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Thomas Harley, Wyatt Johnston, Roope Hintz, and Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars celebrate a second period goal against the Winnipeg Jets in Game One of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

4 Takeaways From Stars’ Season-Opening Win Over Jets

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Marc Sautter | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 12:30 PM ET

Well, that was quite the start, eh? After months of waiting, it’s been a terrific week of hockey, and that includes last night’s nailbiter in Winnipeg.

The Dallas Stars controlled most of the game and scored three straight goals early in the third period to take a 5-1 lead. But two shorthanded goals by the Winnipeg Jets started the comeback that ultimately fell short, as the Stars held on for the 5-4 win.

There’s a lot to go through, so here are four takeaways from Thursday’s contest.

The Long-Awaited Return of Jonathan Toews

For the first time in 910 days, Jonathan Toews laced up his skates and played in an NHL game. Last night, it was for his hometown Jets in what was an emotional night in Winnipeg. Health issues prevented him from playing the last two seasons, and it was great to see the 37-year-old’s hard work bring him back to the NHL.

“I think it’s just really exciting before the game,” Toews said. “But then once you get your legs out under you, you just go out there and play. But as the game went on, you just try not to think about it too much and just enjoy it. You enjoy it when you play your best, and I just tried to find a way to do that.”

There are things we can take away from his performance, both good and bad, but we’re not going to break that down here. Bottom line is, for one game, he looked like he belonged out there, which is what everyone wanted to see.

Big Boys Came to Play in Winnipeg

Mikko Rantanen‘s eight-year contract extension (signed when he was traded to Dallas last March) kicked in on Thursday night, and he did not disappoint. Rantanen had a goal and three points against the Jets. He didn’t register a hit, but he was in the thick of scrums after the whistle and mixing it up whenever he had the chance.

“He was in everything,” head coach Glen Gulutzan said of Rantanen. “Took penalties. He was in all fabrics of the game, you know, and you like that. You want guys with a full stat line, and he competes hard. That’s what I love about him.”

Jason Robertson had a goal and two points, while Wyatt Johnston and Tyler Seguin chipped in with goals of their own. It was exactly what the Stars wanted to see from their top players, especially this early in the season. Last season, despite a good record to start, it wasn’t until the New Year that the team took off. It’s encouraging to see an opening night like this one from Dallas.

Nils Lundkvist also contributed with a goal on a beautiful wrist shot from the slot, which at the time, gave the Stars a 2-1 lead. While Lundkvist isn’t one of the “big boys”, he signed a one-year contract this summer that is effectively his last chance to solidify his future on the team. In our Stars Defense Preview, we spoke about how Lundkvist needs to get back to producing offense alongside his defensive play. After one game, he’s done just that.

Stars’ Penalty Kill Starts Where it Left Off

The Stars’ penalty kill was a staple during the Pete DeBoer era, and it was just fine without him last night. The Stars were 4-for-4 on the penalty kill, including a string of three straight penalties in the second period.

Last season, the Stars ranked fourth in the NHL on the penalty kill with an 82% success rate. They also had the sixth-fewest penalty minutes in the league. Under Gulutzan, there has been, and will be, an emphasis on physicality and grittier play, so there’s a chance that those penalty minutes will increase this season. If that’s the case, this penalty kill will need to have perfect nights like it did on Thursday.

Jake Oettinger’s Historic Night Despite Shaky Third Period

Thursday night was also a big night for Jake Oettinger. With the victory, Oettinger became the fastest American-born goaltender in NHL history to reach 150 wins. He’s also the first netminder in Stars history to win four season-openers. Marty Turco and Ed Belfour only had three each, which is impressive company for Oettinger to be in.

Jake Oettinger reaches the 150-win mark faster than any other American-born goalie in NHL history #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/8WUKKD4dCe
— Victory+ (@victoryplustv) October 10, 2025

As for the game itself, he wasn’t overly busy, but he made some key saves in the first two periods to give his team the opportunity to win it in the third. In that third period, the wheels fell off a little bit, but it’s hard to blame Oettinger for that.

On the first two goals, the Stars’ power play broke down and left Oettinger out to dry. On the third goal of the period, Connor just made a play, which he is prone to do. Sure, the numbers don’t look spectacular, but Oettinger played well enough to get his team the win.

Stars Now On to Denver

After playing and beating last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners, the Stars head to Denver to take on the rival Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

The Avalanche have already played two games, so maybe the Stars’ legs will have a bit more life. Either way, it’s going to be a fun night in Colorado.