Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Oilers Winger Lands Job as Head Coach of Rival Western Conference Organization

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 2:23 PM ET

Former Oilers winger Toby Petersen has landed a job as the new head coach of the Texas Stars in the AHL, an affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars.

The Dallas Stars named Toby Petersen head coach of their AHL affiliate , the Texas Stars. Petersen replaces Neil Graham, who was recently promoted to assistant coach with the NHL team under Glen Gulutzan. Toby Petersen has coaching and playing experience.

'We are pleased to name Toby as the head coach of the Texas Stars,' Nill said. 'Toby brings over 22 years of professional hockey experience to the Stars bench. He has been successful as a player in both the NHL and AHL and has held coaching positions in both leagues. Toby understands what it takes to build and develop a championship caliber team, as he has been part of winning a Calder Cup as a player and coach. Additionally, his familiarity with our organization is invaluable and will no doubt help us continue the culture that has been established in Cedar Park.'

He served as a skills coach for the Colorado Avalanche for the past two seasons (2023-25), where he helped develop players from both the Avalanche and the Colorado Eagles (AHL) in practices and off-ice training sessions.

A Texas institution, Toby Petersen played for both the Dallas and Texas Stars from 2007-2014.

He had 40 points in 243 NHL games with Dallas and served as an alternate captain on Texas' 2014 Calder Cup title team. He had 36 points in 108 regular-season AHL games with Texas.

Edmonton was the only Canadian team Petersen played for

Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the ninth round of the 1998 NHL Draft, Petersen played 398 NHL games over nine seasons with Pittsburgh, Edmonton, and Dallas, tallying 81 points.

His AHL career includes 374 points in 550 games and 36 points in 71 playoff contests with Texas, Iowa, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and Edmonton.

Petersen will be joined behind the bench by a returning staff that includes assistant coaches Travis Morin and Max Fortunus, goaltending development coach Ryan Daniels, and video coach Josh Johnson.

A native of Bloomington, Minnesota, Petersen lives with his wife Alexa and three children: sons Bjorn and Elliott, and daughter Nola.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: