Stars Chase Milestones and Redemption as a New Season Begins
Another Dallas Stars season begins on Friday.
The NHL season started Tuesday night with its first slate of games. More teams start as the week progresses in a long 84-game season.
The Stars are one of those teams looking to go all the way this year. Their prolonged drought extends one more season.
Although only a few teams reach deep into the playoffs, many celebrations happen along the way.
Several milestones are on the horizon, along with the possibility of several regular-season accomplishments.
The Stars’ offseason is almost over, so it’s time for hockey season again.
Milestones
Several Players are nearing career achievements. Most notably, Jamie Benn sits at 992 career points. He would be the 104th player in NHL history to achieve that milestone. This will happen this month, all with one team. Jason Robertson is about to reach his 500th career point, sitting at 490.
He may reach the 500 mark by the 6th game. Several other players are approaching other milestones as well. Mikko Rantanen will play his 100th game for the Stars. Other moments come in the regular season too.
Regular Season
The Stars are looking for a bounce-back this year. The Stars recorded 112 points last year, marking four straight 100-point seasons. Why not go for five in a row? Teams that score 100 points in a season can usually call that year a success. Preseasons mean nothing, but they went a perfect 4-0 during theirs. The Central Division is incredibly competitive every year. This year will not differ. The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild join the Stars in setting sights on a division crown.
Lifting another banner at the American Airlines Center is a welcome addition to the boxes they pack. Individual accomplishment is also a focal point.
Last season, Jason Robertson led the Stars with 96 points. Their potent offense can bring some point producers. No Stars player has ever won the league MVP award. That is a tough one with other great talent in the league. Other individual awards are up for grabs too. Some regular-season accolades are an excellent addition to the franchise scorecard, but everyone is looking forward to the playoffs.
Playoffs
16 teams enter a gauntlet of champions every year. Eight of those teams are knocked out in 4-7 games. The Stars were one of those teams next season. Their Stanley Cup drought hits 28 years this season. They’ve competed in the Stanley Cup Final twice since then, in 2000 and 2020. An appearance in the Stanley Cup Final is a major accolade the Stars should aim for. Last year’s first-round exit dampened the mood during an unusually long offseason. They needed that one last season after three consecutive Western Conference Final exits.
Now the Stars are in a decade of dominance that hasn’t produced the results they wanted. Four Western Conference Final appearances, two first-round exits, and a Stanley Cup Final loss have fans wanting more. It’s time for this decade of effort to pay off.
Hockey is finally here with five games Tuesday night. The Stars will join more teams starting their season on Friday night.
The Stars have high hopes this season, looking to return to the Western Conference Final at the minimum. This season is longer than normal, with their first game of 84 coming Friday night.
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