3 questions facing Dallas Stars

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Dallas Stars.

1. Who replaces Joe Pavelski?

The veteran forward announced his retirement last month, leaving a void after five highly productive seasons in Dallas. Perhaps Tyler Seguin moves up to the top line at right wing, where Pavelski played the better part of the past three seasons with left wing Jason Robertson and center Roope Hintz. Logan Stankoven could also be a contender for that spot.

As far as tips, redirects and deflections, of which Pavelski was a master, there may not be one player who can do it like Pavelski did. It’ll be a group effort to get to the right places and try to replicate his magic.

Replacing Pavelski’s presence in the room will be tougher. When the Stars were eliminated in the Western Conference Final last season, several players, including Seguin and Wyatt Johnston, who lived with Pavelski and his family the past two seasons, got emotional. Captain Jamie Benn is always a go-to voice, as are Matt Duchene and Seguin, but Pavelski will certainly be missed.

2. How will the defensemen line up?

It’ll certainly look a little different with Matthew Dumba, Ilya Lyubushkin and Brendan Smith acquired in free agency, and Jani Hakanpaa and Chris Tanev departed. The top pair of Thomas Harley and Miro Heiskanen should remain the same. Lyubushkin will likely play with Esa Lindell, and Smith and Dumba will probably be the third pair.

What the Stars also added was depth. As the playoffs began last season, the Stars were basically playing with five defensemen. Hakanpaa had been out since March with a lower-body injury, and Nils Lundkvist was playing minimal minutes. With the free agent additions, as well as prospect Lian Bichsel and veteran Alexander Petrovic in the system, the Stars aren’t as thin anymore.

3. How does Wyatt Johnston build on last season?

If there was any concern about a second-season slump for the Stars center, he snuffed out those thoughts quickly. Johnston was outstanding in 2023-24 with 65 points (32 goals, 33 assists), second on the Stars behind Robertson (80 points; 29 goals, 51 assists). That came after he had 41 points (24 goals, 17 assists) as a rookie.

Johnston has continued to improve in all facets of his game, and he was stellar in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the 21-year-old led the Stars with 10 goals in 19 games, including two game-winners. As Johnston enters the final season of his entry-level contract, there’s no doubt he’ll be one of the top scorers, if not the leading scorer, for the Stars this season.