FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer has been cleared to return to the ice just before the team’s season opener after recovering from an appendectomy.
“I got [the] green light to get on the ice Wednesday and then coach going forward,” DeBoer said.
The Stars are scheduled to practice Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee, a day before playing their season opener against the Predators. The team traveled there Tuesday.
DeBoer said he had minor complications in his recovery from the procedure two weeks ago, just a few days into training camp. It was the first time that DeBoer, going into his third season with Dallas and 17th as an NHL head coach, had missed any camp.
“I feel pretty good,” he said. “A little more and a little longer than I thought it was going to be.”
Dallas also has back leading scorer Jason Robertson, who had surgery July 30 to remove a cyst from his foot. He had resumed skating at the start of camp and was doing that on his own until joining the group last week.
Robertson played every game the past two seasons, when they went to the Western Conference final both times. The 25-year-old forward had 80 points (29 goals, team-high 51 assists) last season.
DeBoer rejoined the team Monday, when he oversaw the video session. He said he looked forward to getting back on the ice.
During his time away, DeBoer was in communication with his coaching staff and watched the Stars’ exhibition games on the team’s new VICTORY+ streaming service.
“As a returning coach with the great staff we have, it really was seamless,” he said.