James Nichols
Ex-New Jersey Devils head coach Pete Deboer is once again employed behind an NHL bench.
On Easter Sunday, the New York Islanders made the shrewd move to fire head coach Patrick Roy and replace him with Deboer as the Isles are in the midst of a slump down the stretch of the regular season, fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Islanders are hanging to third place in the Metroploitan Division by one point with the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets hot on their tail. The Philly and Columbus have games in hand on the Islanders, which could displace New York from the playoff picture by season’s end.
According to several sources, Deboer’s new deal with the Islanders is not just through the remainder of the 2025-26 season and the playoffs. There is term attached to his new deal that has yet to be revealed.
The Islanders noted Deboer’s success as a head coach in the NHL, citing his success with the San Jose Sharks—qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in four of his five campaigns with the Sharks and helped lead the team to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history during the 2015-16 season.
They also noted Deboer’s four seasons in New Jersey, specifically the season they reached the Stanley Cup Final in his first campaign with the club in 2011-12.
Deboer also has several deep Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, most recently with the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights.
DeBoer ranks 18th in NHL history in coaching wins (662) and 22nd in games coached (1,261), and has a perfect 9-0 record in Game 7s, marking the most Game 7 wins in NHL coaching history.
In 2024, the Islanders in a similarly shrewed move relieved ex-coach Lane Lambert amid his second season as head coach in New York in favor of Roy.
Now, the Devils rival will be led by one of the most successful playoff coaches in NHL history, who has yet to claim hockey’s ultimate prize.
