Golden Knights fire Peter DeBoer as head coach after missing playoffs

The Vegas Golden Knights announced Monday that Peter DeBoer has been fired as head coach after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in the franchise's young history.

"Missing the playoffs was a humbling experience for the team," Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a press conference. "It's a decision that ultimately came from me. ... It's not easy. You do what you think is best for the organization and that's why we're here today."

DeBoer, 53, was hired by the team during the 2019-20 season after Gerard Gallant was fired in January. DeBoer led the team to a 15-5-2 record in the remainder of the year and a trip to the Western Conference Final. In the 2020-21 season, the Golden Knights advanced through the first two rounds of the playoffs but were bounced in the conference semifinals.

This season, Vegas finished just short of a fifth straight trip to the playoffs in the franchise's five-year history. The Golden Knights' 43-31-8 record left the team three points behind the Nashville Predators for the final postseason berth in the Western Conference. Vegas blew several opportunities for points late in the season, losing three consecutive shootouts before finally finishing the regular season with a win.

DeBoer previously had stints as head coach of the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks. The Devils and Sharks reached the Stanley Cup Final during his tenures, but both teams lost in six games.