The Dallas Stars had a promising season in 2022-23. Though it didn’t end with a Cup or a visit to the Finals, there were several big moments worth celebrating and remembering. With how impressive the team has shown itself to be, there should be plenty to look forward to this Fall when the next season gets underway.
From franchise records to NHL records, the Dallas Stars didn’t allow themselves to be overlooked – even when they were down a few times. The team is often underrated, with NHL fans and journalists tending to undersell and overlook the impressive pieces Dallas has acquired over the last several years.
These are some of the biggest highlights from this season that should give fans hope for the future. Each of the records and stats discussed below comes from #NHLStats via the NHL’s official media.
Dallas Stars Records Mason Marchment: getting the puck rolling
When it comes to the stars on the Stars, Mason Marchment may not be the first name on anyone’s lips. Nonetheless, he set the tone for the team from the 2022-23 season opener. He had two important achievements at the beginning of the season. He scored the fourth-fastest goal in franchise history.
He also became the seventh player in franchise history to have multiple goals in his debut with the team. These may not be true record-breakers, but they gave the team momentum early in the season and put it on track to kick things off quickly in the scoring department. Though not the biggest highlights of the season, they show some serious potential from some of the team’s depth for the future.
Dallas Stars Records Jason Robertson: current & future superstar
It’s hard to argue against Jason Robertson being one of the NHL’s best upcoming stars overall. His brief career has had so many highs, it’s hard to believe this is only the beginning of what could come. He could prove to be one of the Dallas Stars’ all-time greats sooner than later should his performance continue to improve.
Already he is hitting marks that haven’t been seen since the 1980s. Overall, the team is looking the best it has in terms of some stats since the same time period. The 21st century is finally showing what the Stars could be. Jason Robertson’s resume for the season includes:
- Longest point-streak run since Gagner
- The third player in North Stars/Stars’ history with 25 or greater points within a month (since 1982, ’83, and /84)
- Third fewest games to score 40 goals, behind Dino Ciccarelli and Bobby Smith, who set the marks in the 1980s
- Fourth most points by a Star in a calendar year, surpassing Jamie Benn
- HIt 60 points fastest in the relocation era, behind only Bobby Smith’s franchise record from the ’80s
- The third player in team history with consecutive 40-goal seasons
- Fourth player in team history with multiple 40-goal seasons
- Beat Tyler Seguin’s record of most points in the first 200 games in the relocation era
- Fourth player in team history with a triple-digit point total within a season
If that wasn’t enough, he also reached 20 goals before any other active player this season. Even though he couldn’t stay ahead of every other player in the NHL, his goal-scoring speed and tally were still very impressive all things considered. With such impressive markers set already, one can only wonder what he can do once he’s settled in more and gained more experience.
Dallas Stars Records Jake Oettinger: The team’s ultimate cornerstone
Jake “Otter” Oettinger is proving to be one of the best-ever Dallas Stars’ goalies and will likely only get better. He’s the second goalie in team history to reach five wins in size or fewer appearances – in multiple seasons, behind only Kari Lehtonen. He has the second most wins (54) in his first 100 games, trailing behind only Ed Belfour (60).
Oettinger is also the fifth goalie in NHL history to record forty wins before his 24th birthday. He is behind Sawchuk, Quick, Luit, and Crozier – making him the second active goaltender with the achievement. If that wasn’t enough, Playoff Otter has the highest playoff save percentage on record since the 1950s, at age 24 or younger, with a .941. He has only appeared in 28 playoff games over three seasons, making him the team’s foundation for the foreseeable future.
Dallas Stars Records Miro Heiskanen: Strong defense aids great offense
While Heiskanen may not have as many records as his offensive teammates, he’s well on his way to being one of the team’s best-ever defensemen. He’s already chasing former Dallas Star, John Klingberg’s records. He has also broken the longest point streak record for a defenseman in franchise history, topping Craig Hartsburg, who earned the mark in 1986. He’s also the team’s third defenseman to have a 50-assist season, alongside John Klingberg and Sergei Zubov, ushering in a new defensive era.
Dallas Stars Records Wyatt Johnston: A star is born
This teenager had a stellar debut season thanks to his hard work and chemistry with his veteran linemates. He’s the second youngest Star to have a goal or more in his debut – the first since 1987. He’s the first teenager in team history to record a 3-game goal streak on the road. He has the fifth most goals in a season by a teen in team history, behind Bellows, Modano, and McCarthy. He’s the second youngest player to score a series-clincher in team history.
If all that wasn’t enough, he became the sixth teen in NHL Stanley Cup Playoff history to have a series-clinching goal – the first of the 21st century. Johnston could have a promising future should his line pairings continue to pay off.
Dallas Stars Records Joe Pavelski: Veteran leading by example
It’s no secret that Pavelski was one of the oldest players in the league to do just about anything this year. Amongst those records are other impressive achievements as well, including hitting the 1000 career point milestone, his 1200th career game, and the overtaking of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin for most playoff points by an active NHL player.
His age records include being the oldest player to score in an elimination game, to score a hat trick, and to score four goals in a playoff game (since Maurice Richard in 1957 at age 35). He also leads the Dallas Stars in all-time powerplay goals, while also having been tied with Mike Modano for most power-play goals by a U.S.-born player back in November.
He’s tied with Dale Hunter for his 230th multi-point game. He also has the Stars’ record for most goals in a single series, since he earned eight against the Seattle Kraken. His leadership has helped create one of the most dynamic eras of Dallas Stars’ hockey.
Looking Toward the Future, Today
With so many great pieces and achievements, it’s no wonder the Stars made it as far as they did this season. While there were several hiccups throughout the season, this is some of the best offense in years. Hopefully, consistency will be the next defining attribute of the team.
Thankfully, many of the season’s achievements were earned by the team’s youngest players and most promising drafted talent. Though the saying may not always be appreciated, there’s a lot going on that can make fans “like where we’re at,” while still hoping for more to come in the near future.