Another chapter in the Dallas Stars organization is about to begin a week from today when training camp begins. You could say it starts this weekend with the prospect tournament they are hosting in Frisco, but it technically begins next Thursday. As we enter a new season of Dallas Stars hockey, there are so many things to be optimistic about. Here are five things that Stars fans should be confident about heading into the new season.
1. The Stars are Our Team
If you are reading this, there is a good chance you’re either a Dallas Stars fan or a fan of another NHL team. I became a Stars fan late in life after remembering a phrase my Dad would tell me growing up. He would say, “You always have to cheer for your home team.” This doesn’t mean that this is the only team you can cheer for, but I took his advice, and after relocating to the Lone Star State, the Dallas Stars became my team. If you are a Stars fan living outside of Texas, good for you representing the Stars… wherever you are. So local and dispersed fans alike, it’s time to unite! Our team is about to be back on the ice. That’s reason enough to be optimistic.
2. The Stars Were Able to Keep Most of Their Roster
Reading through the roster list, fans will recognize several familiar names. The Stars were able to keep many players from their two-time Western Conference Final team. Although the off-season saw the parting of ways from fan-favorites, players like Mikael Granlund and Mason Marchment, the Stars were able to extend contracts with key players like captain Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, and Wyatt Johnson, to name a few. The Stars also see the return of players like goaltender Jake Oettinger, Jason Robertson, and Mikko Rantanen. With a majority of their team returning, the Stars continue to build on their reputation of being a top contender for the Stanley Cup.
3. Mikko Rantanen
In March 2025, the Stars added former Stanley Cup champion Mikko Rantanen to their roster. After navigating a difficult trade, playing for three teams in a matter of months, Rantanen played twenty regular-season games for the Stars, earning almost a point per game. He also led the Stars in playoff points and helped eliminate his former team in the first round of the playoffs. Now imagine what he can do without the emotional strain of a three-team trade, a whole training camp with the Stars, and playing an entire season with the same team. For these reasons, the glass is looking half full with a player like Rantanen in the lineup this year.
4. A Change is as Good as a Rest
If a change is as good as a rest, Dallas got both over the summer. An off-season break to rest and refresh, and several modifications by way of additions to the coaching staff. The Stars announced Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach in July 2025. Gulutzan makes a return to the Stars coaching staff after his first attempt ten years ago. The summer also saw the additions of other coaches, including assistant coach Neil Graham, a longtime coach in the Stars association, and assistant coach David Pelletier, a skating coach from Edmonton and Olympic figure skating gold medalist. These changes and an off-season rest may be just what the Stars needed to push them into the Stanley Cup Finals.
5. A New Beginning
New beginnings can naturally feel optimistic because they hold the possibility of all types of potential. Every team gets a clean slate, so to speak. Every team starts with the same record, 0-0. There may be some unfinished business from the previous season that is carried over to this one, but the metaphorical record book is brand new. There is no record of goals scored, no power play percentages, and nothing has been recorded yet. It is a blank page just waiting for the season to start. In a league like the NHL, where anything can happen, a list of returning players and the addition of new coaches, Stars fans should feel optimistic about the upcoming season. It is a chance for a fresh start, full of possibilities, and as wide open as an empty net.