Golden Knights fire head coach Peter DeBoer

The Vegas Golden Knights have fired head coach Peter DeBoer, the team announced Monday.

DeBoer just wrapped up his third season behind the bench in Sin City, going 98-50-12 overall. The Golden Knights failed to advance to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history after finishing the 2021-22 campaign with a 43-31-8 record, which put them three points out of the Western Conference's second wild-card spot.

DeBoer had one year left on his deal at $3.25 million, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

"Since joining the organization, Pete and his staff have guided us through some of the most unique and challenging circumstances we've witnessed since our franchise entered the NHL," general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. "After lengthy discussions over the last two weeks, we believe that a new coach will put us in the best position to succeed next season."

The 53-year-old was the second head coach in Golden Knights history. He replaced Gerard Gallant, who was dismissed in January 2020 after a four-game losing streak.

DeBoer piloted Vegas to the conference finals in 2020 following a first-place finish in the Pacific Division. He also led the team to the semifinals last season.

The Golden Knights were ravaged by injuries in 2021-22. Several key players suffered extended absences, including captain Mark Stone, defenseman Alec Martinez, forward Max Pacioretty, goaltender Robin Lehner, and new addition Jack Eichel.

Vegas also let go of assistant coaches Steve Spott and Ryan McGill, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

After missing the postseason, DeBoer looked inward.

"I'm surprised. I'm disappointed. I'm at the front of the line for responsibility," he said in late April. "There's a lot of expectations on this team. It's not an easy thing, and it doesn't feel good for anybody right now."

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