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Stargazing, A Dallas Stars Puckcast – Episode 292: Western Conference Final Preview

The Stars are going to another Western Conference Final. How do they get beyond it? Wes and Mark talk it out.

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 and the Edmonton Oilers have won their way to the Western Conference Final by working each other’s side of the street. The Stars have gotten all-time performances from their superstars, while the Oil’s goaltending and depth scoring have come through for them in a big way.

So what does this tell us about the rematch we’ve all been waiting for? Wes and Mark worked After Dark to fashion a narrative for the Stars based on everything they had to do to beat the Colorado Avalanche and the Winnipeg Jets. And in this edition, they discuss the Connor McDavid game plan, the value of going east-west versus north-south, and why the best way for Dallas to win this series is to stay out of the penalty box.

I know what let’s do – let’s you guys get a ton of goals! We’re Stargazing, and we’re not afraid to state the obvious. And if you’re looking for that link to the True North Youth Foundation that Wes mentioned…well, look no further.

Ready to make those last-minute calls? Tell us about them in the comments, because you can’t just come in at the start of the Stanley Cup Final and tell us you went seven for seven in Round 3.

And please do us the honor of giving our little puckcast a rate, review or share. We live for your validation. Thanks in advance.

The Dallas Stars always knew they had a lot of work to get done in the 2026 NHL offseason. We fans always knew GM Jim Nill had a plan, and it surely involved re-signing both Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque. So do we panic now that Plan A is dusted? Or is a Jim Nill Plan B good enough to keep the Stars rolling? In this episode of Stargazing, Wes and Mark discuss the battle to keep Robo (and who has a legitimate chance of taking him away), Jamie Benn's new deal, a show-me season for Thomas Harley, what the team needs from Mikko Rantanen, separating fact from fiction in the Stars' salary cap situation…and ever so much more. So is Joel Kiviranta the good-luck charm we all need to ensure everything will be OK? We're Stargazing, and we're not dismissing the prospect out of hand. Bonus question: Who are you watching among the Stars' new NHL Draft picks? Let's talk about it at Defending Big D. 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. Plan A and Plan B
  2. Golfing Season
  3. Round 1, Game 4 Reactions
  4. Round 1, Game 3 Reactions
  5. Round 1, Game 2 Reactions

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