From strong defensive lines to major wins to brand-new young talent, there are many factors to success in a competitive race for the Stanley Cup. The Dallas Stars have all the key factors for a successful Cup run.
On Saturday, March 29, 2025, the Dallas Stars beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 in Seattle, earning them a seat in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
This season, the Dallas Stars have dominated the top half of the league standings and remain in the second-place spot of the Central Division. League-wise, the team ended their season fifth in the league with 106 points, just short of the 108 points held by the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to ESPN.
In the most recent games against the Colorado Avalanche, the Stars’ Defensemen have been essential players in the team’s major success. Young Defenseman Lian Bischel would average a total of 11:46 seconds on ice per game. This season, Bischel would make his way to the main roster after success with the Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, in previous years.
Another defenseman leading the pack is Thomas Harley This season, Harley would achieve 16 goals and assist another 34 goals.
Thomas Harley would be a key defensive player throughout the first round of playoffs, assisting in important moments such as the assist on the Mikko Rantanen goal on May 3, 2025 in game seven against the Colorado Avalanche. This would be Thomas Harley’s third successful year on the Dallas Stars playoff roster.
This season the Dallas Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen on a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes in which the stars traded right winger Logan Stankoven and various draft picks. The stars would sign Mikko Rantanen to a $96 million dollar contract, in return for eight years. This would be crucial as Rantanen would achieve a hat-trick against his former team in the final game of the first round, helping his team advance to the second round 4-2.
Center Wyatt Johnston would also shine during the first round, clinching his third game-seven goal in his third year of playoff hockey, at only 21 years old. The young man would hold a six-game goal streak and has a career record of eighty-seven goals total, according to NHL.com
Another young player in the spotlight for the team is Jason Robertson. At only 25 years old, the Left Winger has a total of 34 goals and has assisted another 45 goals this season alone.
Even after his injury in the first round of the playoffs, Jason Robertson is expected to return in the next round against the Winnipeg Jets, in a statement from head coach Pete DeBoer, according to ESPN.com
Along with the return of Jason Robertson is the long-awaited return of Miro Heiskanen. The defenseman would end his time with the Stars early this season after taking a collision with Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights back in January of this regular season.
With a competitive season, the Dallas Stars thrived in games against highly ranked and intense teams. In game seven of the first round of playoffs, the Avalanche would take 27 shots against goaltender Jake Oettinger, in which he would only allow a total of two goals the whole game.
Another example of this can also be seen in the Stars’ game against the Vegas Golden Knights on January 28, 2025. In this game, the Stars would stay neck and neck with the home team, tied 3-3 until overtime. In the 3-3 overtime, center Wyatt Johnston would get the goal with an assist from teammates Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell, according to ESPN.com.
This season, the Dallas Stars have incredible potential and chemistry throughout the team that is going to help the team achieve its goal of a Stanley Cup championship.
