Is this 2025, or 2015? The Dallas Stars won another nail-biter against the Colorado Avalanche, and it was largely thanks to Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Yet the team continues to get contributions from up and (mostly) down the lineup. What is possible when everyone is That Guy?

In the latest episode of Stargazing, Wes and Mark got together After Dark to pore over the Stars' first road victory of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. And they found plenty to discuss — including the signs that point toward Miro Heiskanen's return, the real threat of Gabriel Landeskog, and what might happen now that the Avs are the ones who have to play from behind.

You can't control Silly Putty by squeezing it, so don't try it with the Dallas Stars, either. We're Stargazing After Dark, and we think about this sort of thing for a living. (Or at least for the lulz.)

What's on your mind? Let us know at Defending Big D. We’ll bring it up in the next cast.

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You have to give the Dallas Stars credit: They know how to add extra thrills to their wins. They evened up Round 1 with a victory in overtime. Now they'll take their game on the road and look to grab another W in the Colorado Avalanche's home barn.

Wes Lawrence and Mark Zimmerman have gone over the data from the Stars' 4-3 win on Monday, and they're happy to remind you that they put Colin Blackwell out into the world. They also took a look at how the system is working, as well as huff a little copium concerning the fact that Miro Heiskanen is finally traveling with the team again.

Just want to see some high-end guys having high-end games? Welcome to Stargazing After Dark. We love you.

Have something else you want to talk about? Let us know at Defending Big D. We’ll almost certainly bring it up in the next cast.

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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 at Defending Big D. We'll almost certainly bring it up in the next cast.

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The Dallas Stars won their position in the 2025 Stanley Cup race relatively early. Then they skidded into the end of the regular season on a seven-game losing streak unprecedented during head coach Pete DeBoer's tenure. So what happens now that this team is supposed to be all in?

To survey the first-round ice, Stargazing welcomed back longtime Colorado Avalanche writer Evan Liu, now of Hockey Mountain High. He sat down with Wes and Mark to talk about forward depth, netminder performance, the playoffs return of Tyler Seguin and Gabriel Landeskog, and why whatever happens...won't be a surprise.

So who you got? Let’s talk about it. It’s Stargazing time!

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The Dallas Stars are pretty good at winning. They've even gotten good at winning games in which they didn't play as well as their opponents. That's one reason why it's so frustrating to see the Stars' vices become their manners...especially when they drop games that were in their reach.

What does it mean for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs? Wes and Mark needed backup for this one, so they invited DBD alumnus Robert Tiffin – who's now kind of everywhere, thanks to D Magazine and his own Stars Thoughts Substack. And they talk about everything — from odd-yet-effective set plays to messy zone exits to how much it may (or may not) help when the Stars' injured stars are back from injuries.

Now that they're in the playoffs, maybe they just want to stay healthy and blow everything up in the first round. We're Stargazing, and we think about this stuff all. the. time. And we're only half-joking when we say that this episode is presented by StarsThoughts.com.

What's your biggest worry about the state of the Stars? Tell us about it at Defending Big D. We may bring up your points in the next podcast.

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The officially playoffs-bound Dallas Stars always seem to have one player or another going off these days. If it's not Wyatt Johnston racking up points like a veteran elite forward, or Jason Robertson regaining his scoring touch with a vengeance, then it might be Thomas Harley making a late run at the postseason awards with all the offensive-defenseman flair he can muster.

But we are Stars fans, which means we can't have nice things. So we're left to wonder if a Stanley Cup competitor's path through the Victory Green Gang will simply involve beating up on our favorite high-skill players until there aren't any left.

In this edition of Stargazing, Wes and Mark consider what the Stars' roster depth will mean for this year's postseason run. How important may it be that the front office hasn't overreacted to the team's perceived weaknesses? How long can their PDO bender last? And what will it mean for their chances if they can't slam the door more consistently on their opponents?

Think, for a moment, about the secret genius of pairing Lian Bichsel with Matt Dumba. We certainly have. This is Stargazing, brought to you by BetOnline.

What would this season have looked like without Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith? Tell us about it at Defending Big D. We may bring up your points in the next podcast.

And please leave us a like, review or share wherever you listen, because we're just about everywhere. Thanks!

By the time you listen to this, the Texas Stars will have already punched their ticket to the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs. Turns out Victory Green is a fun color in Austin Metro, too!

The Stars in Dallas benefit greatly when the Stars in Cedar Park succeed. So to take the measure of the T-Stars' prospects, Mark once again calls on the expertise of Stephen Meserve — creator of the must-read Texas Stars source 100 Degree Hockey and co-author of We Win Here: The Definitive Essays You Need About The Texas Stars.

In this episode, they address some hot topics:

• • how the Stars are working around their lack of draft capital,

• • why the organization remains a destination of choice for prospects and pros alike,

• • what needs to happen in the goalie pipeline,

• • what the future may hold for captain Curtis McKenzie,

• • the guys who might be playing on an NHL team next year, even if that team is not the Dallas Stars,

• • and so much more.

Does everything come down to left-handed D and right-handed D? Stargazing wonders, too. And it’s presented to you by BetOnline, because The Game Starts Here.

What happens if the T-Stars and the D-Stars are both deep in the playoffs at the same time? Let’s talk about it at Defending Big D. Your input always fuels our future casts. (And we'll mention you by name. Just saying.)

One more thing: Please don’t forget to give us a like, review, or share wherever you listen. Thanks!

The book has been written, and quite literally: The Dallas Stars are now co-favorites to win the 2025 Stanley Cup, and it's down to the deal that brought Mikko Rantanen into the fold.

How does this team look for a deep playoffs run, especially if Tyler Seguin returns in his early-season form? Is it ridiculous to put so much faith in this lineup so early? Can the defense measure up? And what does Rantanen's presence mean for the Stars going forward – their power play, their postseason resilience, their...whatever you've got?

History shows that we need all hands on deck for this kind of thing, so once again Wes and Mark have called in reinforcements. DBD's own Brad McDonnell – a former DFW-area sports reporter turned digital marketing expert – makes his Stargazing debut to talk about the Stars' latest rise. It's a fun ride, so listen someplace where you won't feel self-conscious about clapping along.

So...does the Victory Green Gang once again have a Top 3 top line in the NHL? Our listeners have questions. Stargazing has answers. And it's all brought to you by BetOnline, because The Game Starts Here for real.

Do you expect ’99 Stars-level offense from the roster of weapons Jim Nill has assembled? ...Are you willing to bet Jason Robertson's Brett Hull Invisibility Shield on it? Let's talk about it at Defending Big D. Your input always fuels our future casts. (And we have been known to mention players by name. Just saying.)

Hey, while you're there, don’t forget to give us a like, review, or share where you listen. Thanks for your support.