Dallas Stars: Previewing Tonight’s Pre-Season Game Against the Blues

It’s almost October and the Dallas Stars will finally hit the ice at the American Airlines Center tonight for a game against one of their divisional rivals, the St. Louis Blues.

The outcome of tonight’s match-up may not mean anything at all, but it’s going to be the first glimpse of new head coach Jim Montgomery’s influence on the Dallas Stars in a game.

After tonight’s game, the Stars head out on the road for their next two pre-season games, then return to the AAC on Sept. 24.

Unfortunately for fans who aren’t in the area, the Stars won’t be broadcasting the game.

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For anyone who is nearby, the tickets are significantly cheaper than a regular season game, which makes it a great option for fans looking to stay on a budget who don’t mind the fact that the game doesn’t matter in the standings.

Traditionally, the roster gets split into two groups for most of pre-season until cuts whittle the team into a smaller size.

In their partial roster tonight, the Blues will be bringing a few of their newest additions, including Ryan O’Reilly. They acquired O’Reilly from the Sabres this summer in a trade that garnered a lot of attention.

Most of the biggest name Blues players will be absent, like Vladimir Tarasenko and team captain Alex Pietrangelo. The Blues are likely holding them back for home play, similar to what the Stars do with their top players.

There was morning practice today, and the Stars’ roster for tonight is set:

Pre-season lines are far from definitive, but it’s a chance for Montgomery to see how each group plays together. It’s noteworthy that he’s starting with Alexander Radulov on the top line and Valeri Nichushkin on the second line, as that’s been a point of discussion among fans all summer, but it doesn’t mean that’s how things will shake out all season. It could even switch around by opening night depending on how they play.

On the defensive end, the duo of John Klingberg and Esa Lindell will split up tonight as Klingberg pairs with Miro Heiskanen and Lindell pairs with Julius Honka. Roman Polak will also get his first start in a Stars jersey, though it may be quite some time before he gets a regular-season start, as he’s likely to slot in as the seventh defenseman.

The fourth line of Nick Caamano, Ty Dellandrea, and Jason Robertson should get fans excited, as three of the top prospects in the system will be skating together. All three could easily be on the roster within the next few years, so this provides an early preview of what’s to come.

Roope Hintz will be centering the third line. Hintz has played very well recently and looks ready to make the jump to the NHL as soon as there’s an opening for him.

There’s just over two weeks until opening night, but the roster still has a long way to go and the first round of cuts should come some time this week.