For the first time in NHL history, the league will play an all-time high 84 regular season games in the upcoming 2026-27 season, and the change will only make it tougher for the Dallas Stars.

The major reason for the change was to balance out the schedule for inter-divisional play, which was the only asymmetrical part of the calendar left in an near-perfect spread of opponents. The two extra games allow teams to play each divisional opponent four times, while previously two division rivals per team only saw three games, rotating season-by-season.

Now, every team plays teams in their division four times, teams in the other division within their conference three times, and teams in the opposite conference twice. In order to make that happen, the amount of preseason games was reduced.

It was not too long ago that teams only saw an opponent from the opposite conference once, which meant the home fans might miss out on seeing one of the league's best players for an entire season. Progressively, the league has found a perfect balance of playing every opponent an appropriate amount of times.

For the Stars, two more games against divisional opponents means two more grueling games against what is routinely the toughest division in the league. Even the worst teams in the division over the past couple seasons have superstars like Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks and Steven Stamkos of the Nashville Predators. Three of the best five teams in the entire league last season came from the Central Division, and it was a huge reason why Dallas didn't make it past the first round.

The Stars aren't used to things being easy, and the new schedule will only add to the gauntlet of the regular season for Dallas this year.

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