Urgency peaks in Dallas as Jason Robertson, Tyler Seguin, and Jamie Benn chase an elusive championship while skating for their futures in a high-stakes, make-or-break season.
As the years go by with the Dallas Stars continually icing Stanley Cup-caliber rosters, finally winning the franchise's first title since 1999 is on the minds of everyone in the organization, with two Stanley Cup Final losses since then only sharpening the urgency to finally get the job done.
While the team goal remains front and center, personal goals will also be very much in play this season, with a fairly sizable group of Dallas players entering contract years. From superstars to depth pieces, the range of players looking to secure a new deal spans the entire lineup, and the hope is that added motivation pushes everyone in the right direction.
It's no secret that the biggest name on the list is Jason Robertson. The 27-year-old enters the season on a one-year, $12 million contract as he plays for a long-term, potentially massive payday that he hopes will keep him in Dallas well into the future. Another 95-plus point season would serve as further proof that Robertson belongs among the league's true superstars and would likely set the baseline for a worthwhile extension next offseason.
Dallas' superstar of the past is also playing out a contract year in 34-year-old Tyler Seguin. After starting each of the last two seasons hot before being derailed by injuries, the longtime Star is looking to return with a vengeance and put together his best season in years.
Before his recent injury troubles, Seguin proved he could be a point-per-game player when healthy, meaning a 70- to 80-point season would go a long way, not just for Dallas's chances, but for Seguin's case to remain with the organization long-term.
His longtime running mate and Dallas captain, Jamie Benn, is notably entering what could be the final season of his career. However, if the 37-year-old wants to keep playing beyond this year and into 2027-28, he'll need to pick up where he left off a season ago, when he posted 36 points in 60 games despite missing time with injuries. A 40- to 50-point season isn't out of the question for Benn, and reaching that mark could be a strong sign that he has at least one more year left in him.
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Elsewhere in the lineup, defenceman Tyler Myers enters the final year of his deal at a cap-friendly $1.5 million. At 36, the Houston native would love to play his way into another one- or two-year contract that would allow him to finish his NHL career in his home state.
Centre Sam Steel is also playing out the final season of his contract and is expected to reunite on Dallas's third line alongside Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn, a trio that went on an impressive run through the middle of last season.
Steel, 28, quietly posted a career-best campaign a year ago with 33 points in 73 games and will look to raise the bar further with a 35-point season, proving to general manager Jim Nill that he has real value as a middle-to-bottom-six forward capable of playing anywhere in the lineup.
Further down the roster, Dallas's fourth line is expected to feature a rotation of Oskar Bäck, Colin Blackwell, Joel Kiviranta, Radek Faksa and Arttu Hyry, a group built around faceoff reliability, penalty killing and physical play.
Both Bäck and Blackwell are playing out expiring contracts this season and will need standout years in their respective roles if they hope to be retained in Dallas or find a payday elsewhere.
Rounding out the group is defence prospect Lian Bichsel, who enters the final season of his entry-level contract. The young blueliner's performance this year could set the stage for a significant extension, particularly given the expanded role he's expected to take on within Dallas's back end.
Between the pipes, backup goaltender Casey DeSmith will look to stave off a group of young, up-and-coming netminders within the Stars' system who will be looking to overtake the backup role heading into 2027-28. DeSmith will need to bring his best whenever called upon this season to hold off that internal competition.
Dallas has yet to reach the Stanley Cup Final outside of the 2020 bubble playoffs, and with time running short on this current core, the organization has made clear it believes this roster, as currently constructed, gives it the best chance yet to finally get over the hump.
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