The Dallas Stars against the Winnipeg Jets is shaping up to be a series to remember. Both teams barely escaped the first round as they survived in seven games and now head into the second round looking like teams of destiny. The Jets were the best team in the NHL while the Stars were the second-best team in the Central Division, and the upcoming series looks to be a great one.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Jets’ Double Overtime Game 7 Win Over Blues
This series will come down to the elite players on both teams, at least that’s the assumption. Mikko Rantanen took over the first round against the Colorado Avalanche, and Kyle Connor was the best player for the Jets against the St. Louis Blues, scoring four goals while adding eight assists (nobody else on the team had seven points or more). However, there are a lot of underrated players who will define this series and allow their teams to come out on top.
Wyatt Johnston
It’s amazing how Wyatt Johnston is still one of the underrated and overlooked players in the game. He’s one of the best scorers in the NHL, and three seasons into his career, he has 89 goals and has proved he’s built for the playoffs as well. He scored 10 goals in the 2024 Playoff run and is already kicking off this playoff run strong.
Johnston had a great series against the Avalanche and was arguably the second-best skater for the Stars in the series. He had three goals and four assists while notably scoring the Game 7 game-winning goal to help the Stars win the game 4-2. It’s not the first time he’s scored in Game 7, as he found the back of the net against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2024 first round and scored in the 2023 second round against the Seattle Kraken. He has special scoring instincts, and they come alive in the biggest moments.
Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars celebrate a goal against the Colorado Avalanche in Game Five of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
This is a series where Johnston can be the best skater on the ice. If both goaltenders step up, goals will be hard to come by, and it will take an elite shot to make a difference. Johnston can find the back of the net a few times and pick apart the Jets’ defense, especially if he finds open looks in the offensive zone.
Cole Perfetti
Cole Perfetti was the clutch scorer in Game 7, scoring twice in the game, including the game-tying goal with just seconds left to force overtime (there’s a statue of his tip-in goal being constructed in Manitoba as we speak). Aside from the big game, he put together a great season with 18 goals and 32 assists, while he also stepped up in the entire series against the Blues, with three goals and two assists.
This matchup against the Stars is where Perfetti must shine again. There’s no telling if Mark Scheifele will be back, and if he is, if he’ll be back at full strength. Likewise, the Stars will do their best to take Connor and his shooting ability out of the series. Perfetti will find plenty of open looks, and he must take advantage.
Thomas Harley
When Miro Heiskanen went down with an injury, everyone assumed the Stars lacked an elite two-way defenseman who could carry them. That assumption was wrong as the Stars found a younger option who could do it all and lead them to the playoffs and past the Avalanche in the first round.
Thomas Harley was the anchor for the defense, scoring two goals while adding three assists, but most notably, leading the team with 28:09 ice time (overtime helped inflate that number a bit). Even if Heiskanen returns, Harley will be the defenseman carrying the workload for the Stars. He’s one of the young defensemen in the NHL that everyone is starting to take note of.
Neal Pionk
Neal Pionk put together a Game 7 for the ages, where he led the team with 46:15 ice time, and it’s why it felt fitting that he helped score the game-winning double overtime goal with his shot from the point deflecting into the net. Pionk is often overlooked on the defense, yet he’s been a key part of the unit all season, making an impact at both ends of the ice and helping turn the unit into a shutdown group.
The series against the Stars is where the Jets will lean on him again, especially if Josh Morrissey remains out of the lineup. Pionk will not just step up on the defensive end of the ice, he’ll be asked to help out the offense at the point. He scored a goal and added four assists against the Blues and might need to do the same if the Jets want to take control of the upcoming series.
Matt Duchene
Matt Duchene was the top forward for the Stars all season, with 30 goals and 52 assists. He’s 34 years old but playing his best hockey as he’s generating offense and finding the back of the net with great shots in the offensive zone. Despite his strong season, he was quiet in the first round, failing to find the back of the net and only adding three assists to the offense. Don’t expect that to happen again in this series.
Gabriel Vilardi
Like Duchene, Gabriel Vilardi was a pivotal part of the offense all season with 27 goals and 34 assists, yet he was a non-factor in the first round. He battled injuries and only played in three games while failing to record a point in the process. This is when the Jets need him to step up as his spark to the top six will swing the series in their favor.
Other Players to Watch
The goaltenders will decide this series, although that’s a given. On paper, it’s two of the best in the league as Jake Oettinger goes up against the presumed Hart Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck. That said, Hellebuyck struggled in the first round and nearly cost the Jets the series. If he struggles again, the Jets will be toast, but conversely, if he returns to form, he’ll lead them to the Western Conference Final.
Cody Ceci was acquired ahead of the trade deadline and has quietly been one of the best skaters on the Stars since joining the team. He’ll be a pivotal part of the defense in this series, along with Esa Lindell, who will round out the unit. The same is true for the Jets and their defense. Pionk is coming off a great series, but they need Dylan DeMelo and Dylan Samberg to step up as well to control this matchup.
Which under-the-radar skater do you think will take over this series? Let us know in the comments section below!
