Coaching Staff

Pete DeBoer

Head Coach

Pete DeBoer is in his second season behind the bench for the Stars after being named the 25th head coach in franchise history and 10th in team history on June 21, 2022.

In his first season as head coach of the Stars in 2022-23, DeBoer, 55, guided the club to a Western Conference Final appearance in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 47-21-14 record (108 points).

The Dunnville, Ontario native owns a record of 560-400-137 in 1,097 games coached over 15 NHL seasons with Dallas, Vegas, San Jose, New Jersey and Florida. Since entering the league in 2008-09, DeBoer ranks fourth in regular season wins and first in games coached. In the 2023 postseason, the Stars became the fourth franchise Peter DeBoer has led to a Conference Finals/Semifinals appearance (also Vegas, San Jose & New Jersey), a feat accomplished by only one other head coach in NHL history – Scotty Bowman (5; St. Louis, Montreal, Buffalo, Pittsburgh & Detroit).

Since entering the league in 2008-09, DeBoer ranks fourth in regular season wins and first in games coached. In the 2023 postseason, the Stars became the fourth franchise Peter DeBoer has led to a Conference Finals/Semifinals appearance (also Vegas, San Jose & New Jersey), a feat accomplished by only one other head coach in NHL history – Scotty Bowman (5; St. Louis, Montreal, Buffalo, Pittsburgh & Detroit). Additionally, DeBoer is the only head coach in NHL history to lead a franchise to a Conference Finals/Semifinals appearance in his first season as head coach on four separate occasions. DeBoer has also reached the Stanley Cup Final on two occasions, first with New Jersey (2012) and then with San Jose (2016). Boasting a record of 78-64 in 142 postseason contests, DeBoer ranks second in playoff games coached behind Jon Cooper (145) and third in wins behind Cooper (86) and Joel Quenneville (79) since 2008-09. During the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, DeBoer became the first coach in NHL history to win his first five Game 7 appearances and has a record of 7-0 in Game 7s, including a 2-1 victory over Seattle in the Western Conference Second Round on May 15, 2023. With the win, DeBoer became the third coach to win a Game 7 with four different teams, joining Darryl Sutter (8-3 with Calgary, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Jose) and Scotty Bowman (6-3 with Buffalo, Detroit, Montreal, Pittsburgh and St. Louis).

 

DeBoer joined the Stars after spending parts of three seasons as the head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. Hired midway through the 2019-20 season, he guided the Golden Knights to the 2020 Western Conference Final against the Stars. In his time with Vegas, DeBoer earned a 98-50-12 record in 160 regular-season contests with a .650 points percentage. He led Vegas to the postseason in two of his three campaigns with the club, registering a 22-17 record in 39 postseason games and reaching the semifinal round in both the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

 

Prior to his time in Vegas, DeBoer served as the head coach for San Jose over five seasons (2015-19) and amassed a 198-129-34 record in 361 regular-season games. He qualified 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. DeBoer spent four seasons (2011-14) as the bench boss for New Jersey, posting a 114-93-41 record in 248 regular-season contests and reached the Stanley Cup Final in his first campaign with the club in 2011-12. Additionally, he served as the head coach for three seasons (2008-11) in Florida and recorded a 103-107-36 mark in 246 regular-season games.

 

His extensive head coaching resume includes 13 seasons behind the bench in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), capturing the 2003 Memorial Cup Championship and two OHL championships (2003, 2008) with Kitchener. DeBoer won the OHL Coach of the Year award in 1999 and 2000 with Plymouth and captured the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Coach of Year Award in 2000. He is one of eight coaches in OHL history to reach the 500-win plateau (539) and ranks eighth all-time in OHL wins.

 

DeBoer has represented Team Canada on several occasions on the international stage, capturing gold medals for his country at the 2015 IIHF World Championship and the 2005 World Junior Championship. He served on the coaching staff at four IIHF World Championships (2010, 2011, 2014, 2015), two World Junior Championships (1998, 2005) and at the 2007 Canada-Russia Super Series.

 

Prior to his coaching career, he was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 12th round (237th overall) of the 1988 NHL Draft and played two seasons of professional hockey with the Milwaukee Admirals of the International Hockey League (IHL).

DeBoer and his wife Susan, have one daughter, Abigail, and two sons, Jack and Matthew.

Steve Spott

Assistant Coach

Steve Spott is in his second season as assistant coach for the Stars in 2023-24.

Spott, 55, helped guide the Stars to a Western Conference Final appearance in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 47-21-14 record (108 points).

Prior to joining Dallas, Spott spent parts of the three seasons as an assistant coach with the Vegas Golden Knights. Before joining Vegas' coaching staff, he also served alongside Pete DeBoer from 2015-19 with the San Jose Sharks.

Spott also spent two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization from 2013-15. He was an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs during the 2014-15 campaign and was the head coach of the Toronto Marlies (AHL) for the 2013-14 season. He posted a 45-25-6 record as the bench boss for the Marlies, leading the club to the Northern Division crown and an appearance in the Western Conference Finals against the Texas Stars.

 

The Toronto, Ontario native also coached for the Kitchener Rangers and Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Spott spent four seasons as an assistant coach on DeBoer's staff in Plymouth before joining him in Kitchener for the 2001-02 season, where he served for seven seasons as an assistant coach. Spott was appointed as head coach of Kitchener in 2008 following DeBoer's departure for the Florida Panthers and earned a 187-121-32 record. He qualified for the postseason in four of his five seasons, including two appearances in the Western Conference Final. Internationally, Spott has earned two gold medals with Team Canada at the Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in 2008 as an assistant coach and 2011 as a head coach, and a silver medal at the 2010 World Junior Championship as an assistant.

 

Spott played collegiate hockey at Colgate University from 1986-90, totaling 148 points (75-73—148) in 131 career games, and two seasons of professional hockey with 35 points (17-18—35).

He and his wife Lisa, have two children: Tyler and Emma.

Alain Nasreddine

Assistant Coach

Alain Nasreddine is in his second season as assistant coach with the Stars.

Nasreddine, 48, helped guide the Stars to a Western Conference Final appearance in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 47-21-14 record (108 points).

Before joining Dallas, Nasreddine spent seven seasons as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. Hired by New Jersey ahead of the 2015-16 season for his first NHL coaching role, he served as an assistant coach under John Hynes until assuming the role of interim head coach partway through the 2019-20 campaign, earning a 19-16-8 record in 43 games as bench boss. Following the 2019-20 season, Nasreddine was retained as an assistant coach, serving in the role through the end of the 2021-22 season.

The native of Montreal, Quebec began his coaching career in 2010-11 as an assistant coach with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. In his first season with the team in 2010-11, he helped the Penguins win the club's first Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as AHL regular-season champions after posting a 58-21-0-1 record. Focusing on defensive groups, Nasreddine coached his teams to the best defense in the AHL in four of his five seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, allowing the fewest goals against in the League during the 2010-11, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014 15 campaigns.

 

Originally selected by the Florida Panthers in the sixth round (135th overall) of the 1993 NHL Draft, the former defenseman recorded five points (1-4—5) in 74 career NHL regular-season games over parts of five seasons with Chicago, Montreal, the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh. He also appeared in 726 career regular-season AHL games, logging 136 points (29-107—136) over 12 seasons with Carolina, Portland, Fredericton, Quebec, Hamilton, Bridgeport and Wilkes Barre/Scranton. Additionally, Nasreddine earned 16 points (5-11—16) in 104 career AHL postseason contests, reaching the Calder Cup Final twice, both times with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, in 2004 and 2008.

 

He and his wife Josiane have three children: sons Alec and Loic, and daughter Kaelle.

Misha Donskov

Assistant Coach

Misha Donskov is in his first season as assistant coach with the Stars in 2023-24.

Donskov, 46, joins Dallas after seven years with the Vegas Golden Knights. He served as director of hockey operations for his first three years with the club (2016-2019) before moving behind the bench as an assistant coach for the following four seasons (2019-23). Having joined the club prior to Vegas’ expansion draft, Donskov helped construct the Golden Knights roster that made a run to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season. The Golden Knights made the playoffs in five of the six seasons he spent with the team. After moving from the front office to the coaching staff, Donskov and the Golden Knights made two more runs to the conference finals in 2020 and 2021 before winning the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Prior to his time in Vegas, Donskov held positions with Hockey Canada’s Men’s National Team as an assistant coach and manager of hockey operations/analytics. He won two IIHF World Championship gold medals in 2015 and 2016 and a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2015.

 

Before his tenure with Hockey Canada, Donskov spent two seasons as an associate coach for the Ottawa 67’s (OHL) from 2012-14 after three years as an assistant coach for the London Knights (OHL) from 2009-2012. In his final year with London, Donskov took on the role of assistant general manager in addition to coaching duties and helped the club to an OHL Championship.

Early in his career, Donskov held positions in hockey development, community development, fan development, marketing and hockey operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers.

Jeff Reese

Goaltending Coach

Jeff Reese is in his eighth season as the Stars' goaltending coach in 2023-24.

He joined the Stars in June 2015 after spending the previous six seasons in the same role with the Philadelphia Flyers. Prior to the Flyers, he spent 10 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning coaching staff, where he was responsible for working with all goaltenders in the organization, as well as assisting in the assessment of amateur goaltenders for the NHL Draft. His time with the Lightning included its 2004 Stanley Cup championship.

Over parts of 11 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1987-92, 1998-99), Calgary Flames (1991-94), Hartford Whalers (1993-96), Tampa Bay (1995-96) and New Jersey Devils (1996-97), Reese posted a 53-65-17 record with a 3.66 goals-against average and five shutouts in 174 career regular-season contests. In 11 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Reese posted a 3-5 mark with a 4.08 GAA.

 

Reese holds NHL records for the most assists and points by a goaltender in a single game, set when he had three assists for the Calgary Flames in a game against the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 10, 1993. He was selected by Toronto in the fourth round (67th overall) of the 1984 NHL Draft.

Stan Tugolukov

Skills Coach

Stan Tugolukov returns for his 10th years as a skills coach for the Dallas Stars in 2023-24, working closely with players in skills development and individual on-ice, post-injury conditioning roles.

The Chelyabinsk, Russia native is active in the Dallas-Fort Worth youth hockey scene, serving on the coaching staff for the Dallas Stars Elite Hockey Club.

Patrick Dolan

Head Video Coach

The 2023-24 campaign marks Patrick Dolan's first season as head video coach of the Stars and his fifth overall with the organization.

Dolan previously served as Dallas' assistant video coach in 2022-23, his first season with the Stars. Prior to joining the NHL club, Dolan spent three seasons serving as video coach of the Texas Stars, Dallas' development affiliate in the AHL, from 2019-22. Before that, Dolan spent two seasons with the AHL's Ontario Reign from 2017-19, also serving as the team's video coach. Additionally, he spent one season as director of hockey operations with the Chicago Steel of the USHL in 2016-17, helping the Steel secure the 2017 Clark Cup for the club's first USHL Championship.

The native of Fort Collins, Colorado attended Gustavus Adolphus College where he earned a bachelor's degree in management in 2014. During his time there, he also worked as the video coach for the men's hockey team for two seasons from 2012-14..

Chris Demczuk

Assistant Video Coach

Chris Demczuk is in his first season as assistant video coach for the Stars in 2023-24.

Demczuk, 29, joins Dallas after spending the 2022-23 campaign as video coach for the Texas Stars, Dallas' development affiliate in the AHL. He joined Texas from Colorado College (NCAA), where he served as director of hockey operations in 2021-22. Prior to that, Demczuk held roles with the Stockton Heat (AHL) and Penn State’s women’s hockey program.

The Gillette, New Jersey native earned his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Penn State University in 2017. He’s currently pursuing a master’s degree in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University.

Luke Chilcott

Skating Coach

Luke Chilcott is in his seventh season working as a skating coach in the NHL and his second with the Dallas Stars. Chilcott helps develop a deeper knowledge of edge work and efficiency through correct technique and assists players in analyzing beneficial equipment as it relates to their performance.

Chilcott works in the same capacity with the AHL's Texas Stars this season and plays a role in developing Stars prospects through remote and in-person coaching throughout the year, including the team’s annual development camp. Chilcott previously worked for the Allen Americans of the ECHL.

Chilcott founded CSM, Chilcott Skating Mechanics, which he owns and operates out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He works privately with students, as well as with small groups, on facilitating efficient skating techniques through helping players understand proper biomechanics. Teams Chilcott has worked with include the Tier 1 Dallas Stars Girls Elite team, which is currently one of the United States’ top Girls Travel Hockey programs.

 

Chilcott has won two national championships at the novice and primary levels of figure skating and went on to compete at the junior and senior standards of the sport. He competed internationally for Great Britain and skated up to the world championship level.

 

Born in England, Chilcott currently resides in Dallas.

AHL COACHING STAFF

Neil Graham

Head Coach, Texas Stars

Neil Graham is in his fifth season as Texas Stars Head Coach after assuming the role on Dec. 10, 2019. He was originally named as an assistant coach for Texas on July 8, 2019.

Graham, 38, spent the previous four seasons as the head coach of the Idaho Steelheads, the ECHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. Over that span, he amassed a 166-91-31 record in 288 regular season contests and led Idaho to three consecutive 40-win seasons.

Graham guided the Steelheads to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in all four seasons as head coach, recording a 14-20 record in 34 postseason games. He helped continue the club's streak of qualifying for the postseason in each of past 22 seasons, which is the longest active postseason streak in professional hockey. Prior to being appointed head coach on Aug. 7, 2015, he was named Idaho's full-time assistant coach in 2013-14 after serving as a player/coach for the 2012-13 campaign.

The Calgary, Alberta native is a graduate of Mercyhurst University where he recorded 60 points (23-37—60) in 137 games before turning pro. He split three seasons between the ECHL and Southern Professional Hockey League, scoring 98 points (42-56—98) in 113 professional games.

Travis Morin

Assistant Coach, Texas Stars

Travis Morin is in his fifth season as assistant coach of the Texas Stars. Promoted to assistant coach on Dec. 10, 2019, Morin was previously hired as the skills coach and director of business development with the organization on July 31, 2019.

Morin, 39, played 12 seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), spending 10 seasons with the Stars organization. He skated in 13 career NHL games, all with Dallas, recording one assist (0-1—1) and a +3 rating. He retired following the 2018-19 season as the Texas Stars leader in goals (175), assists (385), points (175-385—560) and games played (686), the most by an AHL player with one organization since 1974. On Oct. 19, 2019, he became the first player in team history to have his jersey retired.

The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota native served as team captain from 2015-17, was a four-time AHL All-Star and led the Stars in scoring across five of his 10 seasons. He was a focal point of Texas' 2014 Calder Cup championship season, capturing the Les Cunningham Award (AHL MVP), John B. Sollenberger Award (Regular Season Scoring Leader), and Jack A. Butterfield Award (Calder Cup Playoff MVP). Morin is also the organization’s most decorated postseason scorer, earning 64 points (23-42—64) in 87 playoff games.

 

Morin is a graduate of Minnesota State University-Mankato where he recorded 133 points (58-75—133) in 151 games and served as team captain in his senior season.

Max Fortunus

Assistant Coach, Texas Stars

Max Fortunus is in his third season as assistant coach of the Texas Stars after being named to the team’s coaching staff on May 20, 2021.

Fortunus, 40, played 15 seasons in the AHL where he amassed 286 points (76-210—286) in 882 career games including posting 167 points (44-123—167) in 402 career games with Texas over six seasons from 2009-15. Fortunus was named an assistant captain for the 2011-12 campaign before serving as Texas’ captain for three seasons from 2012-15. He ranks third in Texas Stars history in games played (402), fourth in
assists (123), sixth in points (44-123—167) and 16th in goals (44), while he ranks
first among defensemen in club history in each category.

The native of La Prairie, Quebec made 10 trips to the Calder Cup Playoffs in his AHL career, logging 31 points (6-25—31) in 118 career AHL postseason games. Of his 10 career playoff appearances, five came with Texas, recording 15 points (2-13—15) in 63 Calder Cup Playoff games in a Texas sweater. Fortunus won the 2014 Calder Cup with Texas, while he also reached the Calder Cup Final in 2009 with Manitoba and again in 2010 with Texas. He was also named to the 2014-15 AHL All-Star Game. He also appeared in nine career NHL contests with Dallas during the 2009-10 and 2013-14 seasons, recording one assist (0-1—1), five shots on goal and an average time on ice per game of 15:16.

 

He and his wife Marie-Josee Gagne have two sons, Malik and Mai, and a daughter, Mayla.

Ryan Daniels

Goaltender Development Coach, Texas Stars

Daniels is in his third season as goaltender development coach of the Texas Stars after joining the club on June 8, 2021.

After spending three years as the goaltending coach for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), hired in June of 2018, Daniels helped Guelph win the OHL Championship for the 2018-19 season.

Prior to his time in Guelph, Daniels spent three seasons serving in the same capacity for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL from 2015-18, helping the club win the OHL's Eastern Conference Championship in 2016-17. He previously worked for two seasons with the Toronto Patriots of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) from 2013-15, serving as the team's assistant general manager and goaltending coach. Daniels helped Toronto win back-to-back OJHL Championships in 2013-14 and 2014-15, as well as the 2013-14 Dudley Hewitt Cup as the Central Canadian Junior A Champion, earning the club a spot in the Royal Bank Cup.

Before moving behind the bench, Daniels played at various levels of junior and professional hockey. In 2012-13, the former goaltender played four ECHL games with the Kalamazoo Wings, earning a 0-2-1 record with a .908 save percentage and 3.34 goals against average, and appeared in one Central Hockey League game with the Missouri Mavericks, posting a .899 SV% and a 4.09 GAA. Daniels also spent four seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University from 2009-13, amassing a 43-50-0 record with a .921 SV% and a 2.96 GAA in 95 regular-season games and a 4-7-0 mark with a .941 SV% and a 2.14 GAA in 11 postseason contests. Prior to his time at University, Daniels spent five seasons in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit and Peterborough Petes, logging an 85-58-14 record with a .902 SV% and a 3.37 GAA in 166 regular-season games and a 1-7-0 record with a .867 SV% and a 3.82 GAA in eight postseasons tilts.

Josh Johnson

Video Coach

Josh Johnson was hired as the Texas Stars video coach in the summer of 2023 after spending two seasons as the director of hockey operations for the University of St Thomas men’s hockey program.

While at UST from 2021-23, he oversaw the Tommies’ video coordination and analytics, community outreach and travel arrangements. Johnson previously served as the video coordinator for Robert Morris University in 2020-21, where he handled practice and game film, video breakdown and analytics.

The Ludington, Michigan native earned a sport management degree from the University of Michigan in 2020, where he also served as an analytics and video assistant for the Wolverines men’s hockey program.