At ‘hockey university,’ Stars’ Rich Peverley never stops learning

March 10, 2014. The night tragedy nearly struck for former Dallas Stars player Rich Peverley. In the middle of a game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets, Peverley collapsed due to a cardiac arrest. Peverley had been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat a few months prior to the event and had a procedure done to treat it. 

“It was a life changing moment,” Peverley told Daily Faceoff. “It makes you appreciate your life as a person, but also as a husband and a father. I was given an opportunity to try and play (after that) but I wasn’t comfortable doing so. 

“It was a great opportunity to transition (into management with the Stars).”

After playing in 442 games and winning a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins, Peverley retired from professional hockey after the incident in the spring of 2014. In 2014-15, Peverley was still under contract with the Stars but did not play. He was helping out then-head coach Lindy Ruff with coaching responsibilities, being the “eye in the sky,” working with the AHL team and younger players. 

After Peverley’s contract expired in 2015, Stars GM Jim Nill offered him a job in the team’s player development department. 

“(Player development) is something I always looked forward to doing,” Peverley said. “I always knew I wanted to be in hockey the rest of my life – I just have a passion for it. Jim gave me the opportunity to do so.”

Jumping into Dallas’ front office meant Peverley was now going to be working directly under one of the NHL’s most respected executives in Nill. After spending much of his career helping build the Detroit Red Wings’ dynasties during the late 1990s and 2000s, Peverley was set up with a great opportunity to kick off his front office career under a tremendous learning tree. 

“When I transitioned (into my current role as director of player personnel) it was a little different than what I had been doing in player development,” Peverley said. “Jim started in player personnel and worked his way up in Detroit; he earned his way and had a tremendous amount of success there. Jim has a ton of experience in hockey and in life. 

“The opportunity I have to work with Jim is one I’m extremely grateful for. I’ve been doing this for 10 years now, and I feel like this is a business [in which] you can constantly learn. I feel like I’m in hockey university (working under Nill).”

Peverley’s decade-long run in Dallas’ front office has seen him live through a lot of changes with the team. Coming off of three consecutive trips to the Western Conference final and a Stanley Cup Final loss in 2020, it has been a solid stretch for the Stars. 

But there has been a plateauing of sorts after their most recent loss in the conference final to the Edmonton Oilers. Moving on from former bench boss Pete DeBoer, the Stars have had to make some changes but also feel comfortable in their direction.

“You can’t take away from experience but we still have a younger core,” Peverley said. “We have one of the best goaltenders in the world with Jake Oettinger, we added a big piece like Mikko Rantanen last year. With each experience a team has, it allows you to learn and get better. Very rarely do teams go in and win right off the hop. It’s the bumps and bruises you take along the way that builds a winner. 

“With the coaching change bringing in Glen Gulutzan, hopefully it can bring a change in mentality that will help us get over the hump.”

Working his way up the ranks in the Stars’ front office – starting in player development then being named DPP after six years – Peverley has become one of the members of the Stars’ brain trust. Being involved in transactions and scouting (among others things), Peverley has elevated to being a trusted voice on Nill’s management team. Whether it be team structure, personnel decisions or scouting (both professional and amateur), Peverley is involved in close to every aspect in hockey operations.

With there already having been so much progression in his managerial career, could Peverley one day see himself having his role elevated even more?

“I’m still learning but my premature (on ice) retirement gave me the opportunity to start at a relatively young age,” said Peverley. “I’m learning under one of the best GMs in the business; there’s no other place I’d want to be (learning the ropes of the business). Any opportunity I’ll have to continue to learn, to listen and absorb everything I’ll take.

“Would I want to be a GM at some point? Tough to say; I think everybody should have goals, working with good people and in a good environment. I feel grateful for my current opportunity and that’s what I’m focusing on.”

Peverley’s on-ice career ended abruptly, but it has allowed him to get a head start on a front office path. Already having risen to a substantial role at just 43 years old in Dallas’ front office, Peverley has a lot of runway left in life to shoot even higher. Being a key part of such a successful run with the Stars looks good on the resume, and if the Stars keep finding so much success with Peverley playing such a key role behind the scenes, there may be a time down the line where he sees his role elevated even further.