Several Stars veterans have played over 1,000 NHL games without raising a Stanley Cup. The Western Conference Finals could bring them one step closer to that goal.
Winning a Stanley Cup is never easy. Just ask the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers.
Dallas is looking for their second Cup in franchise history after winning in 1999. The Oilers have five Stanley Cups to their credit, although all of them came between 1984 and 1990.
The Stars have had chances in recent years, having made the WCF for the second consecutive season and third in the last five. This will be Edmonton's 11th trip to the conference finals and its first since the 2021-22 season.
Four Stars veterans who have played at least 1,000 NHL games are still seeking the thrill of raising the Cup for the first time. Ryan Suter (1,571), Joe Pavelski (1,527), Jamie Benn (1,208) and Matt Duchene (1,101) all hope this will be the year that drought finally comes to an end.
Containing the Oilers' Scoring Machine
Dallas finished the 2023-24 regular season 2-0-1 against Edmonton, including a nationally televised 5-0 shutout on April 3.
The Stars have been historically dominant in the post-season against the Oilers, winning five of six matchups. Two of those series victories came the year Dallas won the Stanley Cup (1999) and the following year, when they advanced to the Stanley Cup finals (2000).
However, the two teams have not met in a playoff series since 2003. As the Stars have discovered, dominance often doesn't dictate what transpires during the playoffs. They ousted the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche in the first two rounds of this post-season despite having a losing record to both teams during the regular season.
Like Colorado, the Oilers have several players who are difficult to contain in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Draisaitl (8-16-24), McDavid (2-19-21), Bouchard (5-15-20) and Nugent-Hopkins (4-12-16) are the top four scorers in the NHL this post-season. If that isn't enough, forward Zach Hyman has 11 goals in 12 playoff games, the most goals so far this post-season.
Dallas was able to stifle the Edmonton offensive attack during the regular season. McDavid managed just one assist over the three meetings, while Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins each had two assists. Bouchard tallied two goals and Hyman was held scoreless. Now, their task is to do that over a seven-game series with a trip to the Stanley Cup final on the line.
Dallas proved it can defend against multi-pronged offensive attacks when it counts, having done so against the Avs' Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar.
Special Teams Skill
As they typically do, the power-play and penalty-kill units will play a vital role in this series. Edmonton leads the NHL this post-season on the power play, going 15-for-40 (37.5%). The Stars are 9-for-31 (29.0%, fourth in the league.
The Oilers' penalty-kill unit is tops in the NHL during the playoffs at 91.4% (3-for-35), while Dallas ranks 11th at 8-for-26 (69.2%).
The Stars were the most disciplined team in the NHL during the regular season, serving the fewest penalty minutes. They are second in the league during the playoffs while Edmonton is 11th.
Goalie vs. Goalie
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger has seen action in every minute of all 13 games during these playoffs. He currently posts an 8-5 record with a 2.09 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. On the opposite end is Stuart Skinner, who has had his ups and downs for the Oilers this post-season.
Skinner is 7-3, 2.87 GAA, .881 SV%. The goals-against and save percentage are both worst in the NHL among netminders still in the playoffs. Skinner was pulled in the second period of Game 3 against the Vancouver Canucks after giving up four goals on 15 shots. He was replaced by Calvin Pickard before being reinstated as the starter in games 6 and 7. In three games, Pickard is 1-1 with a 2.21 GAA and .915 SV%.
Injury and Health Updates
Stars head coach Pete DeBoer announced during Thursday's morning skate that Oettinger will start Game 1 against the Oilers. Oettinger left practice early on Wednesday after feeling under the weather.
Forward Roope Hintz will not play in Game 1 and is still listed as day-to-day. DeBoer is hopeful Hintz will be ready to go for Game 2.
Defenseman Jani Hakanpaa is still out and will likely not see action early in the series.
Projected Lines:
Marchment-Duchene-Pavelski
Benn-Seguin-Dadonov
Robertson-Johnston-Stankoven
Faksa-Steel-Smith
Harley-Heiskanen
Lindell-Tanev
Suter-Petrovic
Oettinger
Stars general manager Jim Nill has been named a finalist for the 2023-24 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award, the NHL announced Thursday.
Nill won the award in 2022-23 and is a finalist for a record fourth time. He's vying to join Lou Lamoriello (2019-20 and 2020-21) as the only GM to capture the award in consecutive seasons.
Nill is a finalist along with Patrik Alvin (Vancouver Canucks) and Bill Zito (Florida Panthers).
Puck drop for Thursday's Game 1 is set for 7:30 Pm CT and will be televised on TNT and TruTV.