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Stargazing, A Dallas Stars Puckcast – Episode 282: Round 1, Game 1 Reactions

Death, taxes, and a Stars Game 1 loss: Wes and Mark have a few thoughts about what went down.

Defending Big D's Stargazing podcast logo, featuring a Dallas Stars Victory Green cassette tape with tearaway jersey texture and nets over the sprocket holes, designed by Jason Lara
Logo design: Jason Lara | @NHLMaps

The Dallas Stars are really dependable about losing Game 1. The good news has always been that it isn’t necessarily predictive, until it is.

Wes and Mark took a few hours to process the good and the bad in the Victory Green Gang’s 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. What they found was some surprisingly good news about structure and puck luck, and one or two shrieking warning sirens (fourth line, looking at you.)

It’s time for Stargazing After Dark. Please do not bring your “Esa Lindell and Cody Ceci are a shutdown pair” statements here.

Need to vent? Let us know in the comments. We’ll almost certainly bring it up in the next cast.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. You are our champions. Thanks.

A fair number of Dallas Stars enjoyers have perceived that fan fave Thomas Harley has been doing more, but with less to show for it, since the 2025-26 NHL season began. Is this a problem with his defensive partners? The lingering effects of his injury in November, and the missed games that resulted? The predictable struggles of a still very young blueliner? Something more concerning? Or less? …If only there were some way of measuring it all. You know, with math and stuff. In this episode of Stargazing, Mark sat down for an incredibly specific Stars conversation with Puck Over The Glass founder (and friend of DBD) Aaron Knodell. With Aaron's recent article on Harley's output as a jumping-off point, they take a deep dive into the Stars' defense — the pairings, the performances, the effects of Glen Gulutzan's new system, and so much more. You don't play like an elite NHL defender for two years and just forget how, do you? We’re Stargazing, and we're beginning to think not. Are you looking for Team Canada Thomas Harley in Milano-Cortina? And while we're talking about it, who you got for the men's and women's Olympic hockey hardware? Let’s talk about it at Defending Big D. (And put your picks up now. You don't get to come in on February 23 and say you went 14-0 in the medal rounds.) And please, give us a rate, review, or share wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Stargazing. We love you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
  1. Harley Kick
  2. Everything/Nothing
  3. Incremental
  4. Know Your Limits
  5. Built This Way, Part 2

Talking Points