Top 3 Dallas Stars head coach replacements after Peter DeBoer's firing feat. Alain Nasreddine

The Dallas Stars fired Peter DeBoer as the team’s head coach following the controversy unleashed by the team’s elimination at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final.

The move wasn’t much of a surprise as rumblings after the Stars’ disastrous Game 5 loss to the Oilers, stemming from Jake Oettinger’s pulling after two shots in the contest, suggested DeBoer could be on the way out.

Now that the move has materialized, the Stars will be the next NHL team to search for a new head coach.

So, here’s a look at the top three replacements for Peter DeBoer in Dallas.

Top 3 Dallas Stars head coach replacements after Peter DeBoer's firing

#3 Jay Woodcroft

Woodcroft led the Edmonton Oilers to the Western Conference Final in 2022 - Source: Imagn

Jay Woodcroft’s name has been circling throughout NHL coaching vacancies this summer. The former Edmonton Oilers bench boss could be a good fit in Dallas as he’s a younger candidate with experience coaching superstars in high-pressure environments. That’s a good sign as the Stars will need a coach who can mesh with a star like Mikko Rantanen.

Since leaving Edmonton, Woodcroft has served in Team Canada’s coaching staff, most notably under Dean Evason.

Woodcroft would bring experience and a different approach compared to DeBoer’s system. However, this situation could become an issue as the Dallas Stars were built to fit DeBoer’s grinding, hard-checking system.

If Dallas chooses to go with Woodcroft, the team could gradually morph into a more offensive-minded team like the Edmonton Oilers, while retaining their defensively-responsible ethos.

#2 Neil Graham

Neil Graham is the Texas Stars' current head coach. The Texas Stars are the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate and have provided Graham with experience and links to the organization. He also coached the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL, another of the Dallas Stars’ affiliates.

It’s worth noting that Graham has worked his way up the ranks, first rising to head coach of the Steelheads before moving on to an assistant coaching role with the Texas Stars. From there, Graham was named to his current head coaching role.

What makes Graham a highly qualified candidate?

He was instrumental in the development of current players like Jake Oettinger, Thomas Harley, and Jason Robertson as these team members played in the AHL.

That familiarity is something that could help the transition be much smoother for the team heading into next season.

#1 Alain Nasreddine

Nasreddine led the New Jersey Devils in 2015 - Source: Imagn

There’s always the temptation to recycle a veteran coach. John Tortorella and Peter Laviolette are two such coaches who could fill the void.

However, recycling a coach does not seem like the direction the Dallas Stars want to go.

As the Dallas Morning News reported, team GM Jim Nill stated that the organization wants to keep the current assistant coaching crew. Additionally, the Stars’ crop of assistant coaches could be in the running for the head coaching position.

The Morning News makes an interesting argument for Alain Nasreddine as the potential candidate to fill the head coaching void, given his relatively short time with the organization.

The argument makes sense as the longer-tenured assistant coaches may not be much of a departure from DeBoer. With the Dallas Stars looking to get a fresh take, Nasreddine offers the right mix of experience, familiarity, and player relationships.

It’s worth pointing out that Nasreddine has NHL head coaching experience as he ran the New Jersey Devils on an interim basis in 2015.

If the Stars want to whittle down the time needed to find their new coach, promoting Nasreddine could make things a lot simpler for Jim Nill.