Stargazing, A Dallas Stars Puckcast – Episode 268: October Surprises

With the first month behind them, the Stars are moving into position for a long run. Wes and Mark survey the territory.

October is over for the Dallas Stars. They’re sitting comfortably near the Central Division’s top spot. They have an appointment on the world stage with the 2024 Stanley Cup champions. And this may not even be as good as it gets this season. So…what’s wrong with this picture?

As we wait with bated breath for the NHL Global Series, Wes and Mark took a close look at how the Stars started the season – and whether their hot start is sustainable. In this episode, they discuss:

• how luck has factored into the Stars’ power-play resurgence,
• the one positional lack that hampers the first unit,
• what stickwork will do for Mavrik Bourque’s ability to stick his landing in the NHL,
• the right way to think about Oskar Bäck’s skill set,
• why the fourth line has become a difference-maker,
• the issue with the faceoff percentage, and why time may be the only thing to fix it,
• how the Central Division is putting the #MurderDeathKill back into the all-important competition for playoff spaces,
• and so very much more.

Will the Dallas Stars and the Florida Panthers bring the Thunderdome to Tampere? Get your Auntie Entity GIFs ready, just in case. We’re Stargazing, and we’re brought to you by BetOnline.

What’s your take on the Stars’ season so far? Tell us in the comments, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts on the short app. (We’re only there for you. Don’t leave us hanging.)

And please give us a rate, review or share wherever you listen. It’ll be the best Halloween treat ever. We love you all.

Round 2 Weekend Update – Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D

It sometimes seems as if the Dallas Stars are only permitted to have one player get hot at a time. But do you need Mikko Rantanen to score a hat trick every game when Mikael Granlund can go off in his stead? A lot has happened in the past five days, and Wes and Mark want to talk about all of it. In this edition of Stargazing, they examine the advantages of having two No. 1 defensemen, compare and contrast the return trajectories of Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen, and discuss the importance of playing within your structure – and what happens when an opposing team forces you out of it. When is a playoff penalty not a playoff penalty? And does it matter? Here at Stargazing, we ask the hard questions. (You're welcome.) Can the Stars close out Round 2 in Game 5, in enemy territory, against a Winnipeg Jets team that will throw everything that got them the 2025 President's Trophy onto the ice? Let's talk about at Defending Big D. And thanks in advance for your rate, review or share. We love you.

1. Round 2 Weekend Update 23:02
2. Round 2, Game 1 Reactions 22:51
3. Stars vs. Jets: Round 2 Preview 24:35
4. Round 1 Wrap-Up 30:40
5. Round 1, Game 6 Reactions 20:49