2017-18 record: 42-32-8 (92 points)
Missed the playoffs
Captain: Jamie Benn
The Dallas Stars had everything set up for a potential parade through Dallas last season. They signed the big fish in Ben Bishop, signed Alexander Radulov and Martin Hanzal, and even brought back Ken Hitchcock. In short, this was supposed to be a team that made a deep run. Then, the season started, and things didn't go as planned, as the Stars suddenly couldn't score like they wanted, Bishop got hurt, and very little went right in a division where even the slightest miscue could spell doom. This year, expectations are tempered, and they are starting over again with a new head coach after Hitchcock decided to ride off into the sunset.
How does a team featuring Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn finish 18th in scoring? That was a question the Stars were asking, and as of this time, they still haven't shored up the depth that is now showing cracks. Jason Spezza, Martin Hanzal, and others will need to pick up the slack in scoring because Seguin, Benn, and Radulov can't do it all. Speaking of Seguin, his contract situation bears watching because this season is his last of the current deal, and Stars management hasn't engaged in talks with him yet. Whether or not it is a distraction is worth noting. Defensively, they were surprisingly in the top 10, and much of that was Hitchcock emphasizing defensive play. New head coach Jim Montgomery figures to continue where Hitchcock left off, though he is coming from the college ranks, and thus far, the results (namely Dave Hakstol) have been so-so. Depth is still an issue, and Roman Polak was the only addition for a team that needs help. If Miro Heiskanen can crack the lineup, that would go a long way in solving that issue. In goal, Bishop was everything Dallas paid for when healthy. The problem was that the health wasn't always there, and the team suffered when Kari Lehtonen was forced to start. Anton Khudobin was signed to provide better goaltending at a lower price.
Prediction: 6th in the Central Division
Unlike last season, the Stars didn't make many moves, and certainly, the Tyler Seguin contract has a lot to do with it. The Stars should be better if Bishop can stay healthy and the offense can find its spark again. However, they are in the Central Division, where just about everyone is good, so climbing past teams like Nashville, Winnipeg, and Colorado may be too big of a task.
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