Pete DeBoer was the NHL's youngest coach and unsure how long he would last.
The Florida Panthers had just hired the 40-year-old from the Ontario Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers in June 2008, passing him the reins to a team that had made the post-season once over the previous decade.
Things didn't work out and DeBoer was out the door after three campaigns and no playoff appearances.
That disappointing end turned out to just be the beginning. Now the veteran bench boss sits alone in 19th on the league's all-time wins list.
DeBoer registered the 640th regular-season victory of his career Tuesday to pass Jacques Martin when his Dallas Stars topped the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1.
"To think that I'd be standing here this many years later, I'm not sure I would have bet much on that," the Dunnville, Ont., product said looking back to his South Florida start. "But it's been a fantastic journey."
It continued in New Jersey, where he led the Devils to the Stanley Cup final in 2012. DeBoer did the same with the San Jose Sharks in 2016 to go along with a Western Conference final appearance in 2018.
He made two more conference finals with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020 and 2021 before getting fired for a fourth time in his career after the team missed the 2022 playoffs.
Dallas was more than happy to scoop up DeBoer, and all he's done since is lead the Stars on back-to-back runs to the West final and an excellent 28-14-1 start to this season.
"He's a winner," Dallas captain Jamie Benn said. "Everywhere he goes, he wins. He's a great guy to play for. We love him. Love his system and the way we play. Puts us in a spot to win every night."
DeBoer, who owns a career regular-season record of 640-435-147, is eight victories shy of tying Dave Tippett and Ron Wilson for 17th all-time. Claude Julien (667 wins) and Mike Keenan (672), Pat Quinn (684), Dick Irvin (691) and Mike Babcock (700) should also all be within reach before long.
"A pleasure to play for him right from Day 1," Stars forward Matt Duchene said. "He pushes guys, he barks a little bit at times, but it's never personal and the message is usually accurate. His X's and O's are really elite. Tough to find many flaws."
DeBoer, who has earned a conference final spot for his teams five of the last six seasons, has reinvented himself to varying degrees at every stop over the course of his 17 NHL campaigns.
"You take what wins," Dallas winger Jason Robertson said. "It's a copycat league. He doesn't have the stubbornness to not adapt to what wins and what works. It's a big reason why every year we're competing and finding new ways to win and not really getting stagnant."
DeBoer said the biggest difference from when he entered the league to now is the expectations and needs of modern athletes.
"A lot more teaching, a lot more interaction, relationship building," said the 56-year-old. "A lot more conversation, shared opinions with players on the direction of their game and your team. The communication in all areas is demanded now. In the past, it was never that way."
That past also feels like yesterday — and the opportunity of tomorrow is not one DeBoer takes for granted as he chases that elusive Cup.
"It's gone by in a snap of a finger," he said. "It's a privilege every day to work in this league."
ON EDGE
Jason Robertson faced brother Nick when the Stars took on the Leafs, but their minds have been largely elsewhere in recent days.
The California-born siblings have watched as wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles area. The Eaton blaze came within less than 20 metres of their family home. One of their sisters still lives there before she was evacuated to safety.
"It's pretty devastating," Jason Robertson said. "No choice but to continue to play."
MAC ATTACK
Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP for the first time last season. He could go back-to-back in 2025.
The 29-year-old set to represent Canada at next month's NHL 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in Montreal and Boston is the first player to reach 70 points this season.
MacKinnon's 55 assists are 11 more than Toronto winger Mitch Marner, while his 50 even-strength points were three ahead of Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl's total entering Wednesday's action.
Other notable names in the Hart mix just past the midway point of the schedule include Draisaitl, Oilers captain Connor McDavid, Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
