As of this posting, the Dallas Stars are 3-0 in the 2024-25 preseason. And here we were thinking Victory+ might be the best thing to come out of September.

It's a great environment for Stargazing's annual Brightside Cast, and Wes and Mark are definitely feeling it this year. In this edition, they talk about:

• • the Stars' preseason style and what it means for when the games start counting,

• • the offensive weapons at Pete DeBoer's disposal,

• • the improvement in goaltending depth,

• • the prospect of having three solid left-right pairs on the blueline,

• • oh yeah, Victory+, too!

• • and so very much more.

When you're penciling in Tyler Seguin as your third-line center, you mmmmight have a surfeit of talent. We're Stargazing, and we might just turn you into Mr. Brightside, too. Thank BetOnline for making that possible.

What's your most optimistic prediction for the season to come? 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 don’t hesitate to give us a rate, review and share. We love you all.

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It's September, and the Dallas Stars are back on the ice. You can almost smell the "Mr. Brightside" in the air, can't you?

Wes and Mark are firing up the Victory+ and getting ready to watch some hockey. And on the eve of the Stars' preseason opener, they have so, so, so much to share with you. In this episode, they discuss:

• • how the new contracts for Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell stack up,

• • where all the blueliners will slot in now that a Miro Heiskanen-Matt Dumba pair appears to be a thing,

• • whether it's still just fine if Lian Bichsel begins the season in Cedar Park,

• • how Pete DeBoer's line blender can extract some lemonade from Jason Robertson's preseason unavailability,

• • what it means when the Stars' offensive corps is largely settled but its deployment is in new and wide-open territory,

• • who's the best candidate to become the 13th forward,

• • and ever so much more.

Do you have a man crush on Jim Nill? It's OK to talk about it. We're Stargazing, and for us, it comes up a lot. (A lot.) And our friends at BetOnline still sponsor us. It's kind of beautiful.

How many minutes did it take for either of our hosts to drop an "I like where we're at"? Tell us in the comments, or DM us with your weird questions @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts on the short app. (We’re only there for you. Don’t leave us hanging.)

And while you're here: Please don't hesitate to give us a rate, review and share. We love you all.

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The unstoppable road team met the immoveable home team, and we saw who blinked first. The Dallas Stars copped a big win off the Colorado Avalanche over the weekend, and now, it seems, we're getting somewhere.

It's OK, Stars fans, you still have time to panic. But Wes Lawrence and Mark Zimmerman took a long look at a game the Avs were supposed to win, on paper...and they liked what they saw. No, really. In this edition, they look at how the Victory Green Gang righted the ship at home and took away the game Colorado wanted to play in their own barn. And, as always, they have ideas about how to make it continue, because something something Big Hockey Brains.

You already know a big Nate MacKinnon game is coming. The question is, how do you prepare for it? We have answers...because we're Stargazing After Dark. And now you can, too, thanks to BetOnline.

What's surprised you most about this series so far? For better or otherwise? Tell us about at Defending Big D – or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts on the short app. Casters are waiting for your call. (Heed the suggestive saxophone riff. Listen to it.)

And please throw us a rate, review or share if you're so inclined. It truly, truly makes our day. Thanks in advance.

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We’ve said it over and over again, but the Dallas Stars really are a team for whom anything – whether good or bad – seems possible. With that said, their recent run of play has even the stats gurus liking their chances for the 2022 Stanley Cup race.

Wes and Mark have been watching the Stars’ progress as closely as anyone, and they spent another evening examining the case. In this episode:

• Did the recent road trip give the Stars enough momentum to challenge for one of the Central Division’s postseason spots?
• Will the emergence of Jason Robertson as an all-world superstar turn out to be the X factor they need?
• Does Jake Oettinger have what it takes to backstop a deep playoffs run?
• How much should we worry about what could be an extended stay on injured reserve for Miro Heiskanen?
• And will the search for depth scoring never really end?

Want to be part of the next podcast? Leave all your comments and questions at Defending Big D – or drop in on us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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It’s late February, and the @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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Expecting the unexpected is a prerequisite of true Dallas Stars fandom. And the trait of consistent inconsistency runs in the hockey family.

Back in 2021 preseason, the Texas Stars were shaping up to be a potential superpower in the AHL’s Central Division. Since then...well, life happened. Stephen Meserve, editor and mastermind of 100 Degree Hockey, joined Mark and Taylor this week to discuss the season so far, and the outlook for the Stars’ prospects.

In this edition:

• Why does the Stars’ blue-chip prospect pipeline keep missing Cedar Park – and how has this affected the team on and off the ice?
• How is goaltending shaping up now that Jake Oettinger has moved to Dallas permanently?
• Which defenders are performing (or underperforming)?
• Why is reigning AHL Rookie of the Year Riley Damiani struggling to put up the kind of numbers he gloried in last season?
• What has former Star and new assistant coach Maxime Fortunus brought to the mix?
• How have ECHL prospects playing for the Idaho Steelheads factored in?
• And will T-Stars head coach Neil Graham be the next big prospect to graduate from Austin Metro?

All this, plus Stephen’s explanation of the AHL’s new playoffs rules, are waiting for you in this week’s Stargazing. You might be able to find better gameday listening, but you’d have to look really, really hard.

We love comments, no matter what kind. Leave one at Defending Big D, or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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How long can the Dallas Stars try to be who they say they are before they give up and become what their best players are capable of being? It’s an open question, and one Wes and Mark decided to explore during this week of contrasts.

We didn’t want this to be a miserycast. Fortunately, there was plenty to compare and contrast between Sunday’s big win and Tuesday’s insanely frustrating loss. In this episode:

• What, specifically, did the Stars do right against the Boston Bruins?
• Has Tyler Seguin returned to form? (And if he has, will that count as a trade deadline acquisition?)
• Is Alexander Radulov finally recovering his scoring mojo?
• Is Denis Gurianov on another upswing?
• Is Radek Faksa hitting his aging curve early?
• How exactly did the team fall apart in the late third period against the Calgary Flames?
• How much of the Stars’ identity as a defense-first team is a straight-up lie? (Careful – Mark has receipts.)
• How much of player usage (and misusage) should we blame on systems and how much on hockey culture writ large?
• And if you can’t find a way to let a player do what he’s good at, should you even have him on the roster? (Asking for a friend?)

All this, plus a guest contribution by Wes’ dog...in this episode of Stargazing. Enjoy as Mark finally gets credit for predicting the Bruins blowout.

We love comments, even from the haters. Leave one at Defending Big D or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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Believe it or not, the Dallas Stars...actually had a pretty good January. So does this mean we start planning the parade, or what, or...?

Wes and Mark sifted through the facts and found some Victory Green shoots, as well as the usual omens. In this episode:

• Eight points in five games...are the Stars really and truly on the upswing?
• Has Alexander Radulov shaken off the last of the post-surgery rust and activated? And if so, could this mean that a second (third?) scoring line has finally arrived?
• Are the now-predictable Denis Gurianov benchings somewhat more tolerable now that there’s legitimate offensive competition in Riley Damiani?
• Did John Klingberg’s injury (hear us out) actually come at an opportune time?
• And now that the Pavelski & Sons line is scoring on the road, dare we hope for a Stanley Cup playoffs spot?

Who else is rooting for a second wildcard berth and a romp through the Pacific Division? Sit next to Mark. You’re at Stargazing.

Your comments keep us alive, so leave us one! Or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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The Dallas Stars won a game! In Buffalo! Why does that somehow still feel dull and uncomfortable?

The thing with Dallas is, it’s never just one game. Wes, Taylor, Trent and Mark got together after the previous disaster at home to discuss the Stars’ organizational identity crisis. In this episode:

• What’s the alternative to just giving up and wallowing in a bad stretch of hockey? Pulling out the popcorn and hoping for maximum chaos?
• How far into the Stars organization has the malaise settled?
• How long can the mismatch between system and personnel continue?
• Does the postgame coach-speak make it worse?
• Why does this team react to adversity by turtling, even when it’s counterproductive?
• What are the moves the organization needs to make, rather than the one they’re talking themselves into making...?
• And is there still time to turn it around? (No, really?)

Do you like where they’re at? Let us know. This is Stargazing.

We actually discuss a potential Joe Pavelski re-signing in this episode, so we do get inspiration from your comments. Leave us one, won’t you? Or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You, too, could be part of the next podcast!

And we always love it when you rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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The Dallas Stars have a way of making you want to swear even after a victory. And when you think about the John Klingberg situation, it’s pretty easy to want to swear all day, every day. (What even...? What the hockey sticks...?)

Wes, David, Tyler and Mark have a salty word or two about the team, and this time, they feel like sharing. In this episode:

• Can the Stars just play all their games at home from now on?
• Alternatively, can they just clone Joe Pavelski and Sons?
• Can they, once and for all, get a second line going again (maybe after Denis Gurianov returns from COVID jail)?
• Why should coaching decisions that didn’t fly when Marc Crawford was bench boss get a second chance now?
• Has the team moved back to the John Klingberg - Esa Lindell pair on the QT?
• Can Dallas commit to a vision of success in which they recognize how much they need Klinger?
• If not, then what the heck have they been trying to do in the draft for the past few years?

The system cannot fail. It can only be failed. This is Stargazing.

What’s on your mind? Let us know in the comments at Defending Big D, or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And we love it when you rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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It’s 2022, and the Dallas Stars are finally about to play another game! How much excitement can one fandom take? ...Right?

We’re about to find out, because Wes and Mark welcome a brand-new panelist to a new year at the best Stars podcast. Trent joins us for...well, another evening of the same old stuff we’ve been discussing for months, but now there’s a new body on the line, which makes it different. In this episode:

• Realistically, what can a fully healthy Stars team do after a 17-day Christmas-and-COVID hiatus?
• Is it better that the Stars went through this together and at the same time, rather than enduring the roster churn that has upended other teams’ results?
• Can the Stars avoid giving the Florida Panthers too much zone time, or is the turtle too much with us?
• Will they benefit from a little chaos, should any of it break out?
• Are they any closer to having a top six...or even a top nine?
• What will it take to activate Miro Heiskanen offensively?
• Was it a good decision to start Jake Oettinger in the AHL this season?
• Could the Central-heavy schedule in the last half of the season end up being a blessing?
• What happens if the Stars actually have to outplay somebody?
• And is Tyler Seguin allowed to go on a run ever again?

What would a hundred Hockey Men think? It’s a blur to us now. We’ll try to figure it out together, in Stargazing.

Have any new topics for us to wear out? Post them in the comments, or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And just a reminder: We love it when you rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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The @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And we love it when you rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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You ask how we know about Dallas Stars hockey? Well, we spent a week there one day.

Wes, Taylor and Mark reflect on the month’s worth of news the Victory Green Gang made in the past 96 hours or so. In this must-listen edition:

• Are the Stars the most dramatic team in the NHL, or is it just that the drama tends to be concentrated in big clumps?
• Was it a good idea to give Ben Bishop one last shot at a return from injury?
• Was Anton Khudobin’s contract extension absolutely necessary?
• What can we expect now that the Jake Oettinger - Braden Holtby Era is officially upon us?
• What’s happening to the league now that the Omicron variant has given COVID-19 its big comeback – and is a temporary shutdown inevitable?
• What does that have to do with the unspecified non-COVID illness that’s lingering in the Stars’ dressing room and refusing to leave?
• What do they need to do to play through misfortune and still keep their identity? (IMPORTANT: Not the identity where they can’t score. They can lose that one.)
• And what about the Winter Olympics? (No, seriously, what about them?)

What are your favorite Bish memories? Share and enjoy in the comments. (Eat at Stargazing.)

Remember, we’re always on the lookout for burning questions. Post them in the comments at Defending Big D, or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And as always, we love it when you rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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The one period of Game 1 in which the Dallas Stars should have expected more goals than the Colorado Avalanche was overtime – i.e., the period in which they ultimately lost the match. It's just one of the infuriating twists that the postseason will throw at you, if you get that far.

Settle down – this isn't a doomcast. But Wes and Mark do have some thoughts about line matchups, the important role of chaos, and whether the Stars should try to make the Avs' top line play every third shift and clean up on all the others.

Maybe it's time for Mason Marchment to come back. It's definitely time for Stargazing After Dark. And it’s brought to you by BetOnline.

What has you most hyped about Round 2 – for better or otherwise? Let’s talk about it at Defending Big D – or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts on the short app. Casters are waiting for your call. (We even have a suggestive saxophone riff, so you know we mean it.)

And if you throw us a rate, review or share, we'll clap like Nugget the Circus Seal. Thanks in advance.

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The Dallas Stars have been winning, a lot. And as is our way, we’ve found both good and bad news in that.

Wes and Mark take a moment to enjoy the Stars’ improved outlook, but they still find the same old issues persisting. Will the Victory Green Gang ever shake their habit of playing all their hockey in the first 40 minutes? Can they balance their offensive effort across all three periods without relying on a goalie having a .930 game? In this edition, we look at all of this and more:

• Is there such a thing as putting too much hope in the Roope Hintz - Jason Robertson - Joe Pavelski superline?
• What’s more amazing: that line’s ability to score in the first minute and a half of a game, or Braden Holtby’s Tex-Mex combo save from the Carolina Hurricanes game?
• Is it even possible for Hintz’s change in puck luck to last – or is his re-found scoring touch more sustainable than that?
• Can the Stars continue to get defense from offense, especially when they get aggressive on the penalty kill?
• Are we officially in the Jake Oettinger Is The No. 1 Goalie era?
• Do lines matter more than contracts?
• Is Tyler Seguin struggling to be a volume shooter, or is he just changing his game to be more of a net-front presence?
• On a similar note, why is Alexander Radulov under-shooting his career average so dramatically?
• How do the Stars get more than one line going consistently?
• Where does Jacob Peterson fit into the equation?
• How soon can Riley Damiani get a call-up?
• And what’s up with the turtling?

Does the Minnesota Wild game continue to exist if we can’t remember it? Enjoy our Columbus Blue Jackets predictions – and Mark’s four-point downer – as Stargazing returns.

Where are your burning questions? Post them in the comments or at Defending Big D, or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. You could be part of the next podcast.

And as always, we love it when you rate, review and share. Tell us how we’re doing wherever you subscribe.

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Can the Dallas Stars continue their nascent winning streak tonight against the Minnesota Wild? It may depend on whether they try to beat scoring with scoring.

Wes and Mark think the Victory Green Gang needs to expect to win. And they devoted our latest podcast to talking about how the Stars go about accruing points against the Central Division rivals who happen to be ahead of them. In this edition:

• Can we chalk up the Stars’ latest victories to systematic improvements, or to catching tired (and possibly bad) teams on the second half of a back-to-back?
• How much better is team defense with John Klingberg than without?
• How hard is a hard turtle, and how do the Stars stop doing that?
• Would you rather clear the zone or keep everything to the outside?
• How are the Stars adjusting to being a three-line team after being a one-line team since the Victory Green heyday of Aleš Hemský and Patrick Sharp ended?
• Is Riley Tufte playing enough minutes to make a trip to Big D worth it? Or is he likely to learn his best lessons off the ice while in Dallas?
• When you have a Denis Gurianov, how much do you use a Denis Gurianov?
• How is Ryan Suter doing next to Klinger?
• Where are Jake Oettinger’s skills improving?
• And how filthy will Roope Hintz get now that he’s riding the regression monster?

What’s your prediction for tonight’s game? Here’s to another W! (Full disclosure: Stargazing’s ratings go up after those, so it’s not as if we’re disinterested.)

As always, we invite burning questions from every end of the spectrum. Post them in the comments, or seek us out @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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What was that quote about best-laid plans? We’re not sure, but we think it means sometimes you have to cancel bedtime so you can figure out what the Texas Stars, other than that the organization sees him as Jake Oettinger’s future backup anyway?

“A weaker man might be moved to re-examine his faith, if in nothing else at least in the law of probability.” Are you sick of hearing us talk about the exact same problems every single ding-dang week? Then ask us a question of your own. Leave it in the comments, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

And please remember to rate, review and share! Tell us how we’re doing at our Podbean site, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, or wherever you subscribe. (You do subscribe, right...?)

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The Dallas Stars have the same number of regulation wins in 2021-22 as the Arizona Coyotes, and one fewer than the Chicago Blackhawks. Yeah, it’s discouraging. But, at nine games in, has it done actual damage? And can they reverse their own fortunes as they continue their swing through Western Canada – a traditional bonding experience that tends to produce good effects that don’t necessarily show up during the trip?

Wes and Mark sat down for a quick gut check on the Victory Green Gang’s progress through the provinces. In this edition:

• How well is John Klingberg playing – and how well will his game age?
• Did Thomas Harley pass the eye test – and where would he fit if he came up to Dallas full-time?
• Should Denis Gurianov try to become a Swiss Army knife when he does his best work as an X-acto blade?
• Would you rather the Stars have a top six and a bottom six, or three scoring lines?
• Will Roope Hintz’s puck luck change against the Calgary Flames, or will it have to wait until his hair gets a little bit longer?
• The Stars may not like their results right now, but can they make it worse by overreacting?
• How much worse can it get if they don’t overreact and keep biffing away games they should have won?
• And why does it seem like they’re sacrificing a ceiling so they can have a floor?

Stargazing is a full 24 hours early this week! Klingberg death-magic for everyone! Get your predictions here, before they’re completely overtaken by events.

What are your burning questions? Leave them in the comments, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts. And please don't forget to rate, review and share!

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With seven points after seven games, the Dallas Stars still haven’t won in regulation. And with two losses so far this week, fans would really rather see that sooner (tonight) rather than later (sometime next month, or year, or whenever).

Wes and Mark spent another week night pondering the enigma of the Stars, and now they’re sharing it with you. In this episode:

• Should we be happy that Jason Robertson is back and contributing, or concerned that the Stars need a 22-year-old sophomore to kick-start the offense?
• Where are the good omens for the Stars’ divisional standing?
• On the other hand, where is the difference between being in the playoff conversation and hanging out at the bottom of the barrel?
• What should we make of Ryan Suter’s start in Dallas?
• What, specifically, is Braden Holtby doing right?
• Are you comfortable with Anton Khudobin in net on Holtby’s nights off?
• Is Radek Faksa having a good season so far?
• Just how well is Miro Heiskanen performing?
• Is Esa Lindell...actually doing a great job?
• And can the Stars keep playing “Stars hockey” like they played the first two periods of the Vegas game?

How many quality scoring chances is enough? Let’s discuss it, while we’re Stargazing.

What would you like to talk about – or, technically, hear us talk about? Let us know, and be part of the next podcast! Post your questions in the comments, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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Can you believe the @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share at our Podbean site, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you subscribe to Stargazing.

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The Dallas Stars return to regular-season ice tonight in Madison Square Garden. Whatever will you do as you wait for the start of the season opener against the New York Rangers?... Maybe podcasting will help.

Wes, Taylor and Greg gathered last night in anticipation of this very moment. Now you get to hear their conversation as they talk out the last of the preseason yips. In this edition:

• After you take out the contracts and NHL experience levels, is Dallas starting the season with the best netminding tandem available?
• How high is the team’s confidence in Anton Khudobin – and how high should it be?
• Is is possible that having Khudobin and Braden Holtby in Dallas and Jake Oettinger in Cedar Park creates a rare win-win-win situation?
• Will the back-to-normal schedule help or hurt?
• What about the sudden rash of illness and injury in the offensive corps?
• Has Jacob Peterson made his case as a top-nine forward, or as a top-six forward?
• Will Miro Heiskanen stop deferring to his defensive partner now that he won’t be deferring to Jamie Oleksiak?
• And is this team ready to be as expectation-heavy as it is?

This is your last preseason opportunity to rag on us for our goaltending obsession. Can you resist? Let’s go Stargazing.

What’s more important – losing 2-1 the right way, or winning 2-1 by betraying the system? Let us know, and be part of the next podcast! Post your questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

And because we’re really, truly dying for your approval: Please don’t forget to rate, review and share!

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The Dallas Stars’ preseason is nearly at its end, and things look...good? But now that the Braden Holtby, Starting Goaltender conversation has begun in earnest, what else should we be noticing?

Wes and Taylor have seen a few things in the preseason that have burned the Victory Green Gang in the regular season. So they spent a good half-hour taking inventory. (PLEASE NOTE: This conversation took place before the Stars’ 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, in which Taylor herself chose Anton Khudobin as the First Star of the Game, so there’s that.)

In this edition:

• Has Braden Holtby’s preseason performance helped clarify the Stars’ netminding decisions?
• What should we make of the amount of ice time allotted to the top forwards?
• Strike that: What should we make of Alexander Radulov out there blocking shots in a preseason game?
• Has Mavrik Bourque played his way into a nine-game tester?
• Will Jacob Peterson be on the opening-night roster?
• What are the chances that Dallas carries an extra forward instead of an eighth defenseman this season?
• What does all of this say about the Stars’ roster depth?
• And what form of this team will head into the regular season?

Know the code: “Maple” is turtling when you’re down a goal, “Honey” is turtling when you’re up a goal. And there’s more where that came from, because this is Stargazing.

Are you ready for the regular season, except for that one nagging question about the existential crisis of Stars fandom? Then be part of the next podcast: Post your questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars have played two preseason games so far and lost both of them in overtime. It’s almost as if last season never ended, eh?

Well, let’s not jump to conclusions. Wes and Taylor got on the call last night and talked about everything from 3-on-3 strategy to that fugue state a dude enters the moment he gets hit in the junk. In this episode:

• Should we worry that Dallas’ inability to close out a game in overtime seems to have become the recurring theme for 2021?
• Can the team shake its tendency to play 40 minutes of decent hockey in a 60-minute game?
• Is it too soon to tell if Jason Robertson taken over Jason Dickinson’s role as the designated target? ...Is it a Jason thing?
• Will Rick Bowness’ plan to give each of the Stars’ goaltenders an entire preseason game turn out to be the best way to pick a starter?
• What does Jake Oettinger need to do to keep himself in that conversation?
• And where is Thomas Harley on the AHL-to-NHL continuum?
• What stage of the buddy-cop movie are John Klingberg and Ryan Suter playing out?
• How much has Jacob Peterson’s stock risen since Traverse City?
• How did Alexander Radulov and Tyler Seguin look?
• And how does the Stars’ forward corps stack up so far?

Get the answers to these questions, plus a surprise guest appearance by Wes’ kids, right here in Stargazing. It’s almost like we had an actual run of show!

Are you ready for the regular season? Then be part of the next podcast! Post your questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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The long wait has entered its last mile: The Dallas Stars have returned to training camp. After the series of disasters that defined last season, anything short of the rink burning down around them will be an improvement.

But how will this team come together over the next few weeks? We’re not sure, either – but Wes, Mark and Taylor discuss everything from the Traverse City NHL Prospect Tournament to Braden Holtby’s tortoises in an effort to figure it out. In this edition:

• What, if anything, actually matters about the Prospect Tournament?
• Does a prospect’s performance there say anything about whether he’s good at hockey?
• What did the Stars do differently from every other team in the tournament?
• Does Ty Dellandrea’s peak game depend on him getting a couple of years older (and bigger)?
• What did Taylor learn about the state of the team at the opening of training camp?
• What really shut down Alexander Radulov last season?
• What should we infer when Tyler Seguin tells the media he feels “dangerous” this year?
• How did the Long-Term Injury line of Seguin, Radulov and Joel Kiviranta look?
• What should we make of the John Klingberg-Ryan Suter and Miro Heiskanen-Esa Lindell practice pairings?
• For that matter, what should we make of the big news about Ben Bishop’s injury status?
• Is this Rick Bowness’ first big chance to install his System 2.0 and test it out?
• And how hard is it to tell how the team looks overall when you’re really just watching them do drills?

Are you looking forward to see how Segs’ cybernetic leg will perform? Then you’re among friends here at Stargazing – the official podcast of Unbridled Training Camp Energy.

Get your own training on and be part of the next podcast! Post your questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars have won their way into Round 2 – and a throwback series with their #MurderDeathKill Division siblings the Colorado Avalanche. (Or, if you prefer, from the 2023 Stanley Cup winners to the 2022 Stanley Cup winners.)

This time, we welcomed Evan Liu of our 4Fans sister site Puck Yeti. He sat down with Wes and Mark for the usual roundtable about roster strengths and weaknesses, the pros and cons of a seven-game series versus a week of rest, and how each of our favorite teams will win, and lose.

So who you got? Let’s talk about it. It’s Stargazing time – and it's brought to you by our buddies at BetOnline.

What's on your mind concerning the Stanley Cup Playoffs so far? Share it in the comments, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts on the Default Font From The ’90s app. (We’re there for you. Really!)

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. We thank you kindly.

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Dallas Stars hockey is almost here! But not quite! And many of us still don’t know how we’re going to watch the games! ...Maybe podcasting will help?

Wes, David, Mark and Taylor thought so. In this edition:

• Will the Stars maximize Thomas Harley’s offensive-defenseman talents, or will he stay in Cedar Park until he starts hitting more?
• What about the tension between icing the most talented team possible versus putting out the players who can play the system?
• How does the perception of being in a (possibly closing) Stanley Cup window affect that calculus?
• Are players like Harley better off spending another season with a new-school coach like Neil Graham anyway?
• Which Dallas defenders will best fit the power-play puzzle?
• Is Dallas’ system destroying John Klingberg? And what’s the correct thing to do if John Klingberg doesn’t fit your system?
• Trick question: What’s 23 minus 5?
• How drastically will Dallas’ existing talent pipeline affect the way they need to play?
• And what can you expect from that talent as the Traverse City NHL Prospects Tournament begins?

Can you mark the spot where we accidentally muted Dave? Listen to Stargazing and find out!

Get your own preseason training in and be part of the next podcast. Post your questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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We’re about to go from zero to hockey in a period of mere days. What will you do? ...What will you do?

Wes Lawrence and Taylor Baird sat down to discuss forwards and line combos, but a sudden outbreak of actual Dallas Stars headlines gave them even better things to talk about. Among the topics:

• How should fans interpret Saad Yousuf’s money quote in The Athletic that Tyler Seguin “only require[s] acupuncture every 36 hours”?
• How much should we read into David Satriano’s assertion at NHL.com that Ben Bishop “likely will be healthy”?
• How much more does Miro Heiskanen have to do to impress the hockey men who create meaningless rankings and vote on the Norris Trophy?
• How much unseen work goes into the maintenance of a professional athlete, and how overwrought do we get when we don’t understand that context?
• How much of getting healthy is really about getting rested?
• And how much will the return to a normal, non-punishing, non-COVID schedule help?

All this, plus a fan question and a free review of the league’s long-term injured reserve rules – what more could you possibly want? Answer in the comments, because right now, we’re Stargazing.

What would you do to make the Stars’ penalty-kill unit? Be part of the next podcast by posting your questions in the comments, or DM’ing us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars have NHL-level goalies to spare – but how will they manage the crowd in the crease? Do they have a clear-cut starter – or starting brigade? And to what extent are those decisions fully in their own hands?

Wes and Tyler tend to get all worked up about this stuff, and when they do, they podcast. And pace. (Plays hell with the Bluetooth sometimes.) In this episode:

• Who is the Stars’ starter, and is that as straightforward as it looks?
• Who is their backup...and is that as straightforward as it looks?
• How might a 1A-1B situation work?
• Will the return to a full schedule help or complicate matters?
• Jake Oettinger will be The Guy somewhere – but will that be in Dallas or in Cedar Park?
• Does Anton Khudobin have a bounceback year in him?
• Do you sign Braden Holtby if you don’t plan to play him in the NHL?
• What can we expect from Ben Bishop?
• And even with all these netminders, do the Stars have actual organizational depth?

Can you go 30 minutes without weighing in on the Holtby signing? If you can’t...come sit next to us. You’re with Stargazing.

Let’s get through the next few weeks together: Be part of the next podcast by posting your questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or by DM’ing us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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After last week’s gripping discussion of the Dallas Stars’ options at the sixth-defender position, Wes Lawrence and Tyler Mair decided to get deep into the weeds with the latest podcast. And what better way to shed light on the thankless and invisible work of making a team run than by tackling a discussion of...centers?

This season, there’s a Stieg Larsson level of intrigue involved in reading which Stars will take the pivot position. This week’s discussion revolves around questions like these:

• Who is the Stars’ No. 1 center right now?
• Does a team need one when it has that forward who’s basically a cheat code on skates?
• Speaking of Tyler Seguin, can he do the team more good at wing this year?
• And what will Peak Segs look like after nearly an entire season off, for better or otherwise?
• Is Jamie Benn a legitimate long-term option at pivot?
• What are the pros and cons of placing The Captain on what may end up as a checking line?
• Is Radek Faksa due for a bounce-back year?
• And can the new forward lines recapture the high-scoring ways that made the Bubble Run so much fun?

How negative are your Stars tweets? Get in – we’re going Stargazing.

Training camp is still weeks away. Help us help you make it through by posting your questions in the comments, or DM’ing us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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Another Texas August has hit at Defending Big D, or DM’ing us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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There’s a building consensus that the Dallas Stars made out like bandits during the 2021 NHL Draft. And while it’s music to the ears of the Victory Green faithful, that boosterism sometimes comes off a little light on details. How well did they do, in real terms?

Wes and Derek (who, you may recall, is an actual scout) sat down to discuss it. In this episode, you learn the answers to questions like these:

• What does a professional hockey scout look for?
• Why are good tools better than bad consistency?
• How much pressure do top prospects really live with?
• How did the pandemic really affect the scouting process during the past season?
• What did the Stars see in Wyatt Johnston...and where did they see it?
• Why does a player like Logan Stankoven drop to the second round?
• Ayrton Martino: lucky get, or luckiest get ever?
• How underscouted was Justin Ertel?
• And when will established Stars prospects like Thomas Harley, Ty Dellandrea and Riley Damiani take the next step?

What do you expect to learn from this episode? Whatever it is, revise it upward. You’re going to learn a lot. Because you’re Stargazing. (Even if you’ve never played in the AJHL, or in Belarus under a different name.)

Any questions? Become part of the next podcast by posting your puck questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or DM’ing us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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So the 2021 NHL Draft wasn’t enough for you? The Dallas Stars got even busier on the first day of free agency.

If you spent most of Wednesday afternoon wondering what just hit you, you’re in pretty good company. On Wednesday night, Wes, Mark and Tyler sat down to make sense of the new reality. Here’s what they talked about:

• Is Braden Holtby too much, not enough, or just right?
• What does his contract imply about Ben Bishop’s future?
• For that matter, what can we guess about where Anton Khudobin and Jake Oettinger will start the season?
• What happens with the top four now that Ryan Suter is joining the gang?
• How will the Suter signing affect Miro Heiskanen’s special-teams time?
• What will the team have to do to get Heiskanen back on his natural side?
• What does all of this mean for John Klingberg’s extension?
• Does Luke Glendening fill the Jason Dickinson void?
• Are the Texas Stars shaping up to be a really, really good team after all this?
• Do any of these signings address the Stars’ real-life, on-ice problems?
• And how do they hold up as part of a flat-cap league?

Does throwing a trusted veteran at an issue really solve it? Tell us what you think. You’re at Stargazing.

Have any questions about the second day of free agency? Become part of the next podcast by posting your puck questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or by DM’ing us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts.

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Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars worked all weekend to get ready for Wednesday. Now, with the Seattle Kraken expansion draft bearing down on us like a...really big thing that, you know, bears down...it’s nearly time to find out where the rubber will meet the road.

Wes, Tyler and Mark read the maps and sat down for a long discussion about where all this is headed. In this episode, we contemplate questions like these:

• Is the Miro Heiskanen extension great, or the greatest?
• Was the Jason Dickinson trade the best move possible, or did it open up an entire can of unintended consequences?
• Shall we talk about the fallacy inherent in the notion of “losing a player for nothing”?
• ...And, while we’re at it, about the tendency of many front offices to galaxy-brain themselves into worse positions than they might have been in if they’d done nothing?
• Did Ben Bishop just become the player most likely to end up in a Kraken sweater?
• How badly could that end up for Dallas – or, conversely, for Seattle?
• Can the Kraken close the loop that will allow them to take, and keep, Jamie Oleksiak?
• And how much better would Seth Jones have to be to consider ditching John Klingberg for him?

What would you give up to get more size and grit? Think before you answer. This is Stargazing.

Be part of the next podcast: Post your puck questions in the comments, or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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There’s been a rich combo of excitement and apprehension concerning the 2021-22 season in the Dallas Stars fanbase. But how much have you thought about how full seasons in the feeder leagues can change the team’s destiny?

We love our prospect talk here at DBD, so we made sure to get two of the best at it for this edition of Armchair GM. Guest host Mark Zimmerman spent more than an hour with DBD and FC Hockey prospect guru Derek Neumeier, as well as Stephen Meserve, the mind behind the go-to Texas Stars source 100 Degree Hockey. You can hear the results now.

Note: We recorded this podcast before yesterday’s big news about Ben Bishop. However, some of the Stars’ most pressing goaltending issues will still be there – indeed, they may be exacerbated – if the Seattle Kraken scarf up Big Ben. With that said, here’s what you can expect from this episode:

• No matter what happens in the NHL expansion draft, the Stars have supply issues in net – how do they solve them?
• Could the organization benefit from a Mike McKenna type, if not Mike McKenna himself?
• How do you feel about veteran depth – and are the Texas Stars suffering from not enough of it?
• Is Thomas Harley everything fans have built him up to be – and what will he need to succeed with the big team?
• How will Maxime Fortunus’ new role in Cedar Park affect the blueline pipeline?
• Who’s the best defender you aren’t talking about – and who gets the first call-up in 2021-22?
• What are the odds Riley Damiani gets 20 NHL games next season?
• Can Adam Mascherin force his way into the big squad’s forward corps?
• How close is Ty Dellandrea to becoming an everyday NHL’er?
• Can you really have too many bottom-six players – and how do they carve out a role?
• Which of the Stars’ European players should you be watching more closely?
• How many of the team’s issues are really leaguewide issues?
• How will the return of full seasons in the AHL help solve them?
• And what do you have to do in Jim Nill’s organization not to get a qualifying offer?

No one likes plus-minus as a stat, but sometimes it’s all you have. Let’s get into that. This is Stargazing.

Hey you! Want to be part of the next podcast? Post your puck questions in the comments, or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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The postseason is officially here! Are you ready for the rollercoaster that lies ahead? We can only hope the Dallas Stars are, too – and therein lies the discourse.

In our second installment of Armchair GM, David and Mark center on centers, and wingers, and scoring lines. In this episode:

• Key injuries probably kept the Stars out of the playoffs in 2021 – but will their system keep them out in 2022?
• How do they get better at overtime?
• Which Cedar Park prospects might be ready for their Jason Robertson moment?
• He’s AHL rookie of the year – but will reigning Garrett Memorial Award winner Riley Damiani turn out more like Mikko Rantanen or Curtis McKenzie?
• Is the UFA everyone wants the UFA who can have the biggest impact?
• Can the hefty supply of left wingers in the 2021 UFA class give the Stars some key options in case Jamie Benn is set to become a full-time center?
• Can the team finally solve the puzzle of putting complementary players together?
• Will Denis Gurianov get his groove back if they do?
• Can they at least put together a fourth line that makes sense?
• And what of Joel “The Junk Man” Kiviranta?

Has “I like where we’re at” become Jim Nill’s version of “Mission Accomplished”? Tell us what you really think. You’re at Stargazing.

Want to be part of the next podcast? Post your puck questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars have staged a pretty amazing Round 1 comeback – and they have not one, but two opportunities to finish the job in the next few days. It hasn't always been pretty, and pretty hasn't always meant victory...but is this team for real? Really, really real?

Wes Lawrence and Mark Zimmerman are Stars fans, so they're always looking over their shoulders. But even they see the green shoots here. In this cast, they discuss:

• • the new team the Stars are becoming before our eyes,

• • Wyatt Johnston as a period-full-stop member of Dallas' core,

• • the one (1) time plus-minus is actually a useful stat,

• • and whether Logan Stankoven is about 40 NHL games away from scoring every time he gets the puck on his stick.

When was the last time you heard that Jason Robertson is playoff-soft? We can't remember, either. Join us for Stargazing...After Dark. It's brought to you by BetOnline.

What's on your mind, Stars-wise? Let’s talk about at Defending Big D – or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts on the short app. Casters are waiting for your call.

And please throw us a rate, review or share. It's actually pretty sad how much we live for it.

(By the way, we do experience the occasional time-shifting anomaly. Let it be known that we recorded before this news broke. Listen to Stargazing, learn the future!)

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The at Defending Big D, or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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The at Defending Big D - or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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The NHL silly season is rolling up on us like a big, slow, heavy rolling thing. And while nothing particularly interesting is happening for at Defending Big D - or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

And hear Stargazing before anyone else by subscribing for free at our Podbean site, iTunes, Google, Amazon, or wherever you find your favorite casts.

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The at Defending Big D – or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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For the first time in a hot minute, the @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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It’s not really saying the quiet part out loud to observe that the Dallas Stars’ season is all but over. Their fortunes and struggles have sealed their fate, and its final dispensation is now to be decided largely by other teams. The battle has been fierce, but at this point it’s futile.

Wes and Taylor took a heaping dose of humanity and sat down to review the past and look to the future. Here’s their #Disco playlist for this episode:

• a timely review of the obstacles strewn through the Stars’ season,
• how the absence of a high-end chaos agent like Alexander Radulov has affected their play,
• the Stanley Cup playoffs window, and where it opens and closes,
• the struggle to integrate new pieces into the core,
• how load management can help keep Jamie Benn productive,
• how the front office can keep the band together in the offseason,
• and how the expansion draft can still upend their plans.

So what have you spoken into existence today? No judgment here – this is Stargazing. Just don’t come to us for pronunciation help.

But hey, it’s never too late to be part of the next cast. Post your puck questions in the comments, or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars have three games and only two points in the bag so far this week. But Saturday’s road war with the Nashville Predators gives them a shot at that ever-so-precious four-point swing against their closest #Disco rivals. Will they get the bounce, or will the bounce get them?

The only way to find out is to keep on dancing. Wes and Mark sat down for a heart-to-heart after the latest Tampa Bay Lightning shutout, and the result is the Stargazing in front of you.

In this edition:

• How much of their destiny can the Stars control?
• Is the schedule their biggest opponent right now?
• Will Tyler Seguin, and a possible return to high-event hockey, arrive in time to make a difference?
• Can Joel Kiviranta help goose the scoring in the meantime?
• Can Jamie Benn keep up the pace – and can the team see a future for him at center?
• What will the forward lines look like for the rest of this race?
• And what does the future hold for the Stars’ pending free agents? (Jamie Oleksiak, looking at you.)

It’s time to get aggressive. It’s time for a meeting with the latest episode of Stargazing. (Yowzah, yowzah, yowzah.)

Want to be part of our next sit-down? Post your puck questions in the comments or at Defending Big D, or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars have made it through yet another impossible COVID-compressed string of games, and they came out the other side with...hope? Is that what we’re experiencing?...

But the Victory Green Gang has to keep moving through the #Disco if they want to make the biggest dance of all. Wes and Logan take a moment to measure how far they’ve come – and that crucial distance that remains.

In this episode:

• How did the Victory Green Gang fare during this particular stretch of four games in six nights?
• How can they stay the course in a tough schedule that includes division leaders like the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning...as well as their closest rivals, the Nashville Predators?
• Can even a portion of Tyler Seguin be fuel enough to propel them successfully through the obstacle course ahead?
• Will Segs’ skill set help change the Stars’ overtime fortunes in particular?
• With John Klingberg missing minutes and Miro Heiskanen on the game-time decision list, can the defense hold up against attrition?
• How well do the Stars manage a training room that often looks more like a M*A*S*H unit?
• How can Jason Robertson’s case for the Calder Trophy become even more emphatic?
• And who will be the real hero of Helm’s Deep?

All this, and a surprise ending, are yours in this edition of Stargazing. Buckle up.

Be part of the next Stargazing! Post your puck questions in the comments or at Defending Big D – or find us @WesALawrence and @KETibbetts.

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When we started recording last night’s Stargazing, the Chicago Blackhawks were down 4-1 to the Nashville Predators in the third period. Life moves pretty fast, as the philosopher once observed, and the Preds’ reversal of fortune is now a matter of fairly brutal public record.

It only takes a minute – well, a few great games – for a season to change. And now that everything’s a playoff series, the Dallas Stars have been living the upside of that. Can it last? Wes, Rob and Mark got together to examine the case.

In this edition:

• Can the Stars’ current goals-for/goals-against recipe keep cooking up victories?
• With Denis Gurianov finding a couple of new gears, can the team keep rolling at least two dangerous scoring lines?
• Do they play better when they’re playing desperate?
• Is it even possible to overestimate the impact of Jason Robertson?
• What can the Victory Green Gang expect when Tyler Seguin returns from his long hiatus?
• Does the Jamie Oleksiak-Miro Heiskanen pair mean the Stars have a legitimate top four?
• And will they get any help at all from the schedule – or their direct competitors?

What’s your position on coaching?... You might pay big money to know what you really think – but Stargazing is always free.

Be part of the next Stargazing! Post your puck questions in the comments, or find us @WesALawrence, @LoganStarkChel and @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars can’t win a Stanley Cup playoffs spot in the next six games. However, they can lose one. It will all come down to whether they can shake off whatever bad mojo they’re dealing with and make that move to shut down the suffering Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings.

But honest-to-Pete elites Ben Bishop and Alexander Radulov are done for the season, and depth defender Sami Vatanen was the Stars’ only NHL trade deadline acquisition. Do they have enough left in the tank to scoop up at least nine of the next 12 available points?

It’s a honest question. Wes Lawrence and Rob McClay put their heads together and searched for clues as to how much #Disco the Victory Green Gang can muster. In this episode:

• How will the confirmed losses of Bish and Rads affect the Stars’ home-stretch hopes?
• Under the circumstances, should they have shut down Tyler Seguin while they were at it?
• Leaving out the disappointment of not getting a top-six scorer at the TDL, is Vatanen...actually a pretty good get?
• Is it wrong to be glad they didn’t trade Jamie Oleksiak for that scoring help?
• How soon will Jake Oettinger go from being the Stars’ future in net to just being the star, in net?
• And how much better or worse off could the team be if Rick Bowness took the leash off Denis Gurianov and let him run amok?

All this, and the return of The Predictions Game, are here for you in the latest edition of Stargazing. (That’s right. Settle down.)

You, too, can be part of the next Stargazing! Post your puck questions in the comments, at Defending Big D, or @WesALawrence, @LoganStarkChel and @KETibbetts.

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The Dallas Stars don't need to do something extra, they just need to be who they are. That's how Wes Lawrence and Mark Zimmerman see the state of play after the Victory Green Gang – against all odds, as it were –evened up Round 1 in Vegas on Tuesday night.

In this episode, DBD's cast-masters bring the discussion on everything that matters – including Jake Oettinger's return to the best version of himself, the forward lines that just keep coming, the momentum that runs shift to shift but not game to game, and Craig Smith as secret sauce.

What is this series doing in Round 1? It's a mystery. And this is Stargazing – brought to you by BetOnline.

Does Logan Stankoven need to stop deferring? Let's talk about it at Defending Big D – or DM us @WesALawrence or @KETibbetts on the short app. We’re here for you.

And let us know if you're stuck in traffic on the way to Game 5! It may be a good time to rate, review and share. (Not if you're driving, though. That would be wrong.)

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The Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham the big team’s next breakout homegrown prospect?

Do you ever think you just need to talk more crap about your favorite players to get them going? You’re among friends here.

And you can also be part of the next Stargazing. Post your puck questions in the comments, at Defending Big D, or with @WesALawrence, @LoganStarkChel and @KETibbetts.

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If you look too hard at the standings, you might miss one of the truly hopeful facets of the Dallas Stars’ season to date. That’s the bumper crop of defensive depth blossoming everywhere in the organization, from Thomas Harley to Ben Gleason.

Mark Zimmerman sits in as Wes’ special guest to discuss what’s going on all over the Stars organization. On the menu:

• Are Miro Heiskanen and Jamie Oleksiak too similar to be complementary?
• Is Joel Hanley a secret weapon hiding in plain sight?
• Is the Stars’ best life happening right now – only it’s in Cedar Park, and the Texas Stars are the ones living it?
• And what if the Stars do trade John Klingberg? (After all, Klingberg is Klingberg, but a trade could be anything. It could even be a Klingberg!)

All this, and the return of Obi-Honka-Nobi – can you really afford to miss this edition of Stargazing? We think not.

And don’t forget to be part of the next cast! Post your puck questions in the comments, or find us @WesALawrence, @LoganStarkChel and @KETibbetts.

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Alexander Radulov is back, and he’s brought his mojo with him. And not a moment too soon, because the Dallas Stars need it more than ever. That’s where we are. Which way is this headed?

We’re halfway into March, and Wes and Logan have takes. Oh, so many takes:

• Are the Stars...bad now?
• Or are they good, but strangely and specifically made?
• Was it a good idea to keep playing low-event hockey with so many skill players injured?
• Did they make the right decision when they decided to subject Jake Oettinger to the Tampa Bay Lightning this week?
• Can they still make the most of all those games in hand?
• And would it be such a bad idea to blow it all up? (Spoiler alert: Yes. Yes, it would be. Here’s why.)

All this, and the Annual John Klingberg Trade Prediction #Disco Ball, are waiting for you in today’s episode. Let’s dance. (After you present your Jack Eichel-level asset at the door.)

Be part of the next Stargazing – post your puck questions at Defending Big D, or find us @WesALawrence, @LoganStarkChel and @KETibbetts.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.