I will likely have more to say once the sting wears off a bit, but for now, lots of stick taps for taking us along on this journey this year Robert. Really enjoy this corner of the Stars’ universe.
A long summer is indeed forthcoming. A very unsatisfactory way to end the season based on previous years’ success.
Just curious, but how do our numbers this season stack up compared to last seasons, specifically with offense? I’m sure injuries played a part, but the puck movement and possession seemed like it really regressed this season.
Plenty of time in the coming days to discuss personnel, but I would certainly support continuing to move forward with this core group (including Robo).
Better health (Miko, Nils, Roope, Seguin), more maturation (Wyatt, Borque, Bischel, Hryckowian), and retooling the bottom half of the roster to better complement the top half could make the difference.
Harley’s season is cause for concern, but hopefully the coaching staff can figure out how to better use him.
We should also keep in mind how the Stars have some free cap space next offseason to add a few decent players.
Great season! Appreciate your guiding us thru it! Lots to like about this team for next year… and some real disappointments and questions about if we’d be better moving a few guys… time for Nill to shuffle some of his pieces, imo. But SIGN ROBO!!!
I am not as down on this team as you might think. But am I now allowed to say that we should have been concerned about the Hintz injury? Take this same team, but with Hintz, Seguin, and Lundqvist in the lineup, and I suspect that the result might have been different. Maybe. It's not a crazy thought. This team has had to play with too many fourth line forwards in the lineup and playing on second and third forward lines. Even strength scoring was a problem? This might be why. Same problem with third pair and 7th defensemen getting way too much ice time.
I really don't think that Oettinger is the problem. I will say that his 2025-26 season was not quite as good as his previous three seasons and neither was his playoff performance, but it wasn't why this team lost to the Wild. Wellstedt played out of his mind, though. Or maybe the Stars were just so bad at finishing that he only seemed to be playing out of his mind.
One thing to consider: the Stars have played a lot of hockey the last three seasons, and their best players also played a lot of compressed hockey games this season with the Olympics. The energy just wasn't there at times. And I guess we will find out in a few days if Mikko and Miro were not quite 100% after missing significant time for injuries.
Speaking of teams who have played a lot of hockey in recent years, the Oilers are about to be eliminated by the Ducks. It isn't just the Stars.
I hope that everyone now appreciates fully just how good Jason Robertson is in all three zones. He does a whole lot more than just score goals. They need to pay him whatever it takes to keep him here. If they have to make cuts or trades elsewhere, so be it. But I wouldn't be looking to tear up the team or anything like that. Their core is still good enough to be Cup competitors for a few more years at least.
When I think of the Wild-Avs matchup, my only thought is that this is what hell must be like.
I've said plenty but this time it's definitive. I'm done spending my time, money and energy on this team. I canceled my season tickets already because I don't believe in them anymore. From Jim Nill, to the coaches to the players: it's been a failure the past 2 decades. Having a good regular-season team doesn't matter. Getting into the playoffs doesn't matter. Breaking franchise records doesn't matter. None of it matters if you don't win a Championship. DFW sports has been just a wash for a long time, and the Stars aren't making it better. For people saying "enjoy the ride" or "it's part of the fun", no. Winning IS the fun. All that should matter for a professional sports team IS WINNING. If Benn is still the captain next season then it's pretty clear Nill and the Stars dont care about winning, only about money
What would you have done being Jim Nill? Give us YOUR solution to what you see as not winning enough. Easy to say, ‘I’m out.’ Some of us have been in since 1993.
While I respect the passion I can’t agree with your take. If winning was everything, 95% of life would be meaningless. My Stars fandom is about the journey as much as (or more during the Dark Ages of receivership) than the wins and losses. Thanks to the storytelling of Robert (and others) I get to know the players, coaches, and management in a way that makes them real people. For me, that’s the experience that makes all the lows worthwhile and all the highs even more rewarding. Just my $.02.
Honestly, not feeling too disappointed as this season seemed like smoke & mirrors seemingly from day 1. (Although TNT just showed Jake with a whopping 842 save %, yikes). Not all on Jake by any means, but yikes. Long summer to analyze so for now... Thanks Robert for all you've been doing for us subscribers!!!!!
To answer your question- I hope Scott Wedgewood makes quick work of the Wild, and then the Avs go down (to the Ducks, maybe??) Anything can happen, I guess.
I loved all of your coverage this season, Robert. I am not excited for the Discourse this summer will bring, but will read your takes on it all, anyway. Let's skip right to training camp!
Thanks for another season, Robert! As a fan based primarily across the pond in the UK, this blog and the community comments has taught me a lot over the first two years of my Stars/Hockey fandom journey.
Definitely a sting to this series, but can’t say that Minnesota didn’t deserve it.. might be naive based on my limited experience, but to me it seems like we’ve played best this season with heavier forecheck, and when we try not to be too smart looking for that one or two extra passes. Would have liked to see more pucks go at the net, rather than trying to recreate PP style goals at 5-on-5.
In my humble opinion, Stars did not advance due to …..
1. Wild are a good team and played an excellent stifling system (forecheck, man on man D zone) against the stars.
2. Stars inability to score 5 on 5, combined with lack of secondary scoring.
3. Injuries, of course.
4. (Unpopular and sore point with media and Robert)- Otters propensity to let in soft goals. Jake can play great for games and periods, but in my opinion, he is not a top tier goalie. Jake has the pedigree and reputation - but the metrics, over the last several years do not support this. Stars should have gone with ‘the hot hand’ going into the playoffs (like so many other top contenders). So hate me if you want - Jake is overrated.
5. Face offs - key losses, in the D zone and during PK’s, really hurt. During the regular season, Stars were very strong in face offs.
The Stars are still a very strong team and have a bright future ahead of them.
I will likely have more to say once the sting wears off a bit, but for now, lots of stick taps for taking us along on this journey this year Robert. Really enjoy this corner of the Stars’ universe.
Hear, hear. What he said.
Bichsel played the final shift of the game
Good catch!
A long summer is indeed forthcoming. A very unsatisfactory way to end the season based on previous years’ success.
Just curious, but how do our numbers this season stack up compared to last seasons, specifically with offense? I’m sure injuries played a part, but the puck movement and possession seemed like it really regressed this season.
Plenty of time in the coming days to discuss personnel, but I would certainly support continuing to move forward with this core group (including Robo).
Better health (Miko, Nils, Roope, Seguin), more maturation (Wyatt, Borque, Bischel, Hryckowian), and retooling the bottom half of the roster to better complement the top half could make the difference.
Harley’s season is cause for concern, but hopefully the coaching staff can figure out how to better use him.
We should also keep in mind how the Stars have some free cap space next offseason to add a few decent players.
Great season! Appreciate your guiding us thru it! Lots to like about this team for next year… and some real disappointments and questions about if we’d be better moving a few guys… time for Nill to shuffle some of his pieces, imo. But SIGN ROBO!!!
I am not as down on this team as you might think. But am I now allowed to say that we should have been concerned about the Hintz injury? Take this same team, but with Hintz, Seguin, and Lundqvist in the lineup, and I suspect that the result might have been different. Maybe. It's not a crazy thought. This team has had to play with too many fourth line forwards in the lineup and playing on second and third forward lines. Even strength scoring was a problem? This might be why. Same problem with third pair and 7th defensemen getting way too much ice time.
I really don't think that Oettinger is the problem. I will say that his 2025-26 season was not quite as good as his previous three seasons and neither was his playoff performance, but it wasn't why this team lost to the Wild. Wellstedt played out of his mind, though. Or maybe the Stars were just so bad at finishing that he only seemed to be playing out of his mind.
One thing to consider: the Stars have played a lot of hockey the last three seasons, and their best players also played a lot of compressed hockey games this season with the Olympics. The energy just wasn't there at times. And I guess we will find out in a few days if Mikko and Miro were not quite 100% after missing significant time for injuries.
Speaking of teams who have played a lot of hockey in recent years, the Oilers are about to be eliminated by the Ducks. It isn't just the Stars.
I hope that everyone now appreciates fully just how good Jason Robertson is in all three zones. He does a whole lot more than just score goals. They need to pay him whatever it takes to keep him here. If they have to make cuts or trades elsewhere, so be it. But I wouldn't be looking to tear up the team or anything like that. Their core is still good enough to be Cup competitors for a few more years at least.
When I think of the Wild-Avs matchup, my only thought is that this is what hell must be like.
Good stuff. I, too, wonder about Rantanen's health/injury situation.
I've said plenty but this time it's definitive. I'm done spending my time, money and energy on this team. I canceled my season tickets already because I don't believe in them anymore. From Jim Nill, to the coaches to the players: it's been a failure the past 2 decades. Having a good regular-season team doesn't matter. Getting into the playoffs doesn't matter. Breaking franchise records doesn't matter. None of it matters if you don't win a Championship. DFW sports has been just a wash for a long time, and the Stars aren't making it better. For people saying "enjoy the ride" or "it's part of the fun", no. Winning IS the fun. All that should matter for a professional sports team IS WINNING. If Benn is still the captain next season then it's pretty clear Nill and the Stars dont care about winning, only about money
You do realize that 31 other teams fail to win the Championship and about 90% of other NHL teams would gladly trade positions with the Stars, right?
Heard that before, and that’s the type of thinking that has gotten this team nowhere. None of it matters besides winning. None of it
I don’t think anyone disputes its championship or bust for the Stars. No one should be happy about the results this season.
But to throw the towel in on this current Stars core in the middle of their run seems shortsighted.
Mavs 2011 demonstrated the need to be patient. Furthermore I’d argue their championship was even sweeter based on the journey it took to get there.
What would you have done being Jim Nill? Give us YOUR solution to what you see as not winning enough. Easy to say, ‘I’m out.’ Some of us have been in since 1993.
While I respect the passion I can’t agree with your take. If winning was everything, 95% of life would be meaningless. My Stars fandom is about the journey as much as (or more during the Dark Ages of receivership) than the wins and losses. Thanks to the storytelling of Robert (and others) I get to know the players, coaches, and management in a way that makes them real people. For me, that’s the experience that makes all the lows worthwhile and all the highs even more rewarding. Just my $.02.
Honestly, not feeling too disappointed as this season seemed like smoke & mirrors seemingly from day 1. (Although TNT just showed Jake with a whopping 842 save %, yikes). Not all on Jake by any means, but yikes. Long summer to analyze so for now... Thanks Robert for all you've been doing for us subscribers!!!!!
Better team won. Hard to find any Stats you can say outplayed their counterpart. Very disappointing performance.
To answer your question- I hope Scott Wedgewood makes quick work of the Wild, and then the Avs go down (to the Ducks, maybe??) Anything can happen, I guess.
I loved all of your coverage this season, Robert. I am not excited for the Discourse this summer will bring, but will read your takes on it all, anyway. Let's skip right to training camp!
Thanks for another season, Robert! As a fan based primarily across the pond in the UK, this blog and the community comments has taught me a lot over the first two years of my Stars/Hockey fandom journey.
Definitely a sting to this series, but can’t say that Minnesota didn’t deserve it.. might be naive based on my limited experience, but to me it seems like we’ve played best this season with heavier forecheck, and when we try not to be too smart looking for that one or two extra passes. Would have liked to see more pucks go at the net, rather than trying to recreate PP style goals at 5-on-5.
Looking forward to September already.
Cheers, Jack. I'm always glad to help folks across the pond feel a bit more connected to the team.
And I think you're into something on the power play approach at five-on-five.
In my humble opinion, Stars did not advance due to …..
1. Wild are a good team and played an excellent stifling system (forecheck, man on man D zone) against the stars.
2. Stars inability to score 5 on 5, combined with lack of secondary scoring.
3. Injuries, of course.
4. (Unpopular and sore point with media and Robert)- Otters propensity to let in soft goals. Jake can play great for games and periods, but in my opinion, he is not a top tier goalie. Jake has the pedigree and reputation - but the metrics, over the last several years do not support this. Stars should have gone with ‘the hot hand’ going into the playoffs (like so many other top contenders). So hate me if you want - Jake is overrated.
5. Face offs - key losses, in the D zone and during PK’s, really hurt. During the regular season, Stars were very strong in face offs.
The Stars are still a very strong team and have a bright future ahead of them.
Thanks for all of your writing!
Wish I was reading a different recap this morning but that’s how it goes sometimes.
Looking forward to what the future brings!
Thanks Robert. Just now reading you and David…on Sunday afternoon.
Dammit.