Peter DeBoer | Dallas Stars Head Coach

The wait is over.

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It's a convenient way to run your household, customize to your family's needs, and the easy way to raise financially smart kids. Get started with Greenlight today and get your first month free at greenlight.com. Alrighty, the Final Four is set in the Stanley Cup playoffs in the East. You know, you have the Panthers going up against the Rangers in the West. You have the Dallas Stars going up against the Edmonton Oilers.

The head coach of the Dallas Stars is, of course, Peter DeBoer, who's kind enough to join us once again on the Zach Gelb Show on the Infinity Sports Network. Coach, congratulations. Thanks for the time, and how you been? Fantastic, Zach. How about you? I've been fantastic, and I appreciate you jumping on board with us. So, over the weekend, when Dushane scores that goal to send you guys to the Western Conference Final in an epic overtime game, just relive it for me and take me back to that.

Yeah, you know what? It was, well, just a lot of emotion, right? We finished with the second best record, regular season record in the league behind the Rangers, win the Western Conference during the season, and the bonus for that is you get the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the first round and the Colorado Avalanche in the second round, the last two Stanley Cup winners. So, it was quite a gauntlet of teams, and credit to our group.

They didn't make excuses. They just kind of rolled up their sleeves and dug in, but it was a relief to get through both those teams because you could argue they're two of the top five or six teams in the league. And we know how talented your team is, but the mental toughness of this team really stands out. You guys were down 0-2 to Vegas. You win that series. You lose Game 1 up against the Avalanche in crushing fashion, and then you pull off three straight, and then you go on the road and win a Game 6. Just how about the mental toughness of this group, and how do you kind of get the feel of your squad in the locker room, and you see that resiliency? Yeah. It's a great question, and not to pump our guys' tires anymore than you already are, but Colorado had the best home record in the league, and we won three games in Colorado in that series, including the eventual elimination game. So just big character tests, gutty efforts by our group, no excuses.

And you know what? When I look back now, I'm not surprised. We've been playing really good hockey for a while now. Obviously, the trade deadline, picking up Chris Tannen, kind of solidified our defense. But even prior to that, we were playing the right way. You know, going back to the first round, you know, you've been around in a bunch of spots and used to coach the Vegas Golden Knights, and we know what happened last year when you guys lost to them in the conference final. When you were able to defeat them, what did that mean to you personally, where obviously you're happy, but then you know some of the guys are on the other side? Yeah.

You know what? It was a little easier this year than last year. I think you're a year removed. Last year when they beat us, my feeling was if we couldn't win, you know, I really hope that some of those players and some of the people I worked with there in my time would get an opportunity to win, because there were some fantastic players and people that I developed relationships with while I was there. A year later, you know, you're another year removed, and they did win. So it was almost a feeling like, okay, you had your turn.

You know, how about we get a turn now? But I'll tell you what, that was a war of a series, won seven games. I mean, Vegas was much better than their record. They had a ton of injuries all year and ended up getting healthy for playoff game one. And, you know, that roster top to bottom, I believe, was better than the Stanley Cup roster that we played last year in the conference finals. So that was a big task to come out of the gate and start the playoffs with. Coach, how do you handle the emotions of these games? Because we were talking about it, Peter DeBoer, before you got on, especially these overtime games, if you have a dog in the fight, you have like 10,000 heart attacks in these games, and if you don't have a dog in the fight, they're just equally as stressful.

You've been in four to the last five conference finals. How the heck do you just stand up right still after all this craziness? Drink heavily, Zach.

Drink heavily. No, you know, I think what happens with experience, you learn to roll with it better. You know, I think as a young coach, you know, my first playoff run was with the New Jersey Devils right up the road from you there. And we went to the Stanley Cup finals and lost in six to L.A., and then I had another few runs in San Jose in my next stop, one to a final, and then a couple conference finals. So I think every time you go on a deep run, I think you learn to manage the emotions of it a little bit better.

Yeah, sources say I can't confirm or deny this story. I may have been underage, but I think you made me drink heavily when your Devils beat my Rangers with that Adam Henrique. Oh, it still drives me nuts to this day. I was going to bring that up when you asked me about the Matt Duchene goal, what it reminded me of. It reminded me of Adam Henrique knocking the Rangers out at the Prudential Center that night, which was, you know, still one of the highlights of my career. I tell people all the time, unless you're living and coaching and working in the New York, New Jersey area, you know, that rivalry is crazy. I mean, I lived in Madison, New Jersey, and the town was absolutely split between Devils and Rangers fans.

And, you know, I think that can be said for every town in New Jersey and New York. Pete DeBoer here with us. By the way, what is your drink of choice?

I'm now, because I'm living in Texas, I'm a Tito soda with a splash of lime. Like it. Those home games, by the way, wild. The stars, they have a great fan base. I've been really impressed with the fan base the last two years watching them since you've been the head coach. Yeah, they really have. And, you know, and I worked in Vegas for three years, which is probably the craziest hockey environment in the league.

But I'll tell you what. The pregame ritual in Vegas. I went to Knight's Oilers this year during the Super Bowl week when we were out there. I could have left before they even dropped the puck in the ice.

It was wild. Yeah, but as far as like just sheer fan energy in the building, Dallas, Texas does it as good as anybody. These people are on their seats. They're having fun. You know, everyone's got a drink in their hand. And, you know, more more hockey knowledgeable base than I would have anticipated.

But I shouldn't. I mean, they've been around for for almost 30 years. So, you know, it's been a real pleasure working here and in our group playing in front of this. The those fans down in the American Airlines Center pizza board here with us, the coach of the stars. They'll go up against the Oilers in the Western Conference. Final stars had the most points in the West this year. You know how great the Oilers team is. We saw their excellence last night where they just dominated that game. I know it got close late, like most of these games do when you're watching that Oilers game last night. You know, the team and obviously you played them throughout the year.

But what really stands out to you about them? Well, I think I think a lot like us, it's a team that went on a deep run last year, recognized that they had some shortcomings and went out and addressed them, you know, and, you know, for Edmonton, Skinner looks like he's playing back at the level he needs to play at in the playoffs to win. But they're also deeper on defense and deeper up front. You know, when you've got guys like Matias Janmarc on your fourth line, who I've had the pleasure of coaching in Vegas, you're a pretty deep team. And Connor Brown on the fourth line, you've got some depth to your group. And that's with Adam Henrique, our old friend, on the injured sidelines.

I assume he's going to be back here at some point in the series, if not game one. So they're a much deeper team than they were a year ago. And you've always got that two headed monster in McDavid and Drysidel, who really have been two of the best, if not the best players in the league the last eight, ten years.

Pete DeBoer here with us. And I know this time of the year, every coach is going to say, guys, stay out of the penalty box. But their power play is just unreal. Right.

We know top in the league. You mentioned every, you know, every one of the great players that the Oilers have. As a coach, when you say to your guys, hey, stay out of the penalty box, you don't want their physicality to go away. So how can you still be physical but be smart up against this Oilers team? Yeah, it's a great point.

And then that is priority one. I mean, if we put this team on the power play four or five times, they're going to make you pay. You know, for our group, it's easy. We were the least penalized team in the league all year. You know, we managed to play physical and heavy and hard and did it without taking penalties. And I believe we're the least penalized team still left in the playoffs.

So, you know, it's not like we have to rewire our group in order to do that. It should just be business as usual. Wrap it up with Peter DeBoer. Talk to me about your goaltender, Odinger. Every night he's just been sensational for you guys, it feels like. He has.

And you know what? You know, like like a lot of great starting goalies, he's also a leader in the dressing room. But it hasn't come easy this year for him.

We lost to Vegas in the conference finals last year. He was playing injured. He had surgery immediately following the season. Missed his whole summer. Came back this year in September, had a good start, then got injured again.

You know, was basically out until Christmas. And then, you know, really struggled finding his footing the second half until just before the playoffs. And he's been on an absolute roll.

You know, I think a lot of it just healthy and feeling good about himself again. And, you know, we were playing pretty well in front of him, too, but he's always there with a big stop. And his numbers when the game's on the line, third periods, overtimes are off the charts. So that's kind of goaltending you need.

You never know how youngsters are going to respond this time of the year. We know the first season, Wyatt Johnson had. But for him to be 21 and the jump that he made year one to year two, I know it's not unexpected. But, man, what a special player you're coaching right now. Special player. Special player. You know, he's hard to describe because he's just unflappable. Most young players come in and, you know, have highs and lows.

And, you know, you have to take sometimes two steps back to take a step forward. And the kids, we plopped them in the lineup as a 19-year-old last year. And he's just gotten better and better. And he's adding more layers to his game. Last year he didn't kill penalties. Now he's killing penalties. Last year he was playing about 15 minutes a night this year. I've got him up to 20 in the playoffs. And I think leading our forwards in ice time.

Just the more I give him, the better he gets. And he's going to be a special player for a long time in this league. And you got some youngsters on this team.

Logan only played 24 games in the regular season. He's been a big player for you guys in the playoffs, too. And you're asking a lot out of him. When did you know he was ready for more on his plate right away?

Well, that's a great point. I mean, Logan Stankovan and Thomas Harley on defense for us are two other young players. They're playing huge roles for us. With Stankovan, you know, he led the American League in scoring before we called him up. I think he probably could have come up earlier than he did. We knew he was going to be an effective NHL player. We had injury.

We didn't have any injuries. And the cap was a factor. So I think the extra time helped him. And he got up, for me, the perfect amount of games. It wasn't 5 or 10 where, you know, he still wasn't comfortable.

It was 24. You know, he feels comfortable, and he's adding something to us every night. And, you know, one of the biggest stories of young players in the league is Thomas Harley, a young defenseman for us who led our defense scoring in goals this year.

I think he had 15 more than Heiskanen. And he plays in all situations, skates like the wind. He's been invaluable, too.

And I know you got to run. So last thing I'll ask you, Pete DeBorres, you have the stars and the Oilers going up in the Western Conference Final. Really do appreciate Coach joining us. You know, we talked about youngsters. I know you coach Pavelski now.

This is his second time coaching him. Jamie Benn is Mr. Dallas. Just how about the Grizzly vets, I guess, on this team?

Yeah, we got a great mix. You know, you got those young kids, and then you've got that group of older veterans, Pavelski, Studer, Benn, who have had great careers and have done everything but win a Stanley Cup. And otherwise, Segi did in Boston as a rookie, but it was so long ago that he says it doesn't really count anymore. He's considering himself one of those guys again. But they want nothing. The wait is over.

That's right. Season five of The Kardashians is here. Just when you thought life couldn't get any faster, they're punching it into overdrive. Chris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie are back and continue to defy expectations in all their endeavors. So get ready to go behind the glitz and glamour of the most iconic family on television.

The all-new season of The Kardashians premieres May 23rd streaming on Hulu. Dive into the start of summer at Whole Foods Market. Check out their summer splash event with sales on fresh organic produce, organic strawberries, and a fan favorite sale on Ben & Jerry's and Talenti. Explore deals on grill-friendly meats like organic air-chilled chicken breast, beef, and chicken kabobs, all with no antibiotics ever from our meat department.

Plus, grab easy sides from prepared foods and cool off with refreshing drinks. Kick off your summer and shop in-store or online at Whole Foods Market today. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest with your guardrails in place. Parents can send instant money transfers, automate allowance, and more. Plus, keep an eye on spending with real-time notifications. Join more than 6 million families building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get your first month free at greenlight.com slash odyssey.

That's greenlight.com slash odyssey. Nothing more than to win it and they're willing to do anything in order to play a part in that. They've all taken less ice time, less special teams time in order to let some of these young guys flourish.

And as a result, we've got a better team for it and just fabulous leadership. Coach, appreciate the time. Can't thank you enough for doing this and good luck. Thanks, Zach. Always a pleasure catching up with you. You got it.

Thanks so much. There he is. Pete the board, the head coach of the Dallas Stars, joining us once again back in the conference final.

We'll see if he gets four wins and go back to a Stanley Cup final. The wait is over. That's right. Season five of the Kardashians is here. Just when you thought life couldn't get any faster, they're punching it into overdrive. Chris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, Kendall, and Kylie are back and continue to defy expectations in all their endeavors. So get ready to go behind the glitz and glamour of the most iconic family on television.

The all new season of the Kardashians premieres May twenty third streaming on Hulu. Dive into the start of summer at Whole Foods Market. Check out their summer splash event with sales on fresh organic produce, organic strawberries and a fan favorite sale on Ben and Jerry's and Tolenti. Explore deals on grill friendly meats like organic air chilled chicken breast, beef and chicken kebabs, all with no antibiotics ever from our meat department. Plus, grab easy sides from prepared foods and cool off with refreshing drinks.

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