Pete DeBoer praises consistency of Stars fans after first season in Dallas

Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer recently joined the Hardline on Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket [KTCK-AM] to discuss his perspective on the playoffs, Game 6 and his first season with the team

Here are some highlights of the conversation, edited for clarity.

Now that you’re a couple days removed, can you give us some perspective on how fun of a run the Stars had for those six weeks?

Pete DeBoer: “Yeah, it really was. At the end of the game, I said I was disappointed for our payers not in our players. I mean, it wasn’t the way we wanted to go out but in the NHL when you get to the final three teams in a 32-team league, the teams left standing can make you look bad if you’re not at the top of your game and we had gone to the well.

“That was our fourth elimination game if you went back to Game 7 against Seattle in a matter of 14 days and the well was starting to get low to dry. I know the guys’ hearts are in the right place, I know the fans wouldn’t see that sitting in their seats but they emptied the tank and gave us what they had.”

Fans were wondering if there was just not enough left in the tank, is that your main assessment of what happened in Game 6?

DeBoer: “Yeah, I think so. I think that you have to give Vegas credit, you don’t get to the Stanley Cup Final and be one of those last two teams standing unless you have a real response in your game like we did the entire playoffs. And it was the first time they had lost two in a row and they responded big time to that with their best game of the playoffs, and that was their words after the game.

“So, I think it was a combination of those two things and like I said, with a little perspective a few days later it still stings and it’s still fresh but I love coaching this group. I’m really proud of the group and what they did all year and, you know, it’s a bad taste in all of our mouths with the way that the last game ended but I would hope that people wouldn’t remember them for that, I hope they will be remembered for all the good things they did.”

What do you take away from your first year here in Dallas with the season the Stars had?

DeBoer: “Well, first and foremost, I love American Airlines (center) and our fans and the support we got all year. And the rink really was a huge advantage for us, the energy the fans brought, I’ve said this before, I’ve coached in five different cities, the only one similar is Vegas. San Jose, we would get that feel in the playoffs when it got jammed but, you know, Dallas and Vegas, the rink – the regular season, exhibition, playoff game- there’s a ton of energy brought by the people in the crowd and it’s a real advantage to the home team so I think I love that.

“I love the city of Dallas and the welcome that my family and I got when we got to town and getting to know the area. I really liked our coaching staff, whenever you put a new staff together you never know how they’re going to mesh but I thought we had a great group that way and I do just want to reiterate what I said in the opening, I love our group of players. They brought it every night, they checked their ego at the door. Our best players have shown that on the biggest stage they are some of the best in the league. Roope Hintz is still leading the NHL in scoring, Miro Heiskanen is still leading all defensemen in time on ice in the playoffs, Jake Oettinger’s name is all over the place in the stats, Jake Pavelski on and on, so there’s a lot to look forward to.”

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