Dallas Stars Should Be the Stanley Cup Favorites

Rantanen has taken over games single-handedly and is a huge reason why Dallas advanced past the first round and now holds a 2-1 series lead against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets. The Stars took a bold swing at the trade deadline by acquiring Rantanen, sending top prospect Logan Stankoven and multiple first-round picks to the Colorado Avalanche. With Stanley Cup aspirations in mind, it was a calculated risk—and it’s paying off. Dallas quickly locked him up with an eight-year, $12.5 million annual average value extension that already looks like a bargain.

The Stars have faced adversity—losing Miro Heiskanen to injury that occurred on Jan 28. against the Vegas Golden Knights and only just getting Jason Robertson back in time for the second round. That made Rantanen’s emergence even more crucial. When you acquire a superstar at the deadline, this is exactly what you hope for: elite production when it matters most. Rantanen has always delivered in the postseason—he now has 119 points (43 goals, 76 assists) in 91-career playoff games.

Simply put, Rantanen is the number-one reason the Stars should be considered Stanley Cup favorites. If he continues this level of play, it’s hard to imagine any team stopping them.

Getting Healthy

As mentioned earlier, the Stars entered the playoffs without two of their top players fully healthy—Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. Robertson returned to the lineup in Game 1 of the second round but has yet to register a point. His late-season injury, sustained in the final regular-season game, sparked criticism of head coach Pete DeBoer for playing his stars in a game many considered meaningless. But I understand his thought process behind it.

In Robertson’s absence, other players had to step up—and they did. While the Stars started the playoffs a bit sluggish, even though they had a 2-1 lead over the Avalanche in the first round, it was clear that Jake Oettinger was the primary reason for that early success. But beginning with Game 5, the entire roster seemed to elevate their play. Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, Tyler Seguin, and Roope Hintz all made significant contributions, and Dallas also got timely scoring from its depth. One standout moment was Colin Blackwell’s overtime game-winning goal in Game 2 of the first round in a 4-3 win—a clutch performance, even if it remains his only point of the postseason. He hasn’t played since Robertson’s return, but his impact was critical when needed.

As for Heiskanen, the Stars had already been without him for the final 32 games of the regular season. Although the team stumbled at times without their top defenseman, they’ve managed to maintain strong play in the postseason. A big reason for that has been Thomas Harley, who has stepped up in a major way, logging a team-high average of 27:11 in ice time per game while contributing eight points (three goals, five assists). He’s been a reliable presence in all situations and a breakout star on the blue line.

With the Stars gradually getting healthier, their ceiling only rises. Few teams in the playoffs can match Dallas in both top-end talent and depth. If they continue this trajectory, there’s no reason why the Stars shouldn’t be the Western Conference’s representative in the Stanley Cup Final.

Depth and Goaltending

The Stars have had 17 players record at least one point in the 10 playoff games they have played so far. I do think the Stars have the best depth out of any remaining team in the NHL playoffs. Getting contributions from players up and down their lineup. It also goes beyond the scoresheet. Winning faceoffs, killing penalties, working the opposing teams in the corners and winning puck battles, making crisp passes and not turning the puck over as well as creating turnovers. I could go on for days on how the Stars depth contributes to the lineup game in and game out.

Depth wins championships in the NHL. We saw it last season with the Panthers, who had the best depth in the league. Granted Connor McDavid pulled the Edmonton Oilers to a Game 7 against them after being down 3-0 in the series however the team with the better depth won. It was the same in 2023 with the Golden Knights and in 2022 the Avalanche.

Regarding goaltending, Oettinger has been excellent for the Stars. In 10 games played, he has posted a 6-4 record with a 2.71 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. He’s held them in multiple games — especially to start the playoffs against the Avalanche — has made the saves he’s needed to, and has bailed the team out when they’ve needed him to. He has a goals saved above expected of 3.8 which ranks fourth out of any goaltender who has played five or more games in the playoffs. If he can keep up his play and the depth keeps contributing, they could end up hoisting Lord Stanley’s mug come the middle of June.

If the Stars keep up their current play, there is reason they should not be the favorite to win the Stanley Cup. Are they your favorite? If not, comment why they aren’t and tell me who your favorite is and why!