Could This Former Devils Coach Be the Dallas Stars Next Head Coach?
With the Dallas Stars firing head coach Pete DeBoer after three seasons, the organization has limited time to find a replacement. Despite DeBoer leading the team to the best regular season record in the NHL, Stars general manager Jim Nill is looking for a “new voice” in the locker room to push the team closer to a Stanley Cup. Nill has also mentioned being open-minded throughout his process of finding a new coach, considering both internal and external candidates. Among the many already being speculated is former New Jersey Devils coach Alain Nasreddine. With a strong relationship with the Stars players and a fresh set of systems, Nasreddine could be Dallas’ key to the Cup this upcoming season.
Nasreddine has a rich history on and off the ice, having begun his coaching career as John Hynes’ assistant with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2010. He remained with the organization until 2015 when he followed Hynes to New Jersey, where the two served as head coach and assistant coach of the Devils. When Hynes was fired as head coach in 2019, Nasreddine stepped in as the interim head coach. At the time, former GM Ray Shero noted, “His experience as a captain and alternate captain on the ice, in addition to his responsibilities behind the bench, will serve him well as he leads this team through necessary changes.” Nasreddine finished the 2019–20 season with a 19-16-8 record over 43 games.
Although Lindy Ruff was named head coach of the Devils in 2020, replacing Nasreddine, he remained on the staff as an assistant coach, continuing in the same role he held under Hynes. Nasreddine focused on the penalty kill and, to a lesser extent, the defense. However, his unit’s performance began to decline, giving the Devils little justification to keep him on. In the 2021–22 season, the team finished 14th in penalty kill success rate at 80.2%, a noticeable drop from what he had established in prior seasons.
In 2022, Nasreddine joined the Stars' coaching staff, once again taking charge of the penalty kill and delivering impressive results. Under his guidance, the unit achieved success rates as high as 83.5%—numbers the franchise hadn’t seen in years. Unlike fellow assistant coaches Misha Donskov and Steve Spott, who have long-standing ties to DeBoer and may also be considered for the head coaching role, Nasreddine has spent most of his career separate from DeBoer. This distinction positions him as a new perspective with ideas independent of DeBoer’s system, something the organization may be looking for in its next head coach.
From NHL veterans to college coaches, the Stars have the freedom to steer their job search in any direction. If the Stars are pushing for the Cup, they may want to consider experienced coaches such as Peter Laviolette or John Tortorella. However, considering that Nasreddine already has a relationship with the franchise, he may stand out as a top candidate. Though the decision needs to be made quickly, it must be carefully calculated to ensure the best fit for the team’s championship aspirations.
