The Dallas Stars open the season against the visiting St. Louis Blues on Friday night after a longer summer than in recent years.
The Stars were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in six games in April. They had reached the Western Conference finals in each of the previous three seasons.
“We got some rest, maybe more time to prepare for this year and get our bodies right,” captain Jamie Benn said. “Three years before, we had some good runs. Not good enough, so it was nice to get some rest and take advantage of that extra time.”
The Stars return one of the league’s deepest groups of skilled forwards, including left winger Jason Robertson, right winger Mikko Rantanen and centers Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz. Center Tyler Seguin is back after a torn ACL last December ended his 2025-26 season.
Robertson, who led the team with 45 goals and 96 points in 82 games last season, signed a one-year deal worth $12 million. He is eligible to sign a long-term contract with Dallas on Jan. 1, 2027.
“I’ve built a great career out here, and obviously throughout the summer you see where the league is going, see what happens and everything,” Robertson said. “I’m happy to be playing with them starting in September and we’ll see where it goes.”
After missing 25 games with injuries in 2025-26, Matt Duchene begins the season on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Forwards Colin Blackwell and Arttu Hyry were recalled from AHL affiliate Texas.
The defense is in more than capable hands, led by Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, Esa Lindell and Tyler Myers.
Jake Oettinger is one of the game’s top goalies, backed up by Casey DeSmith, who recently signed a two-year contract extension worth $5 million.
Glen Gulutzan returns for his second campaign as the Stars’ coach.
The Blues, who missed the playoffs for the third time in four campaigns last season, will begin a new era with first-year general manager Alexander Steen. He succeeds Doug Armstrong, who is now the team’s president of hockey operations.
“When I look at successful hockey teams, they compete all over the ice in all three zones. Five guys attack, five guys defend and it goes quick,” said Steen, who was a member of St. Louis’ 2019 Stanley Cup winner. “You play with pace, execution at a high level. What I do think is one of the more important elements to a team is conditioning, both physical conditioning and mental conditioning got to have that engine.”
Jim Montgomery remains the Blues’ coach.
There are also new faces on the ice, including centers Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael and defenseman Brandon Carlo, all acquired via trades.
After Jordan Kyrou was traded to the Washington Capitals for McMichael, the other top forwards are center Robert Thomas, left wing Dylan Holloway, right wing Jimmy Snuggerud and left wing Pavel Buchnevich.
The defense corps is led by Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler and Philip Broberg. Defensemen Tyler Tucker (arthroscopic knee surgery) and Logan Mailloux (hand surgery) begin the season on IR.
St. Louis claimed defenseman Justin Barron from the Nashville Predators and recalled defenseman Adam Jiricek from AHL Springfield.
Jordan Binnington remains the primary goaltender, with Joel Hofer as his backup.
