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Seattle Kraken goaltender Matt Murray stops a shot by Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

Stars’ Big 3 Clicking as Dallas Heads to Montreal

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Marc Sautter | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 3:15 PM ET

The Dallas Stars (10-4-3) head to Montreal to play the Canadiens on Thursday night, currently sit second in the Central Division, and are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. At first glance, it seems status quo for a team that has made it to the Western Conference Final three years in a row.

However, after a deeper look, this team has every excuse in the world to be near the bottom of the standings. Between having a new coach behind the bench and having major injuries in their top six, plus the excuse that every team has of playing a lot of games in a short period due to the 2026 Winter Olympic break in February, this loyal fanbase would be disappointed but understanding if things were a little sideways.

Yet, here they are with points in 10 of the last 11 games and have won high-scoring games, low-scoring games, and everything in between. They are finding ways to get it done, and to say it’s been a team effort is an understatement. However, there are three key guys leading the way.

Johnston and Rantanen: The New Dynamic Duo

With Mikael Granlund leaving in free agency, Mason Marchment leaving via trade, and three of their top-six players (Jamie Benn, Roope Hintz, and Matt Duchene) being out of the lineup due to injury, new bench boss Glen Gulutzan has had to find chemistry in the face of early adversity.

Last season, Granlund, Hintz, and Mikko Rantanen made up the top line ever since Granlund came to the Stars in a January trade. With Granlund gone, we have seen Sam Steel up there, Jason Robertson, and when Hintz went out with an injury, we saw Robertson and Wyatt Johnston alongside Rantanen.

Well, as it turns out, Johnston with Rantanen has been a revelation, both 5-on-5 and on the power play. Through 16 games, Rantanen is seventh in the NHL in points with 23, and Johnston is 21st with 20. That might seem like their pretty far down in the rankings, but considering the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon has 29 and the point totals are log-jammed this early in the season, I would say that’s pretty good.

They’re up there in goals as well; Johnston has 10 and Rantanen has nine. Again, MacKinnon leads the league with 14, so not too shabby for those boys, I’d say. If we’re going to get even more specific, they are both in the top 10 in points since Nov. 1. Johnston has four goals and 10 points, and Rantanen has four goals and 10 points.

So, why does this matter? Heading into September, the hole Granlund left was a big topic of conversation. Yes, they still have elite goal scorers and playmakers, but someone was bound to be out of place coming out of the bottom six trying to fill his shoes. Now, they don’t always play together. Steel has underrated speed and has jumped up in the lineup since Hintz has been back. Robertson has had his looks, too. But it feels like a secret weapon for Gulutzan to know that even if they don’t start the game together, he has two guys with newfound chemistry who can give his team a spark.

Robertson Was, and Is, Due for a Big Night

In years past, if Robertson wasn’t putting up numbers, you literally didn’t hear his name or notice him on the ice. Despite his lack of goals, it is encouraging to know that has not been the case at all so far in 2025-26.

So far, he leads the Stars in shots by a mile with 69, while the next closest are Johnston with 52, Rantanen with 48, and then Miro Heiskanen with 40. He’s third in the NHL, and currently sits five shots below — you guessed it, MacKinnon — who has 74.

He has had multiple high-danger chances every single night, is involved in every power play, and is creating chances on the regular. He just couldn’t buy a goal, that is until Tuesday night in Ottawa. He did have 11 assists in the first 16 games, which is pretty good, but Robertson isn’t judged by assists. It’s goals, it has always been goals, and he is more than due to start racking up cookies the way we have known him to throughout his career.

Quick Test Up North Before Heading Home

The Stars’ quick trip to Canada ends tonight in Montreal. They beat the Ottawa Senators (8-5-4) 3-2 in overtime on Thursday night, after starting the game in a quick 2-0 hole. Now, they take on the Canadiens (8-5-3) on Thursday, who are quickly planting their flag as the best up-and-coming team in the NHL.

After making the playoffs last season for the first time in forever, the Senators have started the season a little shaky. Yes, they are third in the Atlantic Division, but every night seems to be unpredictable, especially when it comes to their goaltending, and that proved to be the case on Tuesday. After starting the night with a bang, they let the Stars slowly chip away at a small two-goal lead and eventually take the game in overtime.

This is something we have seen from the Stars for most of the season: they start the game on the wrong foot before finding a way to steal a point, and in some cases, two.

On Thursday, the Stars will be taking on a completely different animal in the Canadiens. Yes, there’s an argument to be made that the Senators should be miles ahead of the Canadiens in their respective rebuilds, considering the Senators have been expected to make the playoffs for years now. The Canadiens, on the other hand, made the playoffs last season, and in many pundits’ opinions, did so a season ahead of schedule.

Now, the Canadiens are proving that they are the real deal. They are sixth in the NHL in goals, fifth on the power play, and tied for third in the stat that matters the most, wins. Going to Montreal used to be a trip that demanded two points for a good team like the Stars. That just simply isn’t the case anymore. This is going to be a hard-fought battle and should prove to be a good test.

Before we wrap up, let’s go back to the beginning for a minute. It’s kind of crazy calling any group of players on the Stars the “Big 3”. Between Heiskanen, Seguin, Duchene, Benn, Thomas Harley, and Jake Oettinger, the Stars have a ton of players who pay big roles. However, where Robertson, Johnston, and Rantanen go, the Stars go. They might not need all three to go at once, but when they do, this team is borderline unstoppable.