, who took Vegas to the Stanley Cup final in its inaugural 2017-18 season and back to the playoffs in 2019.

Dallas was in the NHL championship two summers ago with Rick Bowness as their interim head coach before he got a two-year contract that went through this season. Bowness was 89-62-26 with two playoff appearances in his nearly three seasons.

He stepped away a month ago to "allow the organization the opportunity to pursue a different direction at the head coaching position."

This will be the fifth head coaching job for DeBoer, who over the past 14 seasons has coached Florida (2008-11), New Jersey (2011-15), San Jose (2015-20) and Vegas. He has a 513-379-123 record in 1,015 regular-season games.

His 68-55 playoff record includes a 2012 Cup final appearance with the Devils, and four years later with the Sharks.

"Pete brings a wealth of experience to our dressing room, and we're thrilled to name him our next head coach," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "Every team that he has taken over has not only shown immediate improvement but has been ultra-competitive in the Stanley Cup playoffs. … His resume displays the high standards he sets and his ability to get his team to play up to that level consistently."

DeBoer will be the fifth coach for the Stars since Nill became GM in April 2013, following Lindy Ruff, Ken Hitchcock, Jim Montgomery and Bowness.