I'm beyond excited to have Dallas Stars hockey back tonight. It's been a long summer of hearing how much the Florida Panthers are talking about winning a dynasty this season. I would love nothing more than to see that squashed by the Stars by winning the Stanley Cup and bringing it back home to Dallas. I think this is the year the rest of the league will have to give Dallas the respect it deserves. It's time for the #TexasHockey Revolution to begin.
Everyone is excited to see what level Mikko Rantanen can bring to the ice in his first full season with the team. He looks like he needed time last season to fit in with the team after being traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to Dallas. The Stars would never have seen the Western Conference Finals if it weren't for his hat-trick heroics against his former team, the Colorado Avalanche. If the Stars want to have a good season, he's got to get into the groove of things beginning tonight in Winnipeg.
Jason Robertson is another player whom people will be keeping an eye on this season. He is up for another contract, and his performance this season could determine his future earnings with Dallas. He won't have any injuries hindering him out of the gate this season, so a lot is to be expected from him this season. If he does well enough, the Stars will pay him and will haunt the other Central Division teams for a long time.
We can't forget the friendly Otter that protects the creases. Jake Oettinger is looking to do more than win a Stanley Cup this season. He's looking to be the starting goaltender for Team USA in the Winter Olympics next year. He is one of the top five goaltenders in the league, and it's time he deserves to be talked about like one. Maybe winning a gold medal while bringing home the Stanley Cup will quiet people's doubts about him as a goaltender in this league.
Lastly, we can't forget about Thomas Harley, who's becoming one of the rising star defenseman in the NHL. With all the long-term defenseman deals getting signed recently, Harley is about to become a pretty penny if he does well this season. It's a good problem to have when you have two high-performing players and both need new contracts shortly. It just goes to show that development with the Texas Stars doesn't need to be changed. All I have to say is the #TexasHockey Revolution is about to be televised. Either hop on the wagon or get out of the way.