NHL.com is providing an in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Today, the Dallas Stars.
The Dallas Stars are hoping to become a perennial Stanley Cup Playoff team and believe new coach Peter DeBoer can make it happen.
DeBoer was hired as coach on June 21, replacing Rick Bowness, who resigned on May 20 after the Stars were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Calgary Flames in seven games. Dallas missed the playoffs in 2020-21 after reaching the Cup Final the previous season.
“He’s had a lot of great success and I think he’s the right guy for our team at this time,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said on June 22. “Our team’s in a good spot, a little bit of a transition, but it’s a good transition. We have a great core of players and we have a great group of young players coming in.
“The organization’s in a good spot. The key was to find the right person to be able to bring this all together.”
[Stars 32 in 32: 3 Questions | Top prospects | Fantasy breakdown]
Since the 2011-12 season when he led the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup Final, DeBoer’s teams have made the playoffs seven times in his 10 full seasons, and he’s reached the Cup Final twice (also in 2016 with the San Jose Sharks).
The Stars were led by their top forward line of left wing Jason Robertsoncenter Roope Hintz and right wing Joe Pavelski last season. Pavelski led them with 81 points (27 goals, 54 assists) in 82 games, Robertson, who is a restricted free agent, was second with 79 points (41 goals, 38 assists) in 74 games, and Hintz was third with 72 points ( 37 goals, 35 assists) in 80 games. After that, however, there was a steep drop in production; forward Tyler Seguin was next with 49 points (24 goals, 25 assists) in 81 games.
“The challenge for us in Dallas is to become more than a one-line team, which is what I think a lot of people on the outside considered them last year,” DeBoer said.
The Stars, who averaged 2.84 goals per game last season (21st in the NHL), need more secondary scoring and will look to veterans such as Seguin and forwards. Jamie Bennwho had 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists) in 82 games.
Dallas signed forward Mason Marchment to a four-year contract on July 13 with hopes he can give the offense a boost. He had an NHL career-high 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 54 games with the Florida Panthers last season.
“Mason checked a lot of boxes in terms of what we felt our needs were up front as a group,” Stars assistant GM Scott White said July 13. “He’s big (6-foot-4, 209 pounds), he can skate, he produced on a good team, and a lot of 5-on-5 time as well in his production. We think there’s plenty of ceiling there, he’s kind of a late bloomer. He had a great year, and it was a competitive market. for him. We feel we’ve upgraded our group up front.”
Video: David Pagnotta on Mason’s March to the Stars
The biggest loss for the Stars was defenseman John Klingberg, who signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 29 as an unrestricted free agent. But with Miro Heiskanen Leading the way, the Stars feel good about their defensive depth. Heiskanen had 36 points (five goals, 31 assists) in 70 games and led them in ice time per game (24:53).
“The nice thing in Dallas is Heiskanen is a true No. 1 (defenseman),” DeBoer said. “You don’t get those guys unless you’re fortunate in the draft. That’s a great cornerstone with him and I’m excited about him finding another level, taking another step. That for me is where it starts.”
The Stars still need to sign a goalie Jake Oettinger, who is a restricted free agent. He was 30-15-1 with a 2.53 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and one shutout in 48 games (46 starts) last season. Oettinger had a 1.81 GAA and .954 save percentage in seven playoff starts.
Scott Wedgewood (3-1-3, 3.05 GAA, .913 save percentage, one shutout in eight games) and Anton Khudobin (3-4-1, 3.63 GAA, .879 in nine games), who is recovering from a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair he had on March 14, are expected to compete for the backup role.
Khudobin was the Stars’ No. 1 goalie when they reached the Cup Final in 2020.
“Hopefully [Khudobin] gets ready for camp and he’s on the ice for camp. That’s the goal,” White said on July 13. “I know he wants to be back, so we’re looking forward to that competition.”
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