Unlock the secrets behind the Stars' offensive firepower and defensive grit. Discover Rantanen's dominance and Johnston's record-chasing goals.
The Dallas Stars have had an eventful season to this point, sitting at 29-14-9 while working to regain momentum after a recent skid. After dropping several games in a row, Dallas has steadied itself by winning two of its last three, keeping the club firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture.
A deeper look at the numbers shows a team driven by elite offensive production, strong top-end defense, and a few underlying concerns that fans should be watching closely.
Offensively, the Stars remain one of the most dangerous teams in the league and Mikko Rantanen has been the engine. The Finnish winger is leading the team with 63 points on 19 goals and 44 assists in 49 games.
His playmaking has been among the best in the NHL, as he is tied for tenth in primary assists with 25 and ranks fourth in secondary assists with 19.
Rantanen has also been a major factor in puck possession and discipline, sitting third in the league in penalties drawn with 55 minutes while playing 33.2 per cent of Dallas’ available ice time, tied for 28th in the NHL.
Jason Robertson has continued to be one of the league’s most consistent scorers, posting 30 goals and 30 assists for 60 points in 52 games. Wyatt Johnston has been just as impactful, recording 27 goals and 29 assists for 56 points while emerging as one of the NHL’s most trusted young forwards.
Johnston leads the entire league with 17 power play goals and is just one shy of Mike Modano’s single-season Dallas franchise record.
His workload reflects the trust placed in him, as Johnston has played the 28th-most shifts by any forward in the NHL, ahead of stars like Connor McDavid and Artemi Panarin.
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On the blue line, Miro Heiskanen continues to anchor the Stars’ defense while contributing at an elite offensive level. Heiskanen has seven goals and 33 assists for 40 points in 50 games, ranking tenth among all NHL defensemen in scoring and seventh in assists at the position.
Paired with Esa Lindell, the duo has been one of the most effective shutdown pairings in hockey.
Lindell and Heiskanen are tied with Detroit’s Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider for the fewest goals allowed among defense pairings that have logged at least 600 minutes together, giving up just 21 goals. Lindell and Heiskanen have also generated 34 goals at the other end, three more than the Detroit pairing.
Lindell and Robertson also share the team lead in plus-minus, each sitting at plus-21. That mark is tied for 18th best in the NHL and reflects the Stars’ ability to control play when their top players are on the ice.
However, not all underlying numbers paint a flawless picture as Robertson’s defensive metrics have drawn attention. He is tied for the tenth-most giveaways in the NHL with 73, alongside Ottawa’s Tim Stützle and Carolina’s Sebastian Aho.
He is also tied for eighth in defensive zone giveaways with 22. Those numbers may have played a role in Team USA ultimately going in a different direction when finalizing its Olympic roster, despite Robertson’s elite offensive production.
Line combinations have also told an important story for Dallas. The most productive forward line this season was the trio of Robertson, Roope Hintz, and the now-injured Tyler Seguin.
In just under 117 minutes together, the group scored 11 goals while allowing only two against, highlighting how effective the Stars could be if they had Seguin healthy.
As the season continues, Dallas appears built to contend, with elite scoring depth, a dominant top defensive pairing, and strong special teams production.
The challenge will be tightening up defensive details, limiting giveaways, and navigating injuries as the Stars look to turn recent momentum into a sustained push toward breaking through to the Stanley Cup Finals.
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