“It [stinks],” is what squad captain Jamie Benn had to say after the collapse against the Oilers. Being eliminated from the Stanley Cup contention even after reaching the Western Conference Finals is bound to sting. Especially when it’s three times in a row. But it is what it is, and the Dallas Stars need to find a way to sort things out at home. However, coach Pete DeBoer isn’t making things any easier.

A harrowing 6-3 defeat in Game 5 against Edmonton in the Western Conference Final ended the Stars’ dreams of winning their first Cup since 1999. While the loss was a hard enough pill to swallow, Coach DeBoer’s controversial decisions during the game, including pulling Jake Oettinger from the net after he allowed two goals in the first period, turned a lot of heads. With that, it seems like some industry insiders have some exclusive scoop on how Dallas might be dealing with an internal disarray.

A post on X by The Fourth Period‘s David Pagnotta from June 2 reveals that the Dallas Stars could be undergoing serious turbulence after Pete DeBoer’s actions in Game 5 against the Pacific Division heavyweights four days ago. “Per multiple sources, players are not pleased with how he handled several situations during the WCF, along with post Gm5 & exit media remarks,” Pagnotta’s post states.

Pagnotta claims that Coach DeBoer’s postgame remarks didn’t help to simmer down the situation either. “I didn’t blame it all on Jake, but the reality is if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton. And we give up two goals on two shots in an elimination game. … That’s a pretty big sample size,” the Dallas Stars coach told reporters after being eliminated from the playoffs. Naturally, it seems to have been causing trouble in paradise.

“Told players voiced concerns during internal exit interviews,” Pagnotta notes, as he underscores how things could be serious, considering that DeBoer’s contract with the Stars expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. Hints of trouble within the camp seemed stronger during the Stars’ exit interviews on Saturday.”It sucks. It’s embarrassing. Any time you get pulled, it doesn’t matter if it’s the playoffs or the regular season, you just want to go right off the ice and crawl in your bed and not talk to anyone,” Oettinger was heard saying on being subbed by Casey DeSmith. He did, however, give a positive spin to the situation, explaining that he is looking to get better. But for all his candor and positive attitude, the Dallas Stars’ goalie did avoid speaking directly about where he and DeBoer stand in terms of their relationship.

“My job is to stop the puck. I feel like I’m one of the best in the world when I’m playing well. That’s all I’m gonna focus on. All the extra stuff’s just extra stuff for me. If I go out there next year, and I’m the best goalie in the world, it doesn’t matter if one of you guys are coaching me,” he said. But while Oettinger played it safe, and was even lauded for being self-reflective, the same could not be said for DeBoer.

“No one is a bigger fan of Jake Oettinger than me, as a person or a goalie…I think Jake is the best young goaltender in the league. But that doesn’t mean there’s not a learning curve and growth,” the Dallas Stars’ coach said on Saturday. He also took the opportunity to point out how some of his other decisions, including moving Jamie Benn to the fourth line and scratching Evgenii Dadonov, did not spark rumors of ruined relationships. Really, it’s not like DeBoer’s decision to pull Oettinger was entirely an overreaction.

Oettinger posted 9-8 with a 2.72 GAA and .908 save%. However, those numbers took a dip in the five games against the Oilers, as he finished the series with a 3.93 GAA and .853 save%. And while his replacement, Casey DeSmith, did end up conceding within less than a minute after coming on, the community would probably have let go of the whole thing had the coach not gone ahead and said that he hadn’t “gotten a chance” to talk to Oettinger before the media availability on Saturday.

That admission alone was enough to rattle a tight-knit NHL goalie community, including former Martin Biron. “…I think this is on Pete DeBoer and the organization. Jake Oettinger isn’t going to knock on the door and ask to talk,” said the former goalie-turned-TSN-analyst So yeah, things aren’t looking particularly bright for the Central Division powerhouse at the moment, and DeBoer’s woes aren’t likely to end with Oettinger alone.

Oettinger, DeBoer might not be the only concerns for the Dallas Stars

Finishing the regular season with an impressive 50-26-6 (106 points) record, Pete’s team came in behind the Winnipeg Jets to qualify for the playoffs. After decimating Colorado in Round 1, the Dallas Stars swiftly brought an end to the divisional top seeds in the next stage of the postseason, making their chances of winning the Cup look significant. Moreover, with Stars players evading serious punishments despite charged infractions against their opponents, winning the cup seemed like a viable dream.

But the Oilers didn’t take long to give Pete DeBoer and his team a reality check. And with the elimination from the Cup contention, rumors surfaced about possible changes in the roster ahead of the next season. With multiple players from the Dallas camp now heading for free agency, things could undergo a serious overhaul during the offseason.

Only days ago, team vet Matt Duchene sparked more speculations. Duchene signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Stars in 2024. Now, with the Cup once again proving to be too big a trophy to reach, it seems like the Canadian hockey center isn’t closed off to the thought of exploring other options. While noting that he would love to continue his stay in Dallas, Matt said in a cryptic statement, “If I end up somewhere else, it would be hard. I’m a relationship person. That’s who I am. I’ve made a lot of great relationships here with the guys… I think at this point as a family, my kids are getting to the point where you’re looking for some stability, so one-year deals are tough.”

A lot to take in, huh? We know! So, how would you like to see the Dallas Stars sail the troubled waters to best prepare for the 2025-26 season? Tell us your suggestions on how Pete DeBoer could deal with the situation in a comment!