Report: Islanders sign new head coach Peter DeBoer through 2028-29

Field Level Media|published: Mon 6th April, 14:53 2026

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars

May 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar shakes hands with Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer after the Stars defeats the Avalanche in game seven of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The New York Islanders agreed on a contract with new head coach Peter DeBoer through the 2028-29 season, ESPN reported Monday.

In a stunning end-of-season move Sunday, the struggling Islanders fired head coach Patrick Roy and replaced him with the well-traveled DeBoer. It gives DeBoer just a few days to prepare the team for Thursday's game against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.

New York (42-31-5, 89 points) is on a season-high four-game losing streak and has fallen one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the third and final playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. They also trail the Ottawa Senators by one point for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Islanders' general manager Mathieu Darche, who made the coaching change, also has three years remaining on his contract, through 2028-29.

DeBoer, 57, guided the Dallas Stars to the Western Conference final in three straight seasons before he was fired on June 6. He posted a 149-68-29 record with Dallas.

In 18 total seasons as an NHL head coach, DeBoer owns a 662-447-152 coaching record with the Florida Panthers (2008-11), New Jersey Devils (2011-15), San Jose Sharks (2025-20), Vegas Golden Knights (2019-22) and Stars (2022-25). He guided the Devils to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012 and the Sharks to the Final in 2016.

--Field Level Media