Dallas boasts a league-leading power play, yet struggles persist at even strength. Discover how their scoring methods reveal a team of contrasts.
The Dallas Stars scored 273 goals during the regular season, finishing ninth in the NHL. A closer look at how those goals were generated reveals a team with clear strengths but also noticeable offensive gaps.
At even strength, Dallas produced 179 of its 273 goals, with 170 coming at five on five, a total that ranked 16th league wide. Special teams elevated that output significantly as the Stars scored 69 goals on the man advantage, plus two additional power play goals in other situations, giving them 71 total power play goals and the league’s top-ranked unit. Forward Wyatt Johnston led not only the team but the entire league with a record-setting 27 power play goals.
Beyond even strength and the power play, Dallas added 25 goals in other situations, including 11 empty netters, ten with the extra attacker, and four while shorthanded. Through the early postseason, the Stars have scored 11 goals, with just three coming at even strength, seven on the power play, and one into an empty net.
A deeper breakdown of scoring methods highlights a mixed offensive identity. The Stars struggled with wrist shots this season, scoring just 72 goals in that category, the third-fewest in the league. Jason Robertson led the team with 16 wrist shot goals. In the playoffs so far, two of the team’s 11 goals have come from wrist shots.
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Slap shots were largely absent from Dallas’ attack as the team recorded just 12 goals off slap shots, tying for the third-fewest in the league. Robertson and Miro Heiskanen each scored two goals via the clapper and just one of the Stars’ playoff goals has come from that method.
On the other hand, or side of the blade, backhand scoring was a major strength for Dallas this season, finishing with 31 backhand goals, ranking second league wide. Robertson led the team with nine and has also carried over into the playoffs with two goals having come from backhands.
Net-front production also stood out with the Stars recording 26 tip-in goals, tying for seventh-most in the NHL and Johnston leading the way with six. They added nine deflection goals, also ranking seventh. In the playoffs, three goals have come from tip-ins but none yet from deflections.
Dallas also produced a pair of rare wraparound goals this season coming from Robertson and depth forward Mavrik Bourque, placing them among a small group of players league wide to do so. Depth forward Sam Steel also added a rare goal via a poke check. The Stars did not record a goal this season on a batted puck or a through-the-legs attempt.
As the organization looks ahead, improving offensive variety remains a key objective. Increasing production from wrist shots and continuing to create chances around the crease could help Dallas continue to be such a dominant offensive force.
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