Dallas, TX

Who is Pete DeBoer? 10 things to know about the Dallas Stars head coach

Published

10 months ago

May 22, 2025

Who is Pete DeBoer? 10 things to know about the Dallas Stars head coach

With Pete DeBoer in charge, the Dallas Stars have positioned themselves as one of the NHL’s top teams.

DeBoer originally took over as Dallas’ head coach in 2022 and has since led the squad to three consecutive Western Conference finals appearances. Will this be the year DeBoer and the Stars get past the hump?

Here are 10 things to know about DeBoer:

1. The basics

DeBoer, 56, is a native of Dunnville, Ontario in Canada. He has 18 years of head coaching experience in the NHL, previously leading teams like the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights.

Before landing in the NHL, DeBoer coached several teams in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He notably led the Detroit Whalers, Plymouth Whalers and Kitchener Rangers.

DeBoer and his wife, Susan, have one daughter and two sons.

2. His playing career

Before he took on the coaching challenge, DeBoer gained first-hand experience on the ice.

DeBoer, a center, spent much of his playing career in the OHL. He spent four seasons (1985-89) with the Windsor Compuware Spitfires before he was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the 237th overall pick in the 1988 NHL draft.

DeBoer did not play in the NHL, moving on to the International Hockey League (IHL) after his stint in Windsor. He spent the last three years of his playing career with the Milwaukee Admirals.

According to hockeydb.com, DeBoer recorded 309 points throughout his playing career (regular season and postseason combined). His best season came in 1988-89, when he posted 91 points (45 goals and 46 assists) with Windsor.

3. Pete DeBoer, the lawyer?

That’s right. For a brief moment, DeBoer was preparing to start a career outside of hockey. During his early days as an assistant coach in the OHL, DeBoer was in law school.

Some of the connections DeBoer made in his playing days had a key role in how the rest of his professional career unfolded. Back when he was hired by the Stars in 2022, DeBoer spoke about where he would be if he wasn’t coaching.

“I might be in a small claims court somewhere,” said DeBoer, who has a law degree in both Canada and the United States. “Fighting a traffic ticket.”

4. Master of Game 7s

When it comes to win-or-go-home scenarios, DeBoer has found consistent success. When the Stars took down the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, DeBoer took sole possession of the best Game 7 record in pro sports.

At 9-0, with Game 7 wins with Dallas (three), the San Jose Sharks (three), the Vegas Golden Knights (two) and the New Jersey Devils (one), DeBoer broke a tie with two-time Stanley Cup champion Darryl Sutter (8-3) to stand alone in first place.

5. Has international coaching experience

Along with his NHL coaching, DeBoer has picked up experience working for Team Canada throughout his career. He was notably an assistant on the coaching staff for Team Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

DeBoer previously won gold with the Canadian national team during the 2015 IIHF World Championship.

6. Has a preferred pizza place in Denver

When the Stars face the Colorado Avalanche in the 2025 playoffs, DeBoer’s routine for games in Denver became a hot topic of discussion. The head coach said he likes to walk from the team hotel to Ball Arena, stopping at a specific pizza place to grab a bite to eat.

DeBoer’s preferred location was SliceWorks, which serves a Big Mac pizza and a jalapeño popper pizza with grape jelly.

Stars beat writer Lia Assimakopoulos reviewed DeBoer’s selections during the Stars-Avalanche series.

7. Known for a strong defensive system

Throughout his Dallas stint, DeBoer has emphasized the virtue of a strong defensive system. In each of his three seasons as Stars head coach, DeBoer’s Dallas teams have finished in the top 10 in regular-season goals allowed.

In 2022-23, the Stars ranked third with 215 goals allowed. Dallas then ranked eighth with 232 goals allowed in 2023-24. That all led up to the 2024-25 season, where Dallas ranked sixth with 222 goals allowed.

8. Once had a tense exchange with a media member in Dallas

DeBoer wasn’t exactly thrilled with the Stars’ performance against the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Western Conference finals. The head coach’s frustrations boiled over when The Dallas Morning News’ Tim Cowlishaw asked about a slow second-period showing in a Game 5 loss.

“You can sit here and question our character if you want. That’s what you’re doing. You haven’t been around here all year, I haven’t seen you all year,” DeBoer said.

DeBoer asked for a redo the following day.

9. Has coached in Stanley Cup Finals before

If DeBoer can lead the Stars past the Western Conference finals, it would mark the coach’s third appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.

He led the New Jersey Devils to the Cup Final in 2012, then returned to the matchup with the San Jose Sharks in 2016. DeBoer’s Devils lost to the Los Angeles Kings in six games, while the Sharks fell against the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

10. Brings up young players

Throughout his coaching career, DeBoer has emphasized the development of young players. In San Jose, he helped oversee the growth of winger Timo Meier.

DeBoer is also credited with helping Tomas Hertl become a key contributor. The head coach’s impact is already felt in Dallas, as he has quickly boosted Wyatt Johnston into becoming one of the team’s most dangerous scorers.

Johnston finished the 2024-25 regular season with 71 points (33 goals, 38 assists).

Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas weather: Storms return this week with large hail and tornado threat

Published

3 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Dallas weather: Storms return this week with large hail and tornado threat

article

DALLAS – North Texans will enjoy a brief break today before the next weather system arrives, bringing multiple rounds of storms. A warmup is on the way, with temperatures climbing back into the mid-80s by the weekend.

Monday Forecast

Following a few morning showers in the eastern counties, expect a warm and breezy Monday. High temperatures will climb into the low 80s under partly cloudy skies.

Tuesday Forecast

As an upper-level low-pressure system moves to the west, scattered storms will move into the region Tuesday afternoon. Some of these storms could become severe, with the primary threats being large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes.

Simultaneously, storms are expected to develop ahead of a dryline to the west. While the tornado threat remains low in this area, any storms that form could produce large hail and damaging wind gusts.

7-Day Forecast

Those overnight storms should push out to the east by Wednesday morning, but don’t put the umbrella away just yet. As the main weather system moves directly over us Wednesday afternoon, we’ll likely see another round of scattered storms that could still bring with some hail. Once everything finally clears out Wednesday evening, we can look forward to some drier, much more comfortable air moving back into the area.

Thursday will be noticeably cooler, with high temperatures settling in the mid-60s. However, sunshine and a quick warmup are expected by the weekend. Temperatures will rebound into the 80s on Friday and Saturday.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 4 forecasters.

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Dallas, TX

Off-duty Dallas officer shoots at suspects allegedly trying to steal his vehicle in Addison, police say

Published

15 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Off-duty Dallas officer shoots at suspects allegedly trying to steal his vehicle in Addison, police say

CBS Texas Staff

March 8, 2026 / 7:33 PM CDT
/ CBS Texas

An off-duty Dallas police officer shot at a group of people allegedly trying to steal his personal vehicle on Sunday afternoon in Addison, officials said.

According to the Addison Police Department, around 2:15 p.m., the off-duty Dallas officer saw a group of people trying to steal his vehicle in a parking lot at 5000 Belt Line Road. He confronted the suspects, “and during the encounter, fired a weapon at the suspects’ vehicle.”

The suspects fled in their vehicle, Addison police said, and it is unknown if any suspects were hit by gunfire.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas dropped the ball on the Wings’ practice facility

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Dallas dropped the ball on the Wings’ practice facility

The Dallas Wings can’t seem to get a win, at least when it comes to the team’s training facility and arena. Not only is its practice facility in west Oak Cliff, approved over the summer and fast-tracked to open ahead of the team’s spring season, now running behind schedule, it is also somehow over budget.

Dallas had already committed $55 million for the team’s practice facility, a price tag we were uncomfortable with from the beginning. At the time, city staff said that was the amount needed to build a training facility with the amenities and infrastructure required for a WNBA team. The city argued there were few viable alternative locations for the practice facility after delays with the convention center, and they were running out of time. Enter the $55 million facility at Joey Georgusis Park.

But now the project needs an additional $27 million to cross the finish line. How did costs increase so much in just a few months? And how did a project that was expedited to meet the team’s deadline end up falling behind and over budget?

City staff attribute the holdup to missed deadlines by the project management firm McKissack and McKissack and new requirements from the WNBA that weren’t part of the original scope. McKissack and McKissack didn’t respond to multiple messages seeking comment for this editorial. Whatever the company’s missteps, the city is ultimately responsible for conducting due diligence and making sure the project stays on track, and it couldn’t deliver what it promised.

Now the city wants the Wings to take over. The city would cap its total contributions at $57 million, which includes $653,000 in delay reimbursements. The Wings would then cover the remaining costs, at least $27 million, needed to finish the practice facility and agree not to sue Dallas for the delays.

Some City Council members have suggested that Dallas should consider the American Airlines Center for the Wings’ practice facility and arena. But even though the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars, who currently play at the AAC, are looking to leave, their lease agreements run through 2031. That doesn’t do much for the Wings who need a practice facility now.

Maybe all of this could have been avoided if the city had more seriously considered existing facilities that could have accommodated the Wings. That’s not to say the team doesn’t deserve a training space that will meet their needs, but repurposing an existing space instead of starting from the ground up might have saved both time and money.

This debacle is frustrating for the Wings, and it also isn’t a good look for the city. If Dallas can’t figure out how to deliver a practice facility that it promised to one of its professional sports teams, how can it hope to attract more businesses and major investments? Anyone watching this unfold would have good reason to question the city’s ability to deliver.

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