Although the Pete DeBoer-coached squad wasn't the consensus pick to be the best of the West, the Stars finished the season on an impressive, scorching hot streak, winning 12 of its final 14 games. And by racking up 113 points, the Stars achieved its highest season total since the '98-’99 season, which if we may remind you, was when Dallas won its only Stanley Cup title.
Feeling good about the ol’ local hockey team, right? Being the Number 1 seed is a great sign no matter what, right? Right?
Don’t look now, but guess who ended up as the 8 seed and the Stars’ first-round opponent? The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, that’s who. That’s also the club that bounced Dallas out of last year’s playoffs. For those of you who are “glass half empty” sorts, this isn’t great news because last year’s embarrassment may still feel fresh. But for the rest of us who understand both teams now are very different from the ones that squared off last May, it’s really not that big a deal.
The playoffs are supposed to be a torturous gauntlet, especially the NHL playoffs. But the Stars have to feel good about ending the regular season with seven more wins and 15 more points than Vegas. The continued development of the young Dallas core, which is arguably the major reason for this year’s success, had barely begun to bloom last season. That’s not to suggest the series will be a cakewalk, but at the same time, it’s entirely reasonable to predict the Stars are set up for success.
Here’s what to know about the 2024 NHL playoffs for the Dallas Stars:
Can the Stars Win the Stanley Cup?
The short answer is a resounding yes. When the club made its last run to the Stanley Cup Final in the 2020 COVID “bubble season,” they snuck up on their opponents, winning as the underdog in most of their series. That will not be the case this year, however, not by a long shot. In fact, the FanDuel sportsbook has the Stars ranked as the third favorite to win it all this year, just behind the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes. Vegas isn’t too far behind in terms of the odds, interestingly enough, but still, the Stars sit at +800 and Vegas at +1,100, so the Stars are certainly the clear favorite in that matchup.
Even higher on the Stars than the oddsmakers is the NHL.com staff, which overwhelmingly predicts Dallas to move past Vegas in the first round. Of the 15 writers polled, seven pick Dallas to win the Stanley Cup, and a few others predict they’ll make it to the Finals, but ultimately lose.
The second best regular season in franchise history, only behind the 1998-1999 season. On to the playoffs. @7Eleven | #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/Vzbx3aofZc
— z - Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 18, 2024
Who Are the Dallas Stars Players To Watch?
None other than ESPN is pretty high on the talent assembled by Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill. In the network's playoff preview, writer Greg Wyshynski said, “The Dallas Stars are favored to win the conference, just slightly ahead of the Edmonton Oilers, and for good reason. If you closed your eyes and were asked to draw a championship roster, it would probably look something like the Stars.”The Stars have what seems to be a solid lineup from top to bottom, but postseason success for the club hinges on a few key players showing up with their A-games on full display. We’re not talking about goaltender Jake Oettinger. That goes without saying, since you’ll be hard-pressed to find a Cup champ that didn’t ride hot goalie play all the way to the title. Same goes for special teams play. Any team that doesn’t regularly score power play goals while also killing the power plays of their opponents will typically fail to make it far.
In that poll of NHL.com writers, defenseman Miro Heiskanen and veteran leader Joe Pavelski were each picked by two writers to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the playoff MVP. It’s difficult to say which of the two are more important to the team’s success, since one plays in the back on defense and the other is an up-front scoring threat. Let's just say both are worthy of watching closely and it’s tough to imagine the Stars going deep in the playoffs without both Heiskanen and Pavelski staying healthy and producing at a high level.
What is the Dallas Stars Playoff Schedule?
As the top seed, the Stars will enjoy home ice advantage throughout the Western Conference portion of the playoffs, beginning on Monday, April 22, at American Airlines Center.- Game 1: Vegas at Dallas, Monday, April 22, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 2: Vegas at Dallas, Wednesday, April 24, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 3: Dallas at Vegas, Saturday, April 27, 9:30 p.m.
- Game 4: Dallas at Vegas, Monday, April 29, TBD
- Game 5: Vegas at Dallas, Wednesday, May 1, TBD (if necessary)
- Game 6: Dallas at Vegas, Friday, May 3, TBD (if necessary)
- Game 7: Vegas at Dallas, Monday, May 5, TBD (if necessary)
