NHL Favorite May Be Out in First Round

DALLAS — The postseason path just got a lot less comfortable in Texas.

Dallas Stars enter the playoffs as a Cup contender, but a Round 1 matchup with the Minnesota Wild has quickly turned into one of the most dangerous first-round draws in the bracket.

The Wild are not a typical lower seed. They bring elite goaltending stretches, structured defense and a grinding style that can slow even the league’s most explosive offenses. That combination makes them exactly the kind of opponent that can flip a playoff script early.

For Dallas, the concern is matchup pressure. The Stars rely heavily on offensive flow and transition speed, but Minnesota’s system is built to clog lanes, force low-percentage shots and drag games into tight, one-goal territory.

That is where upsets live.

The Stars entered the postseason with legitimate Stanley Cup expectations, fueled by scoring depth and veteran leadership. But first-round exits have a way of erasing regular-season momentum, no matter how strong the underlying numbers look.

Minnesota, meanwhile, embraces the underdog role. If the series becomes a defensive grind or turns on special teams, the Wild have shown they can steal games — and sometimes entire series — from more talented opponents.

The margin for error in a matchup like this is razor-thin. One cold scoring stretch, one hot goaltending performance, and a Cup favorite can be headed home before the bracket even opens up.

Dallas may still be the better team on paper.

But the playoffs are not played on paper.