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Stargazing, A Dallas Stars Puckcast – Episode 275: Half In

You can’t be half pregnant, and you can’t be half committed to the Stanley Cup playoffs, either. Wes and Mark explain what they mean by that.

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

You can’t be half pregnant, and you can’t be half committed to the Stanley Cup playoffs, either. Wes and Mark explain what they mean by that.

This season’s Dallas Stars are…really, really Stars-ing. Right now, that’s largely for the better. That doesn’t keep any of us for looking for where they can be better still…but at what cost?

What impact can the right forward have? Can even the most dynamic forward compensate for not having another difference-making defender? At what point, if any, does a successful GM compromise his long-term vision for a player who can alter the course of a seven-game series?

You know Wes and Mark – they still haven’t found a subject they can’t hot-take on. They fire up the bakery early and often in this episode. And as we look down the ever-shorter road to the trade deadline, the questions on their minds are going to be on yours as well.

Does anyone really care who finishes first in the Central Division? Asking for a friend. At Stargazing. We’re brought to you by BetOnline, so don’t forget it.

What’s on your mind? Talk to us in the comments. We’ll probably use that discussion in a future cast. (No, really!)

And don’t forget to give us a like, review, or share wherever you listen. Thanks for your support.

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