Dallas Stars 2025-26 NHL Season Preview
Hello everybody and welcome into another season preview show here at the Hockey Raiders YouTube channel. I’m your host Matthew Zour and we are up to the Dallas Stars here. I got Mark who covers the Stars. He’s been I you’ve been on a lot of videos actually with towering the Stars playoffs, free agency, all that fun stuff. Uh how’s it going? It’s going good, Matt. Happy September basically. We’re almost there. I feel like our heads have been down. summertime grind and all of a sudden, oh, football’s starting, which means, oh, hockeyy’s like a month away. So, it’s great to be here. Great talking to some Dallas Stars with you. And, uh, yeah, man, let’s get to it. For sure. Yeah, the Stars are uh I mean, of course, everyone knows they keep getting kicked out in the just before this the Cup final, it seems. Um, but and again, getting not far as far as everyone wanted them in the playoffs. Um, but they still return this season with a very strong team. Not many changes up front or on defense and goalending Tanm staying the same. So, uh, we don’t have any new additions really to talk about, but they do have a new head coach, so we’ll talk about him. Um, so let’s just jump right into uh our our forward group here with the Stars. I mean, there are some some storylines even though there are a lot of the same faces. biggest ones probably Mico Ranton getting a full season with the Stars because he was just not even half a season. It was uh what it was towards just towards the end of the season. We all know what he did in the playoffs. So, what are the big storylines kind of uh around the forward group uh this season? Yeah. Well, I mean, Miko Randon, like you said, um first full season, right? And I think the big conversation especially in like the rumor mill and in the media group is everyone wants to know first full season with no Nathan McKinnon, can he still get a 100 points? And that’s kind of the whole narrative. Um I I I think that is the biggest kind of question mark and not in the context of like a bad question mark, but hey, it’s his first season. What’s going to happen here? What’s that first line going to look like? We all know um Granlin came in not quite the trade deadline in January. Him, Hint, and Ranton had a very good chemistry going the whole Finnish Mafia thing and they had a really good chemistry. Well, Granland’s gone now. Looks like Robertson will probably go up there. We’ll see what happens. I’m sure that it’ll be, you know, two, three months of figuring out the perfect lines. Um, but that’s a big one, right? Rantin perennial 100point getter. Can he remain that with the Dallas Stars? I think the other one is, you know, Granlin gone, Marchman gone. You have Matt Duchain, Tyler Sigan. Um, and so they have their core that’s aging and the young players coming up. So how it’s been for a I don’t know few years now. Matthew Shane, Tyler Sigan have had this like awesome chemistry and that was with Mason Marchman. Well, Marchman’s gone now. So, can those two keep that chemistry with somebody else? The other like um storyline with the offense is Wyatt Johnston has has been a third line center, which in the NHL having Wyatt Johnston as your third line center is an absolute luxury, right? Yeah. So, Does he make that um jump now? Like did did Donov’s gone? Maverick Bourc, can he take that next big step? Jaime Ben, what what is Jamie Ben? By all accounts, everyone loves him. He’s the captain. He’s the leader. He’s not the player he once was. Right now, people have him slotted in the second line. I personally don’t think that’s a good fit, but who else is really ready to make that jump up to the second line. So, you have a very very topheavy unit, but there are questions if you take oh way Wyatt Johnston, there are questions with the bottom six. Very, very skilled. Absolutely. But there’s a couple holes with the bottom six that we’ll be curious to see what happens there. Yeah, there was a time where Macau Granland there was a chance that he was going to come back. Yeah. Um but of course signed in Anaheim. Pretty big contract to just for a couple years. But I mean he was it looked like a very good fit on that top line and probably would have liked him to come back. I mean they did try to get him back but I mean for that money I don’t know. I it seemed like there was that was just a ton of money to throw at him for a guy that I don’t know if he’s really worth that. So yeah, I think I don’t think 7 million and this is just like my own personal opinion. I don’t know anything crazy. I don’t think 7 million was like the ticket. Like he needs 7 million or else he’s not coming back. I just think that you signed Matt Duching to 4.5 million and you basically traded Mason Marchment who was making 4.5 million basically right away. Right. I like Matt Duchain. He was a team’s leading um scorer last year. I like Matt Duchain. I just think the chemistry that Granlin had with Rantin with hints. Listen, I like Tyler again, he’s on his way out. Who knows how many couple years this guy has left. He has this year and then I think one more year left on his deal. I like that chemistry, but ranting in hints that’s your future. So, I would have personally preferred not resigning Duchine and then bringing back Granlin, but who knows? Would four and a half been enough? I don’t know. So, maybe that holds just like a I don’t know m point. Maybe it doesn’t matter. But that was my kind of thought was like I like Duchain, but what Granland had with those guys I thought was the beginning of potentially something special. And like once again, not to take nothing out from Duchain, I just liked what those guys had going on the first line. Yeah, for sure. I did, too. So, I mean, it it all dep I don’t know what, like I say, you don’t know if that was the money that they that were there to give it to him or not, but Anaheim did, and that’s where he is now. All right, let’s uh let’s shift to the defense because uh again this has no changes really. I mean all the core guys are back. Nero Heiskin leading the way of course u but what do you have for storylines there? I mean again it was still a very strong unit. They did lose some guys though. Matt Dumba’s not not on the team anymore. I I think that’s probably the biggest guy that’s gone but uh so I mean he’s in Pittsburgh now. What do you think about the defense going in? Yeah, I mean Matt Dumba, I think the idea of him was really great. The idea this big, strong, tough guy potential shot from the blue line. Nothing really materialized there with him. So, you’re not really losing anything that he was here. Maybe losing something that he maybe could have been, but you’re not really losing um what he was here. For me, there’s two big questions. Number one, Thomas Harley had a coming out party last year. Now, yeah, if you’re a Dallas Stars fan, then this was no coming out party. You’ve known about this guy for the last few years. Terrific defenseman, terrific shot, terrific power play, whatever. Five on five. The guy’s terrific. But with the Four Nations faceoff, right, with the injury and him coming up and Thomas Harley, who is this guy? Like apparently like nobody knew who this guy was until Four Nations Face Off came. And so for me, this is the last year of a bridge deal for Thomas. So this is and this opens up a whole other can of worms that we won’t necessarily talk about today, but they got to pay him and they got to pay Jason Robertson. So that’s a fun storyline to keep an eye on for the summer. But to me, Thomas Harley, man, this guy, year after year, he has been moving up when it comes to points. Last year in 78 games, 16 goals, 50 points, plus 32 um in the playoffs, some big goals. Overtime winner, I believe, against the Jets in the second round. Um, and so I’m really curious to watch him. Now to caveat or not caveat but to segue is the word I’m looking for is the power play was not very good last year until hein got hurt and then Harley stepped in and all of a sudden he’s ripping shot shots from the blue line and the power play catapults to one of the best in the league. Now, at the end of the year, it didn’t finish as the best, but from January 1st to the end of the year, it was a top 10 power play. Um, and that was with Harley at the helm. So, I’m curious. We’re going to talk about the head coach, but with the new head coach, he was the wizard behind the power play for the Oilers, where since he’s been there with with the Oilers, he that power play has been the best power play in the league in the seven years that he’s been there. Now, I know I hear everybody watching, they have McDavid, they have Didle. I get it. but they had them before and the power play wasn’t very good until he got there. So, that’s going to be something to watch out for. Is Thomas Harley going to get some more power play time? I’m curious for that. On the other side of it, Niels Lungquist, I’m really curious to see if he can finally take that step. Mhm. Pete Dbor. So when he came in, he had a lot of potential offensively and his defense wasn’t that great and something switched where we need this guy to be really solid defensively and the offense doesn’t matter. Well, that’s just not who he is. He needs to have that puck and it’s just not who he is. So, in the kind of changing his game from that two-way defenseman to a stay at at home defenseman, he kind of lost his way. Pete Dbor also just didn’t want to play the guy. He was either hurt or he was scratched and there was just a lot or he would play for like five minutes. Something was weird between him and Pey. I don’t know what the issue was, but uh he just didn’t like playing the guy. Well, again, you have new head coach and this is basically his spot now. Like, as you mentioned, Dumba’s gone. Brandon Smith is gone. There are a couple guys in the weeds, Petravic, um, and a couple others, but for the most part, this is his spot now. So, I’m really curious to see if he can take that next step. Um other than that everybody is basically mainstay like um Lindell Hkin obviously Harley Labouchkin um Bishell last season came out big strong guy that the stars just simply don’t have besides him. Um so the only guy who needs to really solidify his place is Nils Lungquist and I am I’m am very curious to see how that plays out. Yeah, I was brought from the Rangers a couple seasons ago now, I think. And I mean, that’s and he’s been a high-end type. Well, he was a high-end prospect uh for a while. And then I Yeah, he’s kind of falling off a bit. And it’s like he still has a lot of potential, but we’ll see if he can kind of step forward and get, you know, take that opportunity because he does have that big opportunity for sure. So yeah, that’s a big question uh to take a look at in training camp and then during the season. All right, moving to the goalending, which again, same tandem. Jake Auttinger, Casey to Smith, uh very strong. Of course, we all know how Auter plays. He’s one of the best goalenders in the league. Um is that basically I mean you have any question marks with the goalending or is it just going to be I mean Aar has a chance maybe make the Olympic team. Who knows? Um, but we’ll see how that goes. What do you think about the goalending? I am very high on this tandem. I like that Casey Des Smith is coming back. For the last few years, they’ve been bringing in different guys over the last couple years. So, to bring him in, this is the second year of a three-year deal. So, he’s going to be here for the next couple years. And I don’t know if that necessarily matters other than just like um normality, right? Like just like um comfort level. You’re not going to have Casey starting 40 games, right? You’re he’s not going to be splitting the net. You know that there’s basically no competition. It’s Jake Ainger’s net. Win, lose, blow out, it doesn’t matter. That’s his net. And Casey the Smith will be called on to start 26, maybe 32 games. Um, so I I really like that. for Jake. I I I just I feel like this is a really big season for him in a sense that I just I feel like just people don’t want to all the way buy in on this guy, you know? I just feel like there’s something where it’s like, oh yeah, Jakeer, great, but is he a top five goalie? Oh yeah, Jakeer, great. But he got outplayed by Stuart Skinner two years in a row. Is he the guy to take you like, you know what I mean? Like just something about him is always he is great, but there’s it’s there’s no period at the end of that sentence, right? And so I’m really curious to watch this year with the Olympic year. We all know Connor Halabuk, Jake Oinger, Jeremy Swayman, and the fourth name escapes me of who got um asked to the Olympic team uh or not the team, but the camp this past summer. Um but so to me, he’s on the team. I would be surprised now starting, we all know that that’s Conor Hellbach’s net, right? But just from the media, from the writers who follow this team, I get the feeling that Jake’s kind of a petty guy. And not in like if we were like bros, I don’t think he’d be petty, but I just mean like he wants to prove that he’s the best goalie in this league. He wants to prove I belong in that net um for Team USA. So, what does that do? Um Jason Robertson really wanted to make the team last year for Four Nations and he spoke about how that actually hurt his play in the first half of the year. Will that be the same thing for Jakey? I don’t feel like he’s that kind of guy. Um but I I just feel like Jake still has something to prove even though in my mind he’s proven it year after year. last year, that playoff run, we were together for that whole run, Maddie, and he was the reason why they made it to the conference finals, right? And the wheels were falling off from game one against Colorado and Jake drug his team to the finals. So, that’s that’s my question mark here is not like nothing negative. I just think that he still has something to prove for whatever reason. Um, and I’m just curious to watch that. Um, and does the Olympic job just make him just that extra kind of take that to the, you know, cuz athletes, they’re like that, man. They just like make stuff up in their heads that just like, oh, you don’t believe in me? Oh, like watch this. You know what I mean? So, we’ll see what happens. Yeah. Well, I mean, we’ve seen him be brilliant in the playoffs time and time again. I mean, you said last season, the year where he played the Flames, he was the like bar bar none the best goalie. Um, so I mean that’s that’s something to watch. I think he is personally I think he is very much a top five goalender. Um, but I do see those questions. It’s like he does have that there’s still that question mark about him. So, we’ll see how it kind of goes. He does have that leg up on Hella with the playoffs. He does come play in the playoffs. Heluk there’s been some issues there. So I I think has that to put it lightly. Yeah. I mean along with his team and it’s not only Hella but yeah we we’ll see how we goes. Sorry Matt just one more thing. I think what really bodess well for this conversation is the fact that Pete Debor got fired which we haven’t talked about but there’s no doubt that there was already friction between the team and Pete Dbor that whole debacle of game five in the conference final like that whole thing and then the press conference after and now on the one hand you have to have Jake’s back because he just signed eightyear deal like six months ago or whatever. But also, it’s like, “No, man. We’re not we’re not testing this water anymore. We’re not pushing this any further. You’re done. This is our guy.” And I think that not that Jake is like, “Aha.” Like, not like that. But I just think that that’s like the team saying like, “We’re not putting up with that. He’s our guy.” And I think that kind of gives him an extra little Yeah. You know, like Yeah. So, we’ll see. I I agree with that for sure. they had to do something because you just signed this goalie for eight years. You don’t want to, you know, get him angry and then he wants out, which is not that’s not a good thing to have. Who do you have to replace him unless you’re, you know, of course getting a goalender in return, but it won’t be as good as him for sure. Well, I mean, that’s a good se segue to the head coach, new head coach, and that’s uh well, new old, I guess. Nonetheless, who has been the head coach of the Dallas Stars before, um, but that was when he was much younger and he’s got a ton more experience under his belt as multiple years assistant coach uh with the Vancouver Conucks. I I know him from here. I mean, he was pretty good as an assistant coach in Vancouver here for a number of years and then he went like you mentioned the Edmonton Oilers and he ran the power play there. I mean this second go around he’s a lot more of a experienced head coach probably better served to be a head coach now. So what do you think about what are your expectations for him coming in? Yeah I first I was a bit disappointed only because Neil Graham who’s been the head coach for the Texas Stars uh in the miners he was like a prime candidate and I really wanted to see him get a shot. So when Glenn first got hired, I was like, “Ah, man.” I was rooting for Neil Graham and that kind of But then you kind of dig in now Neil Graham has been promoted to the Dallas Stars bench. So that’s huge. Um, but that’s a whole other conversation. But like you said, man, when you look back and I mean Glenn said it like he basically said, this is the Mark Solder version, so to you know, paraphrase, but he basically said like when I came here the first time, I was a new head coach in this league and I needed my hands to be in everything. I needed to have my hands in the power play, the penalty kill, the this, the that. and he’s learned over time the roles of his bench, the roles the, you know, coach that runs the power play and the penalty kill and to let his team as in the coach team do their job. And I find that to be very interesting when he talked about that. He’s talked about how because he was a head coach here, uh, and then a head coach for Calgary, I believe, for for a little bit. Um, but besides that, he’s been behind the bench, right? He’s been doing his thing behind the bench. And what I like about his time with the Oilers is he was there for multiple head coaches where it’s not odd to see when a new head coach comes in, he picks his own guys. Now, Chris Knoblock was new himself, so maybe that has something to do with it. Um, but I am right there with you and I think and I mean Glenn talked about this too where um I actually wrote about this a couple months ago and other great writers from different websites have been have been talking about it as well how he he basically said like he he straight up said I have been a coach on a bench with the best players in the world. He’s like I know how to operate teams with talent. Now the stars don’t have, you know, McDavid and like Dryidle, but they have superstar talent on the front end, on the back end, and in the net as well. So I think that is huge just to know how to operate with superstars on your bench. I think that matters. The other thing is, and if you watch the Oilers specifically in the postseason, the last couple years, their physicality really took over as the playoffs went on. And they they bullied Dallas, especially this past postseason. They just bullied Dallas. And something that Dallas has been missing. If you’re gonna ask me, Mark, what’s the one thing this team needs? There’s a few things, but if I have to pick one, it’s be harder to play against. Be physical, be mean, win your battles, and that’s something he’s already been preaching a lot about. They brought in Faxa, they brought in Bastion. Um, and we didn’t talk about that. They’re not like high-end names, but they are guys who will hit, who will use their body. We talked about Bishel on the back end. So, I I just think this guy has really learned a lot since his first time here. And I think I mean, what’s better, man, to be the backup, not backup coach, the assistant coach for a team like the Oilers where, like you said, he he ran the power play. Now, typically the Stars have a good power play. Last year was not one of those years like we talked about before. Um and in the postseason they would score like three power play po goals in like one period and then not score a power play goal for whatever. So um I think that really matters too. So I really like this hiring on a like further look. I really like this hiring. I think he’s ready. I also really like that they kept the m majority of their uh coaching staff. Steve Spot went to Boston, I believe he was running the power play uh for the last couple years now. Him and Pete Dbor coached together for like a decade. So, wherever Pete goes, Steve will follow eventually, I’m sure. Um, but he has a very very good coaching staff with him there and I think that that’s really strong for him and I think that he has really come a long way. Um, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes. Yeah, I am too. I mean, I was a little bit surprised with him being hired. I I I same. I thought they would promote their AHL coaches. He’s been doing a great job uh with the Texas Stars. So, for a while. Yeah, he still got promoted, so he’s still on the bench. So, that that’s a good thing for him, too. So, um we’ll see how it all kind of uh plays out with this new coach. Um new old coach, I guess. Uh but it’s pretty much new because it’s a pretty uh different It’s quite a bit different of a team than when he coached last. Oh, yeah. Jamie Ben, right? That’s it. Like just Jamie Ben. He’s the only one. Much different. Yeah. Yeah. He’s the I think he’s the only one. probably because it’s been it was a long time ago and Ben was a quite a bit younger. Oh, yeah. Big time. All right. Uh let’s uh talk about the division, which I mean is still ridiculously strong. You’ve got the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets are the big three. They’re like the perennial powerhouse triplets, I guess, because they always got a 100 over 100 points. They’re always fighting there. Um, is that where the stars are still? Are they in that top three or have they taken a step back? I mean, you can’t say really unless the other teams got better. Yeah, I mean I I do I do think so. Yes, I do think they are in the top three still. I do think there are question marks like we already talked about, especially with the bottom six. I think losing Granland. Now, Granland was only there since January, so it’s not like this guy has been with the team or whatever, but like I said, I really do think that he had something good going there. There are question marks specifically with the bottom six and maybe one hole on the left wing um on the top six. That being said, I I just I think Dallas is continuing to go up. I think that their young talent like Robertson Hins is still in his prime obviously having Ranton in there now for a full summer now full training camp then the full season. Um obviously Wyatt Johnston every year he’s just scoring 30 goals and just doing what he needs to do right now. We can talk about the playoffs. There’s questions about the playoffs. I get that. But if we’re just talking regular season, I I really like Dallas to just continue to do like what they’ve been doing. Now, when it comes to the rest of the top three and going to the division, I do think that Utah is not guaranteed win night anymore. No, that’s true. I think St. Louis with Jim Montgomery, you got to be ready every night you play them. I think Minnesota, if their superstars can stay healthy for one season, for the love of God, if those guys can stay healthy, I think Minnesota, like they could be trouble, too. So, it’s not just the top three. You got teams coming up behind you. Nashville, will the summer of wonders of last year, will that finally pay dividends now? Who knows? Um, but the talent certainly there. So, I just don’t think it’s like like last year we were very pleasantly surprised to see the Wild kind of do what they did for the first half of the year and then the injuries like they just couldn’t keep it going. Um, but at the beginning of the year it was like, yeah, you got Dallas, Colorado, Winnipeg, one of those three teams, right? um where now it’s like, “Hey man, don’t look over your shoulder because everyone’s coming for you.” Now, specifically with Colorado and Winnipeg, again, this is my personal opinion. I I’d be curious to know your thoughts, is Colorado, I think they’ve gotten better. I really like what they’ve done. Um their goalending is good. I would say not comparable to Winnipeg or Dallas. Uh but I like what they did with the goalending last year. I like the signings that Colorado’s made, the trades that they made. I think they’re much deeper down the middle than they were last year. Um and so I think Colorado is the team that you’re going to have to beat in my opinion. I I think Dallas and Colorado will be battling. Now, I like Winnipeg, but I don’t really know what they’ve done to keep up like with the Joneses, right? I think Dallas has these budding superstars that are continuing to get older and in their prime and they added Ranton. Their back ends come into shape. Winnipeg, I really like Connor, by the way. that guy. I was look I was like doing some work and I was looking it up like Kyle Connor just scores 45 goals every year. Like no one talks about this guy. Um I like Shifley obviously. I like Connor. I like Morrisy. I like that they resigned Valardi, but I don’t really know what they did to keep up with the pace that Colorado and Dallas seems to be going at. Now, that being said, I feel like I say that every September and they just roll the whole year. So, you know, don’t listen to me. Um, but I would definitely put Dallas, Colorado. You can pick which team you want, one and two. Um, and then I would I would put kind of Winnipeg slightly below. Um, but the rest of that division is coming, bro. Like, don’t don’t don’t sleep on the rest of that division. I agree. I mean, Utah for sure. They’re they’re a team that’s just they’re tough to play against. My gosh. Even and they added a ton more uh in the offseason with JJ Purka, which is going to add to their top six for sure. Huge. Um so, I mean, yeah, they’re they’re a tough team and yeah, I agree. They’re not an easy win anymore. I mean, from a Canucks perspective, they’ve never been an easy win, but whatever. We’re not talking about the Canucks. I I think I think yeah, this division is going to be tougher to come out of this season. And I do agree with Winnipeg. I don’t know. Um we’re going to do a preview on them in the future, but I’m not sure about Jonathan Taves. I mean, it seems like he’s slotted in as a second line center right now. Yeah, I don’t know about that. And Gustaf Nyquist is not young either, and he’s slated to be a top six guy, too. So, it’s like I don’t know. But we’ll talk about the Jets later. Yeah. Yeah. And like sorry just like really quickly I think that’s that’s what that’s what gives me pause is like if we’re strictly looking like down the middle then you cannot argue that Colorado and Dallas are they have their one two three where like Winnipeg has their one and their four and the three and the two you might see them kind of bounce back and forth and that’s just not like productive, right? So that that’s what kind of I’m rooting for the the whole Jonathan Taves story. We all are obviously for sure. Um but it’s just who know you like you just can’t predict how that’s going to go. Yeah. I mean don’t know what Taves is coming. I mean he is what 36 I think. Yeah. He hasn’t played in what like two and a half years right? So or three or whatever it’s been. We’ll see. All right let’s uh go to our quickfire round. And these are all just quick quick questions um quick answers u one or two sentences for these. So we’ll start with the biggest storyline or question mark going into this season. Now what is it for the stars? I mean if this includes the playoffs, it’s obviously can they get past the conference final for the love of God. Like right like if we’re talking big big picture it’s conference final. Can they finally get past there and get to the Stanley Cup? Uh, to me it’s it to me it would be like the coaching staff. Like to me I think Pete Dbor has got this team as far as he can. Can this coaching staff is there going to be a learning curve? There will be one, but will there be a learning curve that is visible? like will we see the learning curve in the standings throughout the season, right? Um that to me is just a big storyline. Obviously ranting in um is going to be one as well, but to me that’s the hot topic right now in Dallas is this coaching staff. Um so so yeah, that would be it. And I I would put who who else in that top six? You have Ranton, you have Robertson. Who else on that wing? Will it be Maverick Bork? Um that. So that’s kind of like the depth in the top six was kind of the after, but the coaching staff for me would be the biggest story line. Yeah, I agree. I see how they kind of work because I mean the thing is it’s not just a new head coach. you’ve got a new new assistant in there, too. But for the most part, it’s similar. It’s uh yeah, when there’s a new voice there, it’s interesting to see what kind of changes happen systemwise, too. Um to see if what type of team is it’s going to be is going to be a similar one than last season or not. All right. Um breakout stars. I I mean it’s funny how when we’re talking about the stars, breakout stars, but yeah, what do you got for someone’s breaking out this season? Um yeah, I mean I’ve already said it a couple times. I’m really looking at the Maverick Bourc. He is somebody on that right side. Um and you can kind of bounce him back and forth, but he’s somebody that I am really looking at. Um very good player. last season. Um, my apologies, just really quickly pulling this up. Um, Maverick Bork last season, 11 goals, 14 assists, 25 points plus six. The majority of those points, if you watched any of the playoff preview rounds, my like catchphrases from January 1, because literally these teams were this was a different team from the 2024 switching to 25 and most of those points from Maverick Bour came in 2025. I just think Logan Stanco is gone now and this is now his spot for the taking. Yeah. And there’s still just something left to be desired. He’s young, technically rookie last season. Um, right now in this top six, Robertson, hints, Rantin, Duchain, Sean, you have Johnston who is a centerman. You can put him on the wing if you have to, but they prefer not to do that. Those are your five. There’s a spot up there waiting. And I I really think it would like do well for Maverick Bourke to take that, to run with it. You have Colin Blackwell who has proven that he can play. That guy is sneaky good player, man. I I I don’t know how many people like general fans would even know who this guy is, but he he can bounce back and forth between the top six like and the bottom six. So, for me, breakout star, I’m looking at Maverick Bork, man. Now is your time to shine. If we’re talking defensively, there’s only real one option. I guess technically, too. Liam Bishell, um, he really broke out last year. He basically was back and forth between the AHL, the NHL. He’s not going anywhere this year. He is here now. Um, like we said, it’s time for L for Nils Lungquist. It’s time for him to break out. Um, so basically back to the conversation we had earlier, those are the two guys, man. Other than that, this roster basically has the proper guys in their places. It it’s those two guys that need to decide where they want to be. Yeah, for sure. And they probably fall into a later category, too. For sure. All right. Uh, other side. Um, bounceback players. Uh, who needs to bounce back uh from last season? bounce back from last season. Um, I mean, Jason Robertson needs to put a full 82 together. Yeah, I think it’s hard to say bounceback year. If you look at his points and you look at his totals and you say bounceback, what do you mean? He was literally a no-show for pretty much the first three months of the season. And once again, January 1st, uh, it’s like a like drinking game with me. Like have a shot ready every time I say January 1st. Um, but he needs to put that full 82 together. And if you look at Jason Robertson, I he should be in that conversation for top five winger in the National Hockey League. Yeah. But it’s these zones of invisibility that he just has like he does this every year where it’s like three, four weeks. Last year was two, three months where the guy just disappears and he he really needs for that not to happen um this time around. um that that’s really if we’re saying bounce back um again you look at the end of the year terrific stats you know high numbers um but like Jason Robertson and again forgive me I’m just pulling this back up here real quickly um he had 80 points this past season 80 points the year before that 109 point season in 22 23. That’s the Robertson that we’re looking at. And once again, 80 points two years in a row, not too shabby, but we all know this guy is way more than that. He can be more than that. And so if he can put a full six month season together, um I think that I I think that’s what we’re looking for here. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I think Robertson like first half of the season was like well not half but yeah till January he wasn’t that good at all but then after January yeah he was he was the star that everyone hopes and wants uh on the stars so we’ll see if he can do that this season. All right. Uh let’s move to potential X factors. Uh this could be a situation player anything where you ever want to go with this. Um what do you got? Yeah, I I potential X factor. I would say um man, there’s a diff a couple different places you could go. I I would say the power play. And my reasoning for that is the penalty kill just year over year over year is top three. It’s like chopped up top three. That’s what’s happening. Um the the the coaching staff that takes care of the penalty kill is returning. It’s been the same staff for a while now. Um but as we said that power play unit at the first half of the year cost this team some wins and cost this team some points uh specifically in the first three months of the season. Now again, it it it feels weird saying stuff like this when they have 106 points and you know, and they have home ice uh in the first round of the playoffs. Like it’s like, well, if their power play just picked it up, they would have been, you know, it cost them points. But that’s the truth of it. Um and so that’s for me, man. If if this power play with like the new coach, the the boy wonder who the savant of Conor McDavid and and Leon Dryidle. Um that to me is a big X factor. And the other one is like we talked about before, Jake Oinger has been a um he has been like we said in our opinions a top five goalie for a while now. I maybe I’m thinking about this too hard, Maddie, but this Olympic thing I I really think this has got a burr under his saddle. I think is the how the saying goes. like I that I I really feel like that whole situation is just going to push him to another level. I I I I don’t know why this is no calculated educated theory. I I just feel like he’s just hearing Hell Buck’s name a lot and it’s driving him crazy and I just So Jakeer is not an Xfactor. We all know he’s gonna be great, but that situation, I just feel like there’s this potential for him just to take that next kind of level that we haven’t seen from him before, which is crazy to say because he’s just one of the best goalies in the league year after year. So, understand me, Jake in itself, not a next factor, but the situation surrounding him, I think there’s something brewing for him to have a big season. Yeah, I I agree on both. on both of them because I mean power play, yeah, they were great team and stuff like that, but you could push push yourself over the top with a a better power play. Um, for sure. So, yeah, those two definitely X factors. All right, let’s uh shift to the prospects. And I mean, the stars, they don’t have a ton of high-end guys that are going to enter the lineup this season. I mean, Liam Bisho was probably the guy. Um, but now he’s in he’s probably a full-time NHLer this season like you said. So, what other prospects should everyone be watching uh outside the system uh this season? Yeah. So, I mean, the real one to keep an eye on, the obvious one, and it’s hard to really call him a prospect just because um he he’s not technically a prospect, but Petravic just keeps on being in the AHL and then he comes up into the NHL and he’s awesome, but he just doesn’t stay. And so, is he going to bounce back and forth? if you’re looking at um just um you know long term maybe watching some junior hockey stuff like that. Um Cameron Schmidt is the guy guy who I believe I apologize that’s his first Yeah. Cameron Schmidt. He was that one player who in the draft, this past draft, everybody said first round talent, but he was picked in round three, right? That was kind of the thing that everybody kind of talked about. This guy won’t see the NHL. He won’t be around. I don’t, like you said, I don’t think they have too many guys that were like recently drafted or prospects who will really be making like this team. Like we just said, every player is in their place with this team. I don’t see any rookies really breaking through. But if you want to watch some junior hockey, some Dallas Stars talent, hey, what do we got? This kid, Cameron Schmidt, by all accounts, he is the guy to keep your eye on. It was his size. His his size kept him back. He’s the That’s the reason why he was drafted in round three last year with the Vancouver Giants. Your neck of the woods. 40 goals, 78 points in 61 games. Uh 1.28 points per game. Um he’s the prospect to keep an eye on. He won’t be playing with the big leagues probably for the next couple years. Um, but but that’s the player that everyone’s like kind of talking about when it comes to the future of the Dallas Stars. Oh, I love Cameron Schmidt. So, I’m glad you brought him up. He’s one of one of my favorite prospects. I wrote his prospect profile. Um, so yeah, he’s again undersized but super talented. So, um, definitely going to be watching him throughout the season here in Vancouver because he plays for the Giants. So, there you go. Yes, sir. All right. Uh, this could be an easy one, although there is a new player that’s going to be in this conversation. Uh, who’s leading the team in scoring at forwards and defense? Okay, scoring. Is that goals or points? I know. I should split it. So, you can go who leads the team in goals and who leads the team in points. All right. I think that Jason Robertson bounces back. The one thing that we have not said just to be fair to Jason Robertson were ripping on the first half of his year last year. He had a procedure on his foot last summer. Took him a long time to kind of get the ball rolling. I am expecting again did not make it to the foreign nations team. Talked about how hard that was for him and so hey the Olympics are coming. Let’s see what that does for him. Um, similar to the Jay conversation, I think Jason Robertson regains his 40 goal plus form. I think that he leads the team in goals. Miko Rantin. Lots of people saying, “Oh, Nathan McKinnon. I think this guy leads the stars in points this year, especially if he’s on that line with Robertson and hints and he’s on the power play. Um, I just don’t see a world where Rantin’s not leading the team in points. I just don’t see it.” Now, um, on defense, it historically like Mero has to be the guy like that. He has to be the guy. A big reason for that was that this guy would play the majority of the power play time and Thomas Harley got none of it. Yeah, if you were maybe uh I’ll you know what? I’ll say Miro and I will save what I’m about to say for another topic. But let’s say Mero. Um because that just historically but watch out for Thomas Harley, man. That guy’s coming. There we go. Well, the final one, and this is where it’s probably going to come up, is that the last part of the show are bold predictions and hot takes. So, what do you got for a bold prediction? I mean, now that I think about it, I thought that I had something spicy cooking up here. Maybe it’s not that bold. I But I think Thomas Harley takes that next step. And I’ll say he leads all defenseman in points. And I think he leads the team in, and this is maybe this is a bold one, leads the team in helpers, assists. M maybe that’s a bold one. I think that he because I do think he’s going to get a lot more play uh power play time uh than he has had. Um and so yeah, for me, I just I don’t know, Matt, maybe I’m not that creative. But I just think that this team has been has been a very dominant regular season team for so long and they just can’t get past the conference finals. So what what left hot is there to say? Like thing to say is that this team is missing the playoffs and they’re going to draft in the top five. You know what I mean? I don’t really know where else to go with it. I really like Thomas Harley. If he gets more power play time, I like him to take that next step. Um, and how about this for a hot take? They have been the most hit team and the team with the least amount of hits for the last two years. Now, adding Faxa, adding Bastion and Glenn Gooson talking about we need to be tougher and harder to play against, the Dallas Stars will be in the top five for hits, which nobody else will care about that except for Dallas Stars fans. they’ll be like, “Finally.” Um, and Liam Bishell back there, too. So, but yeah, man. I I’m I can’t wait to see Thomas Harley, man. Like, what what this guy does because now that the world knows about him, it’s going to be fun to watch. 100%. I I think he really came out last season and definitely a top defenseman in the league now. It took a little time uh for him to get to that point, but definitely a guy to watch. All right. Well, thanks Mark for coming on and talking Dallas Stars. Lots of I mean it gonna be a fun team to watch. Again, it’ll be an interesting thing to see what type of system Glen Gutson puts in or what changes he makes. But, uh, yeah, it’s going to be a fun season, but thanks for coming on. Make sure you’re checking out everything.com. We got tons of season preview coverage already on the site. Uh, lots of lots of articles, lots of stuff. also got the bunch of YouTube previews already out there. If you want to take a look at some other teams, you can take a look at that. But until our next one, uh we will see you next time.
Host Matthew Zator welcomes Dallas Stars writer Marc Sautter to the show to preview the upcoming 2025-26 season.
They go through everything from the new additions and burning questions/storylines surrounding the forwards, defense and goaltending to where the Stars stack up in the Central Division and expectations for new head coach Glen Gulutzan. They also highlight some potential breakout stars, players that need to bounce back from last season, prospects to watch, X factors, bold predictions, and more.
Check out Marc’s work – https://thehockeywriters.com/author/msautter/
And the rest of the Stars writers as they preview the season in written form – https://thehockeywriters.com/tag/stars-season-preview/
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