Dallas Stars: Examining Their Competition In Stanley Cup Playoff Race

The Stars’ Final Stretch

Record: 41-31-7, 89 points, 40 ROW

Current position: First wild card spot

Playoff odds (via Sports Club Stats): 99.8 percent

The Dallas Stars have been stuck on a rollercoaster for much of the 2018-19 regular season.

After starting the year with a new head coach, new players, and a new scheme, the Stars have faced a mountain of trials through 72 games. From early season injuries to key players, to front office drama, and winning streaks combated quickly by losing streaks, it’s been quite the ride to witness.

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But here they sit on March 19. They are eight games above .500, sit in the first wild card spot, and own playoff odds above 90 percent.

That’s due to a handful of things. For starters, they are 5-2-1 in the month of March and 8-4-1 in their past 13 games. They are getting hot at the right time of the season and winning important games after struggling through the middle part of February. They have posted an impressive record against the Central division so far and are finding ways to stay in the middle of the race.

Their goaltending is running the show, with Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin combining for the second-highest NHL save percentage at .923. And, considering the Dallas Stars own the third-lowest goals per game average, strong goaltending is a critical need.

As of right now, the Stars and Blues are the realistic contenders for third in the Central. They have flip-flopped with each other over the past few weeks and will likely continue doing so in the final 10 games. But with a handful of other teams trailing close behind the top wild card spot, Dallas must keep an eye on both directions.

Here’s how the Stars’ final leg of the race looks.

4/2 vs. Philadelphia, 4/5 @ Chicago, 4/6 vs. Minnesota

That’s the 20th-most difficult remaining schedule in the NHL according to Power Rankings Guru. Only three of their final 10 opponents currently sit in a playoff spot, so the schedule seems to favor their final trek.

But with the way the Stars’ season has gone up to this point, there’s no point in relying on the probable. Each game boasts a different opportunity to get ahead or fall behind. The Dallas Stars know that and are preparing for each one in the same fashion.

There’s nothing to take for granted at this point in the season and the Stars are keeping their sights set on the next game.

“What’s been has been,” said forward Mattias Janmark back on March 9. “There’s a new game ahead and we have to look forward to the next game. If we were to lose some games in a row, we have to just do the same and focus on the next game. We can’t afford to look back; we have to win the next game every time. There’s always two points on the line and it’s huge for the playoff race, so we have to look forward.”

As of right now, though, the scales seem to be tipping in their favor.