FRISCO, Texas (AP) 鈥� Pete DeBoer has gotten used to deep runs in the NHL playoffs, even though he never takes them for granted. The only thing that could make that any better for the veteran coach would be to win it all.
With since he became their coach, this is the seventh time that DeBoer has advanced past the first two rounds. This is his fifth time in six seasons, with three different teams.
鈥淲hat matters to me is just, honestly, the journey,鈥� DeBoer said.
鈥淚 obviously haven鈥檛 won the whole thing. But whether that's deep as a conference final or a final, you galvanize with a group and a team and a bunch of men together through that journey, because it鈥檚 so hard and it takes so much sacrifice both personally and on the ice. And that鈥檚 the juice that we coach for.鈥�
Joe Pavelski, the 39-year-old Stars forward who too is seeking his first Stanley Cup, also went to the West final twice with DeBoer in San Jose.
鈥淗e delivers a good message. I think we鈥檝e felt it all year, talking about it and talking about where we want to go,鈥� Pavelski said Monday. 鈥淓specially kind of down the stretch, it was one to create Stanley Cup habits and play meaningful hockey, and do it the right way."
over the past month, and will host Game 1 of the West final on Thursday night.
Only five other coaches have made it to the third round multiple times over the past six seasons. Jon Cooper made it three in a row with Tampa Bay from 2020-22, but Bruce Cassidy is the only other coach to do so with more than one team 鈥� Boston in 2019 and last season with Stanley Cup champion Vegas after succeeding DeBoer there.
鈥淟ook around the league and you see franchises that celebrate a series win or two series wins to be in the final four,鈥� DeBoer said. 鈥淚 know that many times is really a privilege. Just got to try and end up in the top spot one of these times.鈥�
DeBoer has reached the Stanley Cup final twice. Those were in the only other times he made the conference finals: his first season with the New Jersey Devils in 2012, that being his first playoff appearance, and in his Sharks debut in 2016.
This Dallas squad during the regular season, but their head coach also stresses defence.
鈥淭he thing I like about him and his message since the playoffs started is staying on the defensive side of the puck,鈥� young standout goalie Jake Oettinger said. 鈥淲e can score with anyone, we have so much offence. He鈥檚 really homed in on if we can play good D 鈥� if we can shut them down, we鈥檙e going to get our chances, and we鈥檙e going to score.鈥�
Stars captain and 15-season veteran Jamie Benn 鈥� who describes DeBoer as 鈥減retty special鈥� 鈥� said this is the deepest team he's been on in Dallas, deeper than last year's squad and the one that made the Stanley Cup final in 2020 after getting by DeBoer and the Golden Knights in the West final.
鈥淗e鈥檚 an unbelievable defensive coach, but he鈥檚 an unbelievable offensive coach, too,鈥� said forward Matt Duchene, who joined the Stars this season and that wrapped up their second-round series at Colorado.
鈥淕uys like me, he lets us play. He encourages us. He wants us to play, to be offensive. That鈥檚 kind of our identity. This team has been a really good defensive team for a long time. 鈥� They beat you 2-1 in the past, and the last year they started beating you 5-1."
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AP NHL playoffs: and
Stephen Hawkins, The Associated Press
