Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Tensions in Dallas Locker Room Lead to Major Pete DeBoer Update, per Elliotte Friedman

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 9:48 PM ET

Peter DeBoer's future has been up in the air since the Dallas Stars Game 5 meltdown, and now Elliotte Friedman has revealed the consequences he could face.

The Dallas Stars had a meltdown in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, and since then it's been nothing but drama for the organization, as Head Coach Peter DeBoer threw Jake Oettinger under the bus.

Unfortunately for the veteran coach, it appears his actions have cost him the trust and the respect of the locker room, as speculation has emerged that he could be on the verge of losing his job, despite the second straight trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Elliotte Friedman has now addressed the situation, beginning by noting that after the season, he believed that DeBoer would coach the remainder of his final season before his contract expires, but now, the future is not so clear.

We've heard no official word out of Dallas, meaning that right now, DeBoer is still the man to lead them forward, but with rumblings that the locker room has moved on from the veteran, that may change in the near future.

Under DeBoer, the Stars have thrived, but despite one of the most talented rosters in hockey, they've struggled to make the Stanley Cup Finals, and with GM Jim Nill and the team in win-now mode, that may simply not be good enough anymore.

For now though, all eyes remain on Dallas as they look to take the next step forward after two failed runs at the Western Conference Finals, and as of right now, it's anyone's guess as to who will be behind the bench in 2025/26.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: