Dallas Stars X-Factors 2025 | These Players Could Make or Break the Stars Stanley Cup Dreams!

Dallas Stars X-Factors 2025 | These Players Could Make or Break the Stars Stanley Cup Dreams!

The Dallas Stars have come so close to hockeyy’s ultimate prize, but what’s it going to take to get over the hump next season? Today, we’re breaking down the potential X factors that can make or break the stars Stanley Cup hopes. Your Locked On Stars, your daily podcast on the Dallas Stars, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Howdy Stars fans. I’m Joey Ericson, former producer of 105 through the fan. Please be sure to subscribe. We are free and available wherever you get your podcast and on YouTube. And as always, thank you so much for making us a part of your day and making us your first listen. Today is a crossover episode of Locked on Stars with Gavin Spittle of Spits and Suds. We had a lot of fun recording this episode. We decided not to talk about Jason Robertson, Mo Ranton, and Jakeer or any some of that controversial stuff. We talked about X factors for next season. Who are some potential players, even some outside factors like schedule, like coaching staff that could impact this next season for the Dallas Stars? And would love to hear your feedback as well in the comments below. Let me know your potential X factors for the Dallas Stars next season. I’m sure a lot of you have a lot of intriguing answers. So, without further ado, here is this crossover edition of Luck on Stars and Spits and Suds. and welcome to another offseason edition of Spits and Suds. I’m Gavin Spittle of 1053 the fan and today we are excited to say a simalcast edition off season of Spits and Suds because joining us from the greatness of the Locked On Stars podcast is Joey Ericen. How are you my friend? I’m doing all right, Gavin. I I appreciate uh you having me on. Uh I’ll be honest, I’m enjoying being a bum for the next few weeks and then uh I got to report back down to to Corpus Christi and the ice rays are getting into training camp and all that good stuff. So looking forward to that, but also enjoying just being being lazy at at home with the parents. Well, it’s great because one of the things that they said about your podcast and my podcast, we just don’t do podcasts just to do them. And this subject has been kind of lingering since the end of free agency with me. Now that essentially the team is in place, we’re asking the question, what X factors will make a difference in the upcoming Dallas Star season? And for those listening at home, what I mean by X factor is something that has not happened. Like for instance, Joey, if Mico Ranton is at a 100 point mark, that’s amazing. And that’s why Jim Nil paid the price he did. 12 million a year to get that elite player. If Jake got a career year, finishes top three in the Vzna race. Once again, amazing. And he took a step in the right direction. But those will be serious contributions. But I don’t want to say they’re expected, but there is a high level of expectance with those two players. To me is X factor can mean a career year or something, an adjustment that the stars made that maybe we didn’t necessarily um see. So, I put together a few X factors and wanted to get your thoughts um on that. X factor number one, the 20 goal club. And the reason I put this as X factor number one, you had Mason Marchman who went to Seattle for he had 22 goals and we all agree that they needed to make some salary room. If Gennine Donov had 20 goals, and he was consistently a 20goal guy, Myle Granland certainly was big in the playoffs combined between San Jose and Dallas, uh, he had 22. So, there’s certainly a void at the forward position and I wanted to get your overall thoughts on those departures first as far as the 20 goal club. Yeah, I think when you you look at the Stars roster currently, they they have lost some some juice in terms of of goal scoring, especially that that left side, it’s really Jason Robertson and then you have sort of a cast of characters you’re hoping can maybe have career seasons or chip in offensively. When you look at at Jamie Ben, of course, he’s another year older and we saw in the playoffs just a few months ago, he was sort of pigeonhold into a bottom six role. So, is he going to get that opportunity to continue to play with a Wyatt Johnston? Is he going to continue get to play with some top six talent where he’s going to get some of those opportunities? And the power play number one, he only had one power play goal last regular season which I think is mind-blowing. just one for for Jamie Ben. And I know there’s been some Yeah. some other players and other guys that have have stepped up and taken over some of those roles. Um Oscar Beck, of course, Sam Steel. Can those be players that could potentially join that that 20 goal club? I I think Sam Steel uh would of course probably be the the choice there over Oscar Beck just because Steel may get an opportunity to play higher up um in the lineup. And yeah, Mason Marchman, basically some of these guys that are really cap casualties with with to Donov, you have to find ways to replace him. And I guess that would sort of lead me to this X factor for the Stars next season, and that would be Maverick Bourke. Yeah. Can can he be the guy that joins that 20 goal club? And can he play center? Because there could potentially be an opportunity. Maybe they want to move Johnston to the wing up top. Maybe they want to play him with Rantin and uh and Roe Hence. Maybe drop Robo down to play with Duchain and Sean. Can Bourc be that player that has, you know, 50 probably 50 60 point season, chips in 20 goals and can be that third line center or just a really productive third line winger. and they were thinking, “Okay, now the Stars still have some of that depth that we’ve talked about um you know, so endearingly over over the last couple seasons just because I think I’ve said all the time, maybe the expectations were too high for Bourc last season. I was somebody like, oh, he’s just going to burst onto the scene. He’s going to have that Stankovven type impact and it just never quite worked out. but he still played in 73 games. And I’m sure you’ve talked about this with Sean Shapiro, who’s he’s covered Bourke, you know, he’s he’s in that area. You know, Bourc’s always taken sort of a year to get to get it uh to get a uh to get a new league, a new uh a new program, maybe new routine under his belt, and then he pops off the next year. I I think Maverick Bort could be uh that that guy for Dallas who can kind of join that 20 goal club. And I mean, even the year before that, what did the Stars have, nine guys? Maybe it was eight guys that had 20 goals. It’s just like they get scoring for everywhere. It’s hard. It’s hard to replicate, of course. That’s that’s not the norm for a lot of teams, but the Stars have done that uh really really well recently. I think Bourke is sort of probably a prime candidate to maybe join that group for next season. So, you nailed a lot of the guys that I had. Let’s go back to Jamie Bent. Can he be a 20 goal scorer? Just one goal in three playoff series. When you look at time on ice from series to series, the captain went from about 14 16 minutes a night to between 9 and 12 minutes. He was essentially fourth liner at that point. So even Joey, when you go back to January 1st through the rest of the regular season, Ben only had eight goals in 44 games. So this drought of goals by the captain has been happening for a while. Left wing has a major void right now. So Jamie Ben’s either going to play on the second or third line. He needs to get back up to the 20 goal mark. And then you nailed it with Maverick Bour as far as it takes time sometimes. And we saw the AHL development of Maverick Bork where in his rookie AHL campaign, he really didn’t come on till after the AHL uh Allstar break. He netted 11 goals. Uh wasn’t that factor that we all thought he might be. Um, but we also have to understand the learning curve and what’s going to be interesting, new coaching staff. This is going to be the year that Maverick Bourc I think proves it or we start to question. He isn’t a contract year, still be protected by the Stars. Um, so that is going to be interesting. He’s a restricted free agent, but I think he definitely has that potential uh to be that 20 goal guy. And then when you go to Sam Steel, that’s fascinating because Sam Steel really reminds me of Stu Barnes. If Stars fans can remember what Stu Barnes brought to the table, just kind of Yeah. a utility knife guy that, you know, some nights you’re going to be like, “Wow, Sam Steel really made this play that might not necessarily show up on the uh stat sheet.” What I’m interested in is a combo platter for that 20 goal because the most goals Sam Steel had in a year, his career best is 10 goals and 2223 with the Minnesota Wild. So I’m wondering as an X factor, a combo of Steel and Colin Blackwell maybe to net you and let’s just say Radic Boxa throws in six or seven. So that might be the factor. And one guy maybe we haven’t talked about is Tyler Sean. Boom. And it’s kind of weird when we talk about club and Tyler Sean’s, you know, now that but we certainly saw is the speed still there? Probably not due to the injuries, but those legs and confidence grew as the stars went deeper in the playoffs. The reason I have him as an X factor is can he stay healthy? But the last time he played a full season, 81 games, 21-22, he bucketed 20 that year. 10 times in his career, he’s had 20. So that might be a player that steps up that you really haven’t had in the last couple of years. Today’s episode of Lockdown Stars is brought to you by Monarch Money. Ever wish manage your money felt easier? With Monarch Money, it can. Whether you’re growing your savings or planning a big purchase, Monarch puts you in the driver’s seat. It’s like having your own personal CFO giving you full visibility and control over your finances. Monarch Money is more than just a budgeting app. It’s a complete financial command center. You can track all your accounts, investments, and spending in one place. So, in addition to managing your money, you’re also building wealth. You can find areas in your personal investments or even your personal life where you can dial back. Maybe it’s spending out to eat. Maybe it’s going out to be entertained. Whether that’s the movies, maybe you’re boring. You’re like, I can spend a little less here. And then you can use Monarch Money to help you out. It’s a financial command center. That way you stay on track with yourself, with your significant other. You can plan that big trip you’ve always wanted to go on with Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with the Monarch Money. Use code locknoney.com for 50% off your first year. That’s monarchoney.com. code locked on NHL for half off your first year. Yeah. And last year, I think Sean could have had 20 maybe before January 1st. The the way he was rolling had did had nine goals in those first uh 20 games and and and that line was was just cooking. That’s another thing. That line’s gone now. Just one of the the better lines for for Dallas over the last couple years with with Marchment being traded to Seattle. And I I I think I think if you pencil in Sean for at least 70 games, I have a really uh really good feeling he he’s going to hit 20 goals pro probably easily. He just he’s he’s been able to adapt um more than Jamie Ben. I I would say he’s just been able to adapt as he’s gotten older. Maybe that’s just because the style of game um he he played. He didn’t always overly rely on his speed, although it was a big part of his game, but he just has a knack now. And he he sort of has has almost grown into that Joe Pavvelski role. He’s like, I’m going to hang around the net a bit more. I’m going to be that netfront guy on the power play as well. Try to get deflections and score more goals in around the blue paint instead of just absolutely destroying goalenders from the right circle on the power play like he did for a few seasons um in in the early part of his career with Dallas. Steel is just fascinating. I I just I love him so much. I think he’s just such a damn good player. It’s almost actually mindboggling. He’s only had 10 goals as his career high. I just feel like he has a potential to do that. I feel like he has a potential to at least get 15. I I could see him getting 20 himself if he was put into a role where he could thrive. That’s probably not going to happen for Dallas. is probably unrealistic, but I I mean even 15 I feel like could be realistic if and and who knows, maybe Glenn Goldson sees him as a guy that can be elevated in a lineup a bit more. Maybe get some more opportunity to get some of the uh opportunities to score, right? Instead of just, you know, being, you know, a PK guy and and take some of those role. Of course, he’s not going to be on the power play, but um yeah, him him and Blackwell, they I think they could easily combine for at least 20 goals, at least have that potential. and you’ll feel really good. But but Sean is one. Yeah. A full season of Sean. I just feel like can almost pencil him in for 20 just because he sort of has that knack like he’s kind of a goal scorer. Um and as long as the stars continue to support him with guys like Duchain that have that can create and and make plays with the puck on their stick, it’s not really Sean’s strong suit anymore. He needs to be away from the puck, find some of those scoring areas. And um and I I I talked about this recently, just looking at the Stars, you know, depth, just looking at the roster, if if you go back to opening night a season ago, I think there’s a real strong argument it’s better than it was um last year at opening night because you got Mo um and that guy that can uh kind of be your superstar. Now, you just kind of you’re going to ask some some more out of out of some of your bottom six, but there is a potential for for the the stars to I I would say not have a huge digression in terms of goal scored because under Pete Dbor, they were like top five pretty much every year in terms of just amount of goals they scored. I don’t think there could I I don’t I don’t think they have to have this huge regression now that they’ve maybe offloaded some some players that join that that 20 goal club as you mentioned just because there is opportunity for some guys to elevate um in their line and just improve their their own games. And I think again Maverick Bour kind of hits the the nail on the head there like that’s a guy that could hopefully potentially pop off otherwise uh maybe we all got a little too excited about what Bort could potentially be. Yeah. The second factor that I have is we’re going over X factors and this could be a combination of three players. Who is going to fill that second pairing? Obviously, we know the top two pairs will include the three out of four. Miro Hkin, Thomas Harley, and Essa Lindell. Who is the fourth that’s going to be interested? And you have Niels Lungquist, Liam Bell, and Ilia Labushkin. Um, and for those wondering, left shot, right shot. Yeah, Labushkin and Lungquist are both right shots. Leouchkin was tried last year. Interesting note, Joey on Labouchkin. I am fascinated to see where he falls because we were so down on Ryan Sudter when he was a first pairing with Miro Hkinan. But we quickly forget that final year of Ryan Sudter. I think he wore down in the playoffs, but I thought he had a really good year as a third pairing Dman. I’m there with you. Yeah. and therefore it’s an expensive third pairing Dman once again just like Sudter if you put Leouchkin as a third pairing with about 14 minutes I’m okay with that I think that’s actually a pretty good situation now whether Lungquist plays with him and you move Bishell up is Bishell ready to take on a second line pairing or and this will play itself out in camp are you looking at a Lquist Lindell and then pair Bishel and Labouchkin in and you know kind of kind of go from there. Yeah. And well the Lushkin third pairing would be ideal. I think the Stars at their best. Leouchkin is their third defenseman. And I think that’s why me and a lot of others were really critical of the move a summer ago because we’re like you’re paying Leouchkin to play top four minutes but he’s not suited to play top four minutes. Um, and it just it it just really never worked out from from the get-go. But I also understand you need guys, you need bodies to to to chew up some minutes. And it was interesting just looking at Labouchkin because I think a lot of us would agree he had a pretty decent regular season. I think a lot of us were happy with what we got. I just think as the playoffs wore along, eventually he became a healthy scratch, but maybe those high lever minutes and the amount of minutes he played just started to to catch up to him. Um, and maybe the conditioning just wasn’t quite there. I looked at his just average time on ice this past year in Dallas. It was seven just under 17 and a half minutes, which was the second most of of of his career. That’s that’s a lot of minutes you’re asking out of Labouchkin and who we’re sort of thinking as like he is that that third pair u that could maybe team up with a guy like uh Leouchkin. Yeah. Again, I think that the pairings for the last five years have been really interesting here in Dallas. I would love to see Miro and Essel Lindell play together of course and I know I know we shared that earlier in the season when we saw that for a bit and of course uh Mero got hurt just because you want to have a puck mover with Lindell. Lindell Labouchkin is just a no-go for me. It gives me too many Lindell Hawkenpaw vibes. It gives me you know suitor Lindell V. It’s just it’s not going to work no matter how much they want to force feed it to us. It it’s just not the best pairing for Lindell. If you pair him with a guy like me or Harley, whoever um you want it to be, it just it allows Lindell to thrive. And we saw also look at Lindell Labouchkin last year or just in the playoffs. That was a pairing that got picked on because their their weaknesses are their their mobility, the the the the ability to move the puck up the ice, too. So, if you compare Harley with Leouchkin, Lindell with Miro, feel like it’s a decent top four. Now, the X-Factor, of course, and that was one of the the guys I wanted to touch on in the blue line, Neil Lungquist, right? Because he was just on pace last year. Felt like he was going to have a career year in some ways. Offensive production was a bit light. Um maybe he gets some more opportunities here with Glenn Gooson. Maybe there’s a bit longer of a leash. I think it’s fair to say just Pete Deborah wasn’t a big fan of of Neil’s Longquest. Al although maybe Neil’s finally gained some respect this past season because I I think he was going to pay maybe 70 games last year. Maybe that’s 65 like he was on pace to kind of get around that. Yeah, he had 39 games when he was injured. A lot of people don’t remember that, but I mean he was playing over he was playing over Dumba. He was playing over other players. He won that starting position based on his play during the preseason. Yeah. And the worst part was the question that we really had for Lungquist was, okay, what was he going to be in the playoffs? We didn’t get to see that because of the injury, which really really stinks because maybe if he’s a guy that played 14 minutes or maybe he played anywhere from 12 to 15 minutes last year in the postseason and we’re thinking, wow, like what a step for Neil Slungquist who could play like two shifts a period a year ago. now they’re allowed to play like 12 minutes. Okay, like that maybe we’re thinking about this this whole defensive situation a lot differently. So again, can we see that other step with Neil’s? And I’m really fascinated to see how Glenn Gooson feels about him. Uh because we all know what maybe Jim Nil thought about him and what he could be. We never really maybe saw the the full potential of Neil under Pete Davore. So, Gulletson, um, and and two, it just feels like with Bishel, you got a stable third pairing there. Um, with with Bishel and whoever, whether it’s Petravic, too, if you needed to to bring him back up. So, the Stars do have some decent depth. Um, it it doesn’t have, I would say, a ton of quality, but it it has it has quantity, and I think the Stars can roll with that um into this next season. So, one of the interesting things we talk about Lungquist going down after 39 games, what could have been Liam Bishell. So, 38 regular season games, 18 playoff games. So, when you think about that, that’s only 56 games. So, he’s basically, you know, a little bit over 3/4 of a season there as far as a full actual season and that’s counting playoffs. So there is a learning curve and I think one of those learning curves for Bishel if I put Liam Bishell on the second line one of my concerns physicality not a concern time in the penalty box concern. Yeah. So you know that’s one thing that maybe the coaching staff will preach as far as to move up as far as being a top four Dmen in this league. You can be physical, but you have to stay out of the penalty box. And and Neil’s needed that learning curve, too. And he’s a completely different style of player than than Le Bishell. I think that’s uh pretty obvious. But uh what the season prior where where Neil’s was kind of got that opportunity to play right off the bat and he found himself in the penalty box a lot and then we were back to the healthy scratch situation. And I I think Pete Dbor maybe maybe somebody else uh was quoted saying you have to learn to defend at the NHL level without taking penalties and and that can be a bit of a concern with with Bishell. And the great thing about last season too for Bishel, he did get those games under his belt and there were some rookie moments, right? I I think there was uh parts of his game where maybe he was turning his hips too quickly. He would commit to a a forward coming down the wall and then he would get beat inside. Um, and that just that just comes with the learning curve of the NHL level. Like the Fords move a lot faster. Um, you know, uh, you can’t just anticipate. You you have to react. And sometimes if you uh, anticipate these NHL guys can make you look silly in a hurry. And he had some of those th those moments. But, uh, the great thing about Bishel, you know what you’re going to get in that package. The physicality. Um, I just him and and and Neils could be really interesting. Just kind of like fire and ice right there. you got a guy again kind of like a puck mover. Um Bishell probably underrated in in that area of his game um as well. Um look, I’m I really am a big fan of Neil. I know like last summer I was like I’m done on this whole dilemma with him, but I I feel like I am like I’m ready to get back on the the hype train a bit with a new coaching staff or at least a a new head coach and what he could potentially be because yes, if you get you know a full season like you know 82 games from each Bishial and Lungquist uh that’s just more that’s just more room for them to grow and Lungquist has passed that kind of 250 game mark in his career which is always kind of like the the mark you hit where you finally learn how to be a defenseman in the NHL. It was always kind of the rule of thumb. So, he gets some more uh some more time under his belt. And I think right off the rip, he’s going to have an opportunity to to win a job and and play some some heavy minutes for for Dallas. It’s going to be fascinating with with them two because it looks right now, it looks like right now like could be Bishel and Lungquest. So, what what a pairing that could potentially uh be. Well, you’ve mentioned a couple of times the coaching staff and that’s my next X factor. And we don’t really think about this as an X factor, but there could be a completely new system that we are not taking into account for these Dallas Stars. The power play probably will look different. You have new ideas coming from Nazerdine and Neil Graham. Now the background for those that don’t know this is not a slight on Pete Dbor but it was Pete Dbor’s way and you know that’s fine but Nazerdine ran the defensive scheme that Pete Dbor wanted and the power play Steve Spot ran the power play how Pete Dbor wanted and I just say that like I Pete Dbor has the skins on the wall as far as every place he goes he takes them to new levels hasn’t gone gone over the top, but we need to give him credit there. But now you have a coach coming in that has made it abundantly clear, Joey, that this is a team effort as far as the coaching staff. And that’s going to be fascinating as far as Gulatson letting Nazerine cook because we just mentioned defensively. Maybe there’s a few things that Nazerdine is going to throw in that he had in New Jersey that we didn’t necessarily see. And on the power play situation, Neil Graham’s going to come in with some ideas and that’s going to pair with the effective power play that Edmonton had. Now, people can go back and they can say, well, Edmonton, of course, McDavid dryidle. Ah, when you look at the analytics, see how much that Edmonton power play improved under Glenn Gulletson and how much Conor McDavid and Liam Dryidle enjoyed teaming up with Glenn Gulletson. So that’s my next act X factor because we could see stylistically a different Dallas Stars team that we haven’t seen for the past three years. Yeah. And and to just hammer home your point on the Edmonton power play, the the year prior before got there, they were the worst power play in the league. And Goldson took it to one of the the best and of course most deathly afraid of power plays in the entire NHL. It’s butt clinching time when you watch that Edmonson power play against your team. And the Stars of course got a taste of that the last few few seasons. And Goldson has made it abundantly clear. I’ve read some fantastic articles about Glen Goldton on the Athletic 2. I I really encourage people to go out and find them because it talks about what Golitin has learned and and he’s made it abundantly clear he is going to tailor whatever system is going to fit the roster. He’s going to examine what the Stars have, the personnel they have, and try to fit a system that is going to to suit the power play, going to suit the penalty kill. So, uh, of course, fit the suit the the five on five game. Uh, as also heard something too which I found a bit fascinating that the Stars sort of changed their defensive system last season kind of in the middle of the year. Um, or as we know, they always kind of played that man-on-man and they would kind of kill plays in the corner. Um, I I read something I I’m I’m kind of kicking myself. I couldn’t uh can’t remember, but they kind of switched to kind of like a hybrid system and it really it just it was kind of interesting that the Stars did that sort of in the middle of the year. Maybe that was because of the personnel they had. Uh, but but yes, but that’s not really that’s besides the point. Again, Goldson is going to tailor this system to fit Dallas. And I I’m really fascinated to see where, you know, when with Conor McDavid, they kind of used him as a ror on that that Edmonton power play. If if you recall, just any of the games the Stars played against him like McDavid moves around like he’s circling the net a lot. He’s circling different spots and fascinating to see maybe Mico Ranson and he gets a shot at kind of being that McDavid. Maybe he moves around a bit more instead of kind of hanging over in that right circle. But yes, what is this coaching staff going to add? I think you make a great point, right? Like it’s a collaborative uh it’s a collaborative effort. Um and he made that really clear in that introductory press conference like we have great coaches. Uh we’re going to do this with Neil Graham or do it with Nazerdine. We’re going to have this collaborative process uh to make the uh to to to make uh the stars better or at least you know kind of improve on what they have. I think it it sort of goes back to like Goldson’s being handed a Mercedes. Like just just don’t run it into the the road on 75. Don’t run into the roadblock there. Just uh just just keep it simple. But it’s going to be really really intriguing. And I’ve kind of talked myself into Goldson, too. The the more I’ve read about him, I’m kind of fired up to about what he could potentially bring. And Neil Graham now being added to the bench. It’s just it’s going to be a lot of fun. Um, and I I think a lot of us uh kind of perked our eyes up at this when Goldson said, “Just can we make them a smidge more physical throughout the year? Can we bump that up?” Like that’s something I think that was music to all Stars fans ears. Can they be a little bit more physical so they’re ready more importantly come playoff game or come playoff time to to be able to implement that when you really need it instead of, you know, the the quote we said, “Well, we’re not that team.” Well, you need to be that team. Well, one of the things that I enjoy about Joey’s podcast and I enjoy about Spits and Suds is you guys are involved as far as listeners. Love talking to you guys online. So, I put it out on social media and some of you guys responded with your X Factors. Alex Panhan says, “Gavin, your guy’s nils.” I love it’s my guy now. Yeah. Such a positive. It’s like everyone thinks I have a man crush on Colin Blackwell, which I do, by the way. It’s a good one to have. You could have worse you could have worse guys. So that’s not I I mean I I just I just think you know he adds a lot. So my guy nils so if he does well he I guess he is my guy is the X factor for the Dor and the whole team. How he goes determines what we have to do in season with the roster. He shapes everything. So I thought that was uh you know interesting. Uh let’s see what else did we have. Eden Eden Shadlow always a big listener for me. X factor is the schedule. Dallas travels more than any other team just about and their schedule is brutal in places this season. Wow, what a great X factor by Ed. Now in February is the Olympic break. They have four home games. So they won’t travel at all in the month of February, but brutal. I think I counted up Joey back and forth. So you’re going back to the central time zone. Nine time changes in the month of January alone. It is a tough road. Now, they do have some opportunities in the schedule where they have nice home stretches, but at the same time, they have some tough ones. So, great point by Eden. That’s a interest because to me, I did a show on the schedule and I know you did as well. And I had January as the determining factor of where this Stars season is going to unfold. I think you could that’s a a great one too. did their longest road trips in there and you mentioned sort of that cross-country road trip and and that was a factor last year all the travel if you included Finland going over there that was a lot of travel for for Dallas and they had that condensed schedule because they went and played in the NHL Global Series. Maybe it it didn’t have as much of an effect as maybe we were thinking just because you know maybe we’re not giving enough credit. Maybe the Stars did just slow down in that series against Edmonton as well. I think you can make the case a really big X- factor in the schedule. I’m telling you it’s the first that first month. I think it’s a really tough tough tough schedule to open up the year. You got Winnipeg, Colorado, Minnesota, Vancouver, St. Louis, um LA. I think eight of the first 10 games are playoff teams from a a year ago or just teams that were really on the bubble. And Nashville can’t be as worse as they were last year, can they Gavin? you would think they’re going to be better, but uh that too like and we’ve seen like if you get off to slow starts, you can put yourself behind the eightball really really quickly. So the Stars are going to have to be ready to rock and roll right away with the new coaching staff and kind of implementing all the new systems. So that first 20 games, I think, is going to be a real good benchmark for Dallas. See maybe how they’re coming along with Gooson as a new head coach. Is it is it working out? because like like if the Stars go, you know, three and seven to open up the year, we’re thinking, “Oh my goodness, this could not have gone worse after what we saw the last couple of seasons.” And then uh you’re going to get the people that did not like the goats and hire um right away. They’re going to be very very loud um on the the different platforms where Stars fans exist. Oh, absolutely. Okay, Michael says, “Wyatt Johnston and Maverick Bourc.” To me, it’s simple. If this is our roster, Wyatt has to be a consistent star. We can’t have last year’s playoff Wyatt and win the cup. We need the kid that was just paid $8 million a year. Maverick is my number two. His skills have to shine and he needs to become a threat. Yeah, I mean, we we’ve we’ve kind of touched on on Bour, but I I think we share a lot of the same sentiments on on Johnston just because he he kind of went away uh from from what we saw like he was been the guy that kind of just in the big moments like he he shows up. Um, I always think back to his rookie year when Dallas was down 20 against Vegas and he scored the overtime winner in game three. Um, just a must goal or a must win for Dallas and boom, they claw their way back to win that series. The Seattle game seven, of course, he had the big he had the game winner. It’s hard to it’s easy to forget just because Mo uh went went uh went crazy in that game seven against Colorado, but Wyatt did have the gamewinner there on the power play. Um, I would like to see consistency, right? because we’ve seen he’s had great years, but there’s been slumps kind of in the middle of the year where he has those 15 to 20 game stretches and you’re like he’s got two goals and you know maybe six assists. If he can if he can have like an 82 game season where it’s just really consistent throughout you’re be like okay this is the guy we thought who he was. And um I think you also have to take into account too like Wyatt Johnson wasn’t coming into this last playoff guy is kind of like oh this is just like an unknown guy like he’s he’s starting to be circled I think on some teams like like when they’re doing pre-couts like hey we can’t just let 53 destroy us now. I know he’s their third line center or whatever but he’s being circled so that with some of his success comes more attention now he has to adapt um and be able to uh to to find some solutions there. So Eden also brings up a large number of the players will be going to the Olympics and I do think that’s an interesting X factor because Joey you mentioned the road trip over to Finland last year and how it could have taken a toll. Granted Florida also went on that road trip and they ended the season pretty good. Yeah, absolutely. But when you look at the Olympic break I mean you’re looking at Hkinan Lindell Harley likely after his performance. So there’s three Ager. Yeah. And and Roe and Robo I mean Robo I think is is an opportunity potential. So that could be potentially seven. That’s a that’s a lot of guys. That’s a lot of guys going to the Olympics. Um so I mean we’ll we’ll see about that. But I think that’s a really good uh followup. Gold star for Eden today on the podcast. Andrew Brock uh Buck Maverick Bourke Nils Lungquist and Liam Bishell will determine if it’s a good season or a great season. I’m also curious who uh let’s see who the new coaching staff plays on the wings with Johnston this year. So there certainly is going to be a decision. One center is going to move to the left wing. That’s why like that’s why I brought up earlier, Gavin, does Johnston move to the wing so they can kind of maybe just kind of really uh I guess frontload the top six. Um, and that way uh you you don’t maybe you don’t have as much depth down the middle. I know like I too like I would love for Johnston to play center like you want to have strength down the middle. Maybe that’s why they thought like let’s go out and get Foxa. It’s a guy that we kind of understand who he is and he can just kind of pencil you can pencilman on that fourth line. Um and then maybe Steel can jump in to be your third line center if you like if you move Johnston up. But yeah, that that yeah, the the wings are are just so interesting because it really I I just think it’s going to be a hodge podge with with Beck. Um Ritz Scovian, is he going to be guy from the AHL? Maybe he gets a shot. Um Blackwell as well. Yeah, I I just you can go a million different directions. I’m curious to hear your take on that. No, I also think it’s very interesting like are we close to a positionless sport? Yes. I mean, we we we have Dmen that are pinching now, you know, like more than ever. um you know quite common to see Harley you know over toward the net. Um we saw that a couple times in overtime. So he does a really good job deciding when to go in, when not to go in, but yeah, I think that moving a center over to the left wing big picture might not be that big of a deal. It’s old school would have you you have your center and your two wings, but you know now I think it’s interchangeable parts and we see that primarily on the faceoff circle where teams now have at least two or three players on the ice that can take a draw. In the old days, if the center guy kicked out, it’s like, oh, they’re going to lose that draw. Yeah. Well, and I think this goes back to the discussion we had with Jamie Ben, too, like like where does he fit in? Like where is he on this lineup? Like is he going to play with Duchain and Sean? Is that something they want to try? Is he going to play with Johnston and Bourke? Is he just going to play on that fourth line? How many minutes a night is he going? Like is he just going to be like a fourthline checker? He made that that that comment with Wayne Gretzky, right? Where he was like, I’m just like a fourthline checker. And that’s like cool and all, but you know, I guess I mean again, they’re paying him a million dollars with some bonuses. So it’s it’s a lot different than um if he was if he was playing 12 minutes a night and he was getting paid nine, you know, something million. But um but yeah, like What is he going to be? Is he a guy that can play, you know, 14 minutes a night or is he more somebody that’s closer to 12? Yeah. Yeah. And uh Justin says, “Whoever steps into the top six left wing role, Johnston, Duchain, Steel, maybe Hint for D. It would be Harley and Lindell need someone to step up so Miro doesn’t play 28 plus minutes a night and gas out on a playoff run.” Fascinating. And I think that’s another reason why you move uh either Harley or Hkin down to the second pairing. Yeah. Um I I don’t want it on the power play. Well, they usually play a 1D power play anyway, but uh offensive it’s in the offensive zone. Sure. Put them both out there real quick. But I mean I I am a big proponent and let’s spread the wealth a little bit. Oh, absolutely. You you have to. And as much as Miro and Harley look really good together, they’re they’re good players. They’re great players. They’re just going to to figure it out. But with what the stars have depthwise, you just you have to to spread the the wealth a bit. So you split them up. Um I would be curious to see you mentioned the power play cuz I don’t think we really ever saw that unless maybe it was towards the end of a power play like 5 seconds ago like 5 seconds to go in the main advantage like maybe if Goldson wants to to mess around with with Mero and Harley um on the power play just because uh I’ve talked about this quite a bit on locked on start. They go about the power play completely differently in my op like Harley’s like he’s looking to score. He’s looking to shoot. He’s looking to score in a lot of ways. I know he’s still having to make reads. He’s facilitating, but as a power play quarterback, he’s looking to put the puck on net and try to score. Mero is a facilitator. Yes, he’s trying to get shots through, but he’s more of a puck mover. He’s trying to get it in the hands of a guy like Robertson or Rantin. So with Harley and Miro potentially you could trop them out there with Rantin, Robo, maybe Roe, like how would that look with two defenseman? It’s not really um it would be a bit old school. I guess you don’t really see two defenseman anymore. It’s always just the one you see you load up your your your power plays, but you know, I think there’s a real potential. Maybe Robo’s not on your first power play just because maybe Rantin takes over that job and then Robo can be on your second. So you’re like, “Wow, Robo on your second power play.” Like that’s pretty good. and we’ve we’ve kind of thought highly of the Stars special teams recently just because of that depth. So, um it’ll just be um it’ll be an awesome awesome situation the Stars have going into to this year even with some of the departures and and Glenn Goldson’s going to have he doesn’t have dry side on McDavid, but he he has some weapons to to work with. Yeah. Two honorable mentions for XFactors before we go because some people might say, “Well, you didn’t get to these guys.” Is Oscar Beck Ratic Foxa I think it is what it is. uh defensive forwards. Um I would love to see Beck take the next step. I don’t know if it’s there. Um and I like the player a lot, Joey. It’s just tough for me for a guy that big. I just he doesn’t play as big as his size is, which is kind of fascinating. Had some really, really good moments this season. I think he was consistent and he was fine, but you know, I I don’t know if Oscar Beck is what it is or is he’s going to take, you know, the next step. Uh Foxo, say what you will. Um and there’s an argument to be made that faceoffs, how important are they really? I still find value in them. analytically might say different because I to me face offs equal puck possession, but at the same time um I I think Fox is decent. I just I I thought there maybe was a a better need on the team as far as picking somebody else up. So those two could be an X- factor. I think defensive depth, Petravic, uh and obviously the Dumba trade, but uh I think that defenseman I think he’s going to start with the Texas Stars. Yeah. Uh, I think Petravic is going to be your seventh defenseman. Uh, so that could be an X- factor as well if there’s an injury. Uh, I think Petravic has earned a place on this roster. I I in terms of the the Beck Foxes situation really for for me it just comes down to the the the uses of resources and the money. I just I I don’t understand why you would go out to get Fox. Like you have Foxa. His name is Oscar Beck. He’s the same exact player. Um and and maybe maybe Beck’s potential as an offensive threat isn’t as high as as Ratic Foxa was at one point maybe um in his career, but you’re not going to be asking Foxa to do that anyways at this point. And I just I can’t get over Jim Nielsson. We we miss Ratic Fox last season. And I get what he’s he’s he’s trying to he he’s trying to to pump the tires a bit because like I just can’t remember a time when I’m watching the Stars get dismantled by the Edmonton Orio and be like, you know what, we’re missing Radic Foxa. Like that’s not that’s not where my mind went when I first thought of like who we’re missing. So like uh again, and I like Radic Foxa. It’s not about the player. just the in today’s NHL and the limited amount of resources the Stars had this year to make moves that just seems like a a move that that didn’t need uh didn’t need to be to didn’t need to be made. But um do you think on on free agency day his agent sent the old tape versus the New York Islanders where Fox made to me the single greatest scoring move I had ever seen by a player like you know avoiding the check and sliding along the boards. That was to me like absolutely amazing. And to be fair to Foxa he he actually had a hell of a playoff series against Winnipeg. He was incred. He He He would have had the game winner in that game seven. Like he should have had the game winner if they didn’t collapse. I could not believe when I looked up when I was looking and I’m like, “Oh my goodness.” Radic Fox was pretty good in that series. Yeah. He came down the left wing and just sniped Hellabuk. Although playoff Helluck, I don’t know if that’s even that impressive to to be honest, but still like the best goalender on the planet and Radic Fox looked like Robo coming down the wing. So So all right, let’s let’s end with this. Is this too many X factors? Because Sean and I were talking the other day, Sean Shapiro. Um, and one of the things that, you know, just came up was our initial top three in the Central. And I, you know, mentioning these X factors today, you know, I mean, kind of a good chunk of things need to come together for this Stars team. I don’t I don’t think you can have enough X factors, Gavin. And again, I think it depends. I think it depends on your definition of of what an X factor could be for for your specific definition that you brought up in the episode. Yes, it’s probably too much. Um because you’re asking like guys to have some career years, guys to to really um improve. But um I still think the Stars, if you look at the roster as a whole, they they have a good thing. I think they have a good core. Um, and again, this this still includes Jason Robertson. I know there’s a lot of talk about him, but like he’s under contract. The Stars are gonna have him, it looks like, for a full season. Um, and you get Mo for a full 82, right? He doesn’t have to make two moves in the middle of the year. I think that is kind of a maybe an X- factor as well. Like he’s he’s comfortable here now. I’m sure he’s got a place in DFW. Probably not here right now with it being 105 degrees every day, but he’s going to be comfortable. Hopefully, he’s got his fins around him. Like, that’s that’s another factor of be like, “Okay, like full year of Mo is going to be thrilling. Get the 96 jerseys while you can, while they’re hot.” Um, but uh yeah, we can never have too many X factors. I’m I’m not gonna I’m not gonna rain on your parade today, Gavin. Yeah. Yeah. Well, when Brad Alberts puts another one of those tweets out that has the eye emojis, I’m not even guess anymore. Yeah. I’m tired of those now. I no offense to Brad Albert and no offense to the na to the class of 2025 for the Dallas Stars Hall of Fame inductees. Ralph Strangest uh guy I looked up to growing up wanted to be a playby-play guy for sure and Joe did but I think he’s underdelivered the past couple eyeball tweets. Okay, Gavin I he’s you got to under under promise overd deliver, right? I think he’s underdelled a bit. Well, the next time because I got a couple of tweets and they said, “What does this mean?” And I was like, “Well, clearly it’s going to be the third sweater release.” Yes. And then it was the Hall of Fame. So, next time it comes out, I don’t know. I I honestly don’t know. I’m guessing it will be the sweater. The sweater has to come out at some point. Yeah. They’re supposed to get one, right? Is Or like all teams getting one or is it is this just the year for Dallas? Okay. Well, yeah. Hey, I’m I’m ready for a new jersey. Um Yeah. Yeah. Give me Give me anything. Those reverse retros. Oh my. The blacks with the the green kind of Oh, I love those. So sweet. Yeah. I was hoping that it was going to be like something similar to the Winter Classic. Yeah, really appreciated that D. Now, like one of the things that Sean pointed out that the stars were really good at as far as the colors emanate on television. So therefore, you know, the green sticks out. But I’ll tell you, as I told Sean, when they did Dallas Stars night for the Texas Rangers and they had that Stars logo with that red, white, and blue with the Texas flag. Yes, I’m all on board. That to me, well, if you remember too, they brought up the the point when they were kind of doing the the rebrand like there was potential of thinking about maybe doing red, white, and blue, which I’m glad they stuck with green. uh 100% support that it is different than really every other team in the DFW Metroplex that has blue to some degree. It’s got it’s got red, but I I I’m right there with you. Um just the the font of kind of like the I was this is my girlfriend the other day, too. I was like, I love the font of of the Rangers. I just I love that font. It just feels so Texas. Even if the Stars did something like that where it’s a bit more almost western and you I mean you could just put whatever color you want on it. I’m I’m gonna love it. But uh yeah, no, that’s that’s a good point with the the Rangers crossover. The Allen American jerseys are that they’re red, white, and blue like Texas and they’re really sharp. So um yeah, just a just random thoughts. Yeah. Well, I I I like your random thought and it gives me it gives everybody an excuse to buy another jersey. So I need I need a ranting in jersey anyways, so I might as well get the the new one that uh that that comes out. So I’m hoping it’s going to be sweet. Uh but uh the Stars do a great job. Usually they usually hit the nail on the head. I I wasn’t a huge fan of the the the all whites back they did that reverse retro. I they they looked better than they kind of played. I felt like at least to the eye like then you saw on TV you’re like I can’t even see these guys. Yeah. And I mean some people like the black and the white with just Dallas across the front. I mean maybe it’s me. I I’d love to see like a Fort Worth patch or something. Why not, you know, or a DFW that signifies and I understand Dallas and people outside of Dallas when people say DFW, they’re like, why do they have a patch of the airport, you know? I mean, that’s what people think of DFW. But my Fort Worth peeps who come in the train, you know, to the games and stuff. I absolutely love um you know, the the support of Fort Worth. Uh in fact, the history of Fort Worth with hockey is quite No, it is. Yeah. You know, just a just a thought there. All right. you are the man. Thank you so much for joining us in this off season edition. I think we laid down some X factors. It’s so great. Uh where can people find you? Uh as obviously Locked On is a terrific podcast. Joey’s doing episodes all of the time so it’s up todate. If something breaks, Joey’s there for you. So you can find him at Locked On. It’s Locked On Stars. Where else can they find you? Yeah, you can find me on uh Twitter at joy thejet9 as you can see on the the YouTube video here or you can follow us on locked on stars um just like that on Twitter uh as well. I’m usually tweeting stuff out, reacting to to stuff and uh I I appreciate the the tire pump as always, Gavin. I love when we get to connect and just chop it up about Dallas Stars hockey. It’s be a lot of fun and I I know we’ll get together more and more as uh as the the months uh go on. And uh hockeyy’s what just a couple months away. It’s already It’s already got training camp, all that good stuff. So, we’ll have plenty to to discuss and appreciate you having me on as always. Of course. I mean, if I was really pumping your tires, the NHL Yes, sir. podcaster of the year. Oh, we appreciate that. Ericson. Yeah. Yeah. There you go. Yeah. I was able to to get some hardware this past year, which I was I was uh very very very grateful for. I was It was voted on by my peers, so that it it really did mean a lot. Um uh I I put I I I it truly is like I I have a I have a strong passion for for doing playbyplay. It’s um it’s like a craft at the end of the day. I work really really hard to to do it and to perfect it. Um and it was really nice to be recognized by others um in the league because we all know some of the the the issues and the struggles that we go through on buses and it’s not the most lavish and prettiest travel, but boy, I loved it so much and um we won a lot of games. I I give a lot of credit to our team too. Um it it makes my job a lot easier when the team is good and they were winning a lot. So uh but I appreciate that. Anyways, no more rambling. Uh appreciate it. You have a great day, Gavin. All right. Thank you. That’s Joey Ericson of Locked On Stars.

Welcome to today’s crossover edition of Locked On Stars with Gavin Spittle of Spits and Suds. Joey and Gavin cover potential X-Factors for the Dallas Stars season that can make or break their Stanley Cup hopes. Mavrik Bourque, Nils Lundkvist, Sam Steel are discussed among others as we countdown towards next season. Let us know your x-factors in the comments below.

Follow Joey on Twitter: twitter.com/joeythejet19

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOStars?sid=YouTube

Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LockedOnStars
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lockedonstars/

#NHL #DallasStars #hockey

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Gametime
Today’s episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.
Monarch Money
Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnhl for 50% off your first year.
FanDuel
Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get $150 in Bonus Bets if your first $5 bet wins!
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)