AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
Vegas Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer looks up at the scoreboard as Michael Amadio (22), Brett Howden (21) and Nicolas Roy (10) sit on the bench during the third period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. The Coyotes won 3-1. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Published Monday, Jan. 16, 2023 | 5:33 p.m.
Updated Monday, Jan. 16, 2023 | 6:20 p.m.
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There may come a day, when Pete DeBoer finally retires from coaching, that he can do so in Las Vegas.
The former Golden Knights coach will likely find his way back to his Summerlin home at some point, living in a city where he may have not had the longest coaching tenure, but certainly the most memorable.
DeBoer made his return to Las Vegas for the first time since he was fired as Vegas coach in May, and his Dallas Stars put on a defensive clinic — much like his Vegas teams — to shut out the Golden Knights 4-0 at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.
Those who return to the Strip for one night — whether a former player or Gerard Gallant — usually joke that they had trouble finding the visitor's locker room.
DeBoer knew that feeling all too well as coach of the San Jose Sharks during the first 2.5 years of the Golden Knights' existence. But making his first return game to T-Mobile Arena, there was still a profound feeling of what could have been for DeBoer here.
For how the Golden Knights made two trips to the conference final — both in years altered by COVID — and narrowly got there a third year, but injuries and other situations alike saw DeBoer's run with Vegas end this past May.
"It’s never easy [coming back]," DeBoer said before the game. "This is a special place, though."
In such a short amount of time, DeBoer has created memories in Las Vegas.
DeBoer took a team that he barely knew — after being hired in January 2020 to replace Gallant — to the Western Conference Final in a COVID bubble in Edmonton after the world shut down in March. Three months after that season ended, a 56-game campaign started again with DeBoer pushing the Golden Knights close to the Presidents' Trophy.
In the 55th game of the 2021 season, Vegas played the Colorado Avalanche down three skaters — thanks to cap issues — with the winner taking home the honor as the league's top team for the season.
The Golden Knights lost that game 3-2, but it was the most memorable game DeBoer says he coached here. Vegas would go on to beat the Avalanche in six games in the second round as a bit of revenge.
"Guys battled their a-- off," DeBoer said. "That was probably the most telling game of my time here."
Maybe this one will be as telling. The defensive structure and the physicality that were hallmarks of DeBoer's teams in Vegas was evident with the visiting Stars.
It was the first meeting of the season between the top two teams in the Western Conference, and the Golden Knights had no answer for the second game in a row as they dropped to 2-3-0 during this seven-game homestand.
Logan Thompson made 31 saves for the Golden Knights (28-15-2), who were coming off a 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
On the opposite side, 23-year-old Vezina Trophy candidate Jake Oettinger stopped all 27 shots he faced for his third shutout of the year.
Stars captain Jamie Benn scored for Dallas, who was coming off a 6-5 loss to Calgary at home over the weekend and avoided a three-game losing streak.
It's not a matter of Vegas realizing what could've been. Both the Stars and Golden Knights have found success under their new coaches. Bruce Cassidy and DeBoer will meet up a few weeks in Sunrise, Fla., for the All-Star Game. DeBoer is coaching the Central Division, while Cassidy will coach the Pacific Division.
"Bruce is a great coach. Vegas has had success," DeBoer said. "I think when I look back on my time here, we didn’t score at the right time at the tough point of the year. Part of that was the power play, part of that was 5-on-5, and Bruce is an excellent power play coach."
The Vegas power play got two chances, but generated nothing dangerous. Considering the Stars had a 61-37 edge in shot attempts at 5-on-5, special teams was the Golden Knights' only hope.
While the penalty kill was strong in turning away the fifth-best power play in the league — the only bright spot of the night — the Golden Knights couldn't generate anything from their top offensive guys for the second game in a row.
A new-look top line of Paul Cotter, Jack Eichel and Nicolas Roy allowed 15 shot attempts while only generating five.
"Nowhere near good enough," Cassidy said of the compete level. "Not an NHL effort from our group."
DeBoer and assistant coach Steve Spott received a video tribute at the first timeout and were met with a warm applause from the crowd. Maybe there's something in the back of his mind that asks him, what if he had one more year with this group?
The world may never know, but DeBoer is currently riding high with his new team, inching closer to the top spot in the West.
"I wanted to thank Bill Foley and the people in Las Vegas," DeBoer said. "They welcomed an arch-enemy with open arms."
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
