The Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets are about to face each other in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Stars found a way to return in the third period of game 7 and send the Colorado Avalanche home for the summer. Now they are going up against a Central Division powerhouse in the Winnipeg Jets. This won't be an easy series for the Dallas Stars. They are going up against the best team in the entire league for a chance to play the Vegas Golden Knights or the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals.
The Stars have several players who need to show up beginning later tonight. Some of those players are from the top line that helped the Stars make it to game 7. Other players were injured in the first round or didn't have much of an impact. The Stars need all hands on deck to make the Western Conference Finals this season. Here are the four players on the Stars who need to show up in the semifinals against the Jets.
Dallas Stars Players: 4. Mikko Rantanen
Let's start with the guy who won game 7 for the Dallas Stars. Mikko Rantanen must show up in round 2 if the Stars want to advance to the Western Conference Finals this year. He showed up late in the first round, especially in the third period of game 7. The Stars are not advancing in the playoffs if the Moose is dormant in the second round. It's time for the Moose to show up and take out the Jets in their airspace in this series. It's time for him to show the NHL that he's worth the 96 million dollars.
Dallas Stars Players: 3. Matt Duchene
Dutchy is another player on the Stars who needs to show up against the Jets. I'm surprised he was quiet in the first round despite going against his former team. We all know he went cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs when he scored the double-overtime game-winning goal last season. Dutchy needs to show up against the Jets to help the Stars get to the next round of the playoffs. The fact that he's been quiet in the playoffs so far is somewhat concerning, given how the Stars have been playing.
Dallas Stars Players: 2. Roope Hintz
The Dallas Stars need one of their top Finnish players to show up against the Jets beginning tonight. In game 6 of the playoffs, Hintz and Rantanen both went off against the Avalanche, and the Stars couldn't finish the job in the next period. That type of Hintz needs to show up against the Jets beginning later tonight. The Stars need him to produce some offensive magic, whether scoring a goal or setting up the Moose and Granny for their own goals. Hintz must show up in the second round.
Dallas Stars Players: 1. Jason Robertson
I hate to have to throw Jason Robertson into the fire immediately, but the Stars need their leading scorer to show up big time against the Jets. Robertson missed the first round of the playoffs due to a lower-body injury he suffered against the Nashville Predators in the final game of the regular season. Robertson has been on fire since coming back from the 4-Nations Tournament. I know he's cooled off while recovering from his injury; however, he needs to find that fire beginning tonight if the Stars want a chance of making the Western Conference Finals.