Why Dallas Stars fans shouldn't expect any surprise stories out of training camp this year

The Dallas Stars are set to begin training camp with Glen Gulutzan back behind the bench, but analyst Brian Sweet warns fans not to expect any surprise breakout stories like Wyatt Johnston or Miro Heiskanen, as the veteran-heavy roster is built for a Stanley Cup push rather than rookie experimentation

Brian Sweet recalled Johnston's emergence, when many assumed he'd spend a year in the AHL with the Texas Stars before making the jump. Instead, he forced Dallas to keep him, famously moving in with Joe Pavelski and quickly becoming a core piece. That kind of storyline has fueled preseason intrigue ever since.

Why Glen Gulutzan and the Dallas Stars may lean on veterans in 2025-26

This time around, Sweet thinks the Stars are unlikely to take that risk.

"While it would be nice to see a player like Emil Hemming make his way onto the Stars' roster, the Stars aren't going to do that with Glen Gulutzan and his first year returning to coach the team a second time around."

Gulutzan inherits a group that has reached three straight Western Conference Finals, and his focus will be on maximizing a roster built to win now. As Sweet noted, the front office won't want to saddle him with a rookie making NHL-level mistakes in the middle of a Cup window.

That means players like Emil Hemming and Cameron Schmidt will almost certainly have to wait, no matter how intriguing they look in Victory Green during camp. Sweet admitted there's always a chance one could force management's hand, but the safer bet is that Dallas enters 2025-26 with a veteran-heavy team.

As Blackout Dallas explained, Gulutzan and the Stars want experience to carry the load, not rookies still adjusting to NHL speed.

And as NHL.com has highlighted in recent previews, Dallas's prospect pool remains strong, even if its breakout moments won't come this season.

Personally, I think Sweet is right, this year is about stability, not surprises, even if part of me still hopes one of the kids makes the decision tougher for Gulutzan.