Not too long ago, the Dallas Stars were sitting pretty after three straight divisional wins to start the season, but now after three losses in a row, there are some early signs of concern about how the team is playing and what it could mean moving forward.

A 5-1 loss to a young Columbus Blue Jackets team highlighted some issues that have been slowly creeping into the Stars game in the early season, and the result was an ugly, lopsided loss. The Blue Jacket took advantage of a defense that has allowed 23 goals in six games, a stat that is even more shocking given Jake Oettinger has started all but one of those games. It's not on the Vezina and Team USA hopeful starter so far - the numbers could be much worse without some spectacular saves along the way.

Thomas Harley has gone from standout to stand-around so far, evidenced by one goal from Columbus in which he was caught flat-footed skating back into the defensive zone, not closing the gap to the shooter and allowing a Jacket to get a hard wrist shot off that beat Oettinger clean. Harley has lost some playing time on the power play, but it is his defense he needs to get under control right now, which is quite concerning. This is a player who is supposed to be equally as talented as Miro Heiskanen, and a defense corps that is the key to the Stars depth with the amount of money invested in it.

And while the defense is struggling, now the offense is struggling to finish and the line-up is looking shockingly limp compared to the firepower of the past few seasons under former coach Pete DeBoer. With injuries to Jamie Benn and now Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin found himself on a line with Adam Erne and Colin Blackwell Tuesday. Kudos to that trio, though, because after getting put together, the three were the most dangerous every time they hit the ice. They were responsible for the only goal scored for Dallas and Erne had a good jump all night long.

That is great for those players, but shocking that the other players on the ice were getting outplayed by a player who was on a try-out in training camp. Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz have been saddled with bottom-six forwards as the third member of their line rather than reaping the rewards of an in-form looking Jason Robertson. The quality chances are there, but that trio isn't putting the puck in the net. And with the loss of offensive-minded Nils Lundkvist on the back end, it is one more black hole poked in the offensive output.

The offense actually started well, scoring three goals or more in their first four games. But in St. Louis and then repeated at home against Columbus, it didn't take much to see how the Stars offense could be in danger if their depth dries up at any point, or if any sort of injury bug hits Dallas again at a critical time.

New head coach Glen Gulutzan has a lot of re-tooling to do now that the team is back to .500, having lost three consecutive games in regulation in only six games while the Stars never once did that under DeBoer. The schedule does not get any easier, with four more playoff teams from last season scheduled in the next five games.

It is time for Dallas to decide how dangerous they can be this season.

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