Ex-Stars HC Pete DeBoer breaks his silence over controversial Jake Oettinger fallout

Pete DeBoer was fired as head coach of the Dallas Stars in June. He raised eyebrows around his handling of goaltender Jake Oettinger in the Western Conference Final. The decision to pull Oettinger in Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers became the main talking point of his last days with the team.

The Stars were trailing 3-1 in the series and needed a strong response. DeBoer chose to take Oettinger out of the net just seven minutes into the game. Dallas went on to lose 6-3, and the move was heavily criticized.

In an interview with NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger, DeBoer wished he had handled things differently.

“Listen, we were all to blame for coming up short again, and it starts with me,” he said.

He explained that it was never about one player, but about the team as a whole. He also admitted that during the press conference, he should have made that point more clearly. DeBoer also spoke about his relationship with Oettinger.

“I love Jake Oettinger, and Jake and I met after the season ended,” he said. “He knows how much respect I have for him as a goalie and even more as a person and a family man.”

He added that the Stars would not have advanced as far as they did without Oettinger’s play.

Drafted 26th in 2017, Oettinger played all four of his NHL seasons with the Stars. Last season, he recorded a 36-18-4 record with a .909 save percentage and a 2.59 goals-against average. In the playoffs, he appeared in 18 games, posting nine wins and a .905 save percentage.

Pete DeBoer gave more context to his decision

In May, Pete DeBoer looked back on his decision to pull Jake Oettinger in Game 5 against Edmonton. Explaining the move, he said, via NHL.com:

“The reality is, if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton and we gave up two (goals) on two (shots) in an elimination game.”

Oettinger also addressed the situation, saying:

“I was on the screen a lot more than I should be. I don't know why they kept showing me. Like I haven't moved in half hour. It just sucks. It’s embarrassing."

Pete DeBoer's time in Dallas ended after three seasons. The team reached the Western Conference final but fell short of the Stanley Cup Final.