Dallas Stars Heading into New Campaign with High Hopes
After another disappointing playoff exit, the Dallas Stars are heading into a new campaign with high hopes. Glen Gulutzan will begin his second stint as the team’s head coach with players like Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Jake Oettinger leading the roster. Things will look a bit different as Dallas transitions from Pete DeBoer’s coaching style to Gulutzan’s. Could the head coaching change lead to Stanley Cup success?
Our Dallas Morning News experts — Stars insider Lia Assimakopoulos, columnist Tim Cowlishaw, and columnist Kevin Sherrington — offer up their Stars predictions for the 2025-26 season:
Regular Season Predictions
Sports Roundup
Lia Assimakopoulos’ Prediction
Stars finish fourth in Western Conference: The window is certainly still open for Dallas, but the Western Conference doesn’t get any easier, and the Stars didn’t get any deeper in the offseason. Barring another mind-boggling move by Jim Nill at the trade deadline, Dallas doesn’t have the scoring production it had last year after losing Mikael Granlund, Mason Marchment, and Evgenii Dadonov, who each contributed 20 goals last season. The Stars will hope Mikko Rantanen can be his playoff self in the regular season, and Jason Robertson is at his best in an Olympic and contract year. But with the compact schedule and an always-tough Central Division, the Stars don’t have it easy. Still, I expect them to be comfortably in a playoff spot, whether that means finishing second or third in the Central.
Tim Cowlishaw’s Prediction
Stars finish fifth in Western Conference: It’s no knock on this squad to suggest a third-place finish in the division and fifth in the West is possible. The Stars are dealing with a loaded conference again as Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vegas, and Colorado have not gone away, and Minnesota, Utah, St. Louis, and the LA Kings are not far behind. The team lost considerable forward depth after last season, and while their stars can carry them, it’s fair to anticipate a drop in regular-season points.
Kevin Sherrington’s Prediction
Stars finish third in Western Conference: In last year’s predictions, yours truly wrote that Pete DeBoer would have “no excuses” for not winning it all, and apparently someone took me seriously. Glen Gulutzan will bring a lighter touch, and we’ll see how that works out for a team with less scoring power. Feels like there will be a regression in the Central, but they should still make the playoffs.
Stanley Cup Playoffs Predictions
Lia Assimakopoulos’ Prediction
Stars lose in first round: The Stars have survived the first round by the skin of their teeth the last two seasons because their bench boss proved to be unbeatable in Game 7s. But the Game 7 guru is off scouting for Team Canada, and instead, the Stars are led by a coach who has never won a playoff series as a head coach. Firing Pete DeBoer was always a risk, and while those in and out of the organization say Glen Gulutzan is ready, it was always known that reaching the conference finals for a fourth straight year would be a huge challenge, as a team hasn’t done so in over two decades. No matter where the Stars finish in the regular-season standings, their first-round opponent will be a contender, and Dallas may not have the luck to survive once again.
Tim Cowlishaw’s Prediction
Stars lose in second round: After three straight trips to the conference finals, GM Jim Nill replaced Pete DeBoer with Glen Gulutzan. It’s a move that makes sense in different ways, but to expect a two-time head coach (Dallas and Calgary) with zero playoff wins to storm back into the conference finals is a bit much. Feels like the Jets are less likely to collapse again.
Kevin Sherrington’s Prediction
Stars lose in first round: It doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards for the Stars to reach the conference finals four years in a row with two different coaches and less offensive talent. But no other team in town has gone that far, that consistently, in at least 30 years. Jim Nill will win a Stanley Cup eventually, but, until then, here’s to the best organization in Dallas.
Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Conclusion
The Dallas Stars are heading into the 2025-26 season with high hopes and a new head coach. While the team has lost some key players, they still have a strong roster and a chance to make a deep run in the playoffs. However, the Western Conference is loaded with talented teams, and the Stars will face stiff competition. Our experts predict that the Stars will finish anywhere from third to fifth in the Western Conference and may struggle to make it past the first or second round of the playoffs. Only time will tell if the Stars can overcome the challenges and bring home a Stanley Cup championship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is the new head coach of the Dallas Stars?
A: Glen Gulutzan is the new head coach of the Dallas Stars, beginning his second stint with the team.
Q: What are the expectations for the Dallas Stars in the 2025-26 season?
A: The expectations for the Dallas Stars in the 2025-26 season are high, with the team hoping to make a deep run in the playoffs and potentially win a Stanley Cup championship.
Q: Who are some key players on the Dallas Stars roster?
A: Some key players on the Dallas Stars roster include Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, and Jake Oettinger.
Q: What are the predictions for the Dallas Stars in the regular season?
A: Our experts predict that the Stars will finish anywhere from third to fifth in the Western Conference, with some predicting they will finish second or third in the Central Division.
Q: What are the predictions for the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup playoffs?
A: Our experts predict that the Stars will lose in either the first or second round of the playoffs, with some predicting they will struggle to survive the first round.
