2425 GDG 1.14 @ TOR
Dallas Stars
Toronto Maple Leafs
Record
27-14-1 (11-9-0 Away)
27-15-2 (17-8-0 Home)
Rank
55 Points (3rd in Central)
56 Points (1st in Atlantic)
Power Play
16.8% (22-for-131)
20.6% (26-for-126)
Penalty Kill
85.0% (96-for-113)
83.6% (112-for-134)
Last 10 Games
8-1-1
6-4-0

Five Points 5️⃣

  • The Dallas Stars face the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night for the second and final time this season. Entering Tuesday's match, the Stars are 27-14-1 while the Maple Leafs are 27-15-2.
  • Dallas is 93-99-33 all-time vs. Toronto, including a 39-55-20 mark on the road.
  • The Stars have earned points in three of their last five games played against the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena (2-2-1).
  • Forward Evgenii Dadonov registered a multi-point outing (1-1—2) during the last matchup between the Stars and Maple Leafs on Dec. 18 in Dallas. He enters Tuesday's contest riding a two-game point streak against Toronto (3-1—4).
  • Defenseman Miro Heiskanen enters Tuesday's matchup riding a two-game point streak (0-2—2) against the Maple Leafs. Heiskanen earned a 29:50 time on ice against Toronto on Dec. 18, which is his second-most time on ice in a single game this season. Heiskanen is averaging 25:21 of ice time per game this season, which was the fourth-most in the NHL this year entering play Monday.

Stats Against Opponent ✍

Active Streaks
Leading Scorers
Jamie Benn (1-1—2, 2 GP)
Tyler Seguin (17-18—35, 36 GP)
Evgenii Dadanov (3-1—4, 2 GP)
Jamie Benn (7-9—16, 24 GP)
Miro Heiskanen (0-2—2, 2 GP)
Matt Duchene (5-11—16, 24 GP)
Wyatt Johnston (1-1—2, 2 GP)
Evgenii Dadanov (6-9—15, 30 GP)

Players To Watch 👀

Stars forward Jason Robertson has totaled 22 points (6-16—22) in his last 20 games played dating back to Dec. 1 against the Winnipeg Jets. His 22 points during that span are the most of any Stars skater. Robertson also has nine points (3-6—9) in his last eight road games. He has multi-point efforts in five of the last eight games that he has played and currently leads active Stars skaters in assists (24) and ranks second in points (35) this season.

Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has eight points (1-7—8) over his last five games, which includes a five-point performance (1-4—5) on Jan. 4 vs. Boston. Entering play Monday, Marner ranks fifth among all NHL skaters in points (59) and second in assists (45). He is on pace to set career highs in assists (84) and points (110) this season.

First Shift 🏒

While losing Seguin and Mason Marchment to injury creates some difficulties for the 2024-25 Stars, it also creates opportunities.

All you have to do is look at recent call-ups like Arttu Hyry, Matěj Blümel and Justin Hryckowian to see the impact.

That trio of forwards has spent differing times in the organization with differing results, but it’s clear to all three that playing at the NHL level is a huge carrot. Blümel (24) is a 2019 Oilers draft pick (100th overall) that fought his way through three years overseas post-draft, as well as two and a half years in the AHL, so getting a chance to play against Ottawa on Sunday in just his eighth career NHL game was a big deal. Hyry (23) is a free agent from Finland. He is in his first year in North America, but he has already played 29 games with the Texas Stars and has 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in that span. He has enjoyed his time hanging with the Finns in the NHL. Hryckowian (23) is a free agent signed out of Northeastern. He has 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 32 games in the AHL this year.

The trio is a big part of the Stars churning their soil. Since the draft haul of 2017 brought in Heiskanen, Robertson and Jake Oettinger, Dallas has been able to not only lower the overall age of the NHL team, but also throughout the organization. Thomas Harley was taken in 2019, Mavrik Bourque in 2020, Johnston and Logan Stankoven in 2021 and Lian Bichsel in 2022. Four of those players are lineup regulars and Bichsel is a heartbeat away.

Stankoven and Bourque were AHL leaders last season, so by moving up this year, they have created space on the Texas Stars that players like Blümel, Hyry and Hryckowian are filling. Blümel had 31 goals in 72 AHL games last season. He already has 18 in 32 this year.

Now, the path isn’t straightforward. None of the callups have really lit it up in their brief NHL appearances. It’s a big step. Stankoven had 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) in 47 AHL games last season. He has 20 (4 goals, 16 assists) in 40 NHL games this year. Bourque had 77 points (26 goals, 51 assists) in 71 AHL games last year. He has 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in 37 games in his first NHL season.

“That’s always the million dollar question,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said when asked about bringing up the organization’s most skilled players and then using them in depth roles in the NHL. “Especially with young players who have been used to using that skill and have had more time and space at lower levels.”

That said, the team has weathered this process before, turning Roope Hintz, Robertson and Johnston into three of the team’s top scorers. And with older players such as Joe Pavelski moving on, players like Bourque and Stankoven can step up. If they do that, then the next wave can start pushing up from Cedar Park.

“Every organization, you get to this point in the season, and your depth starts to get tested,” DeBoer said. “Those guys have to come up and contribute. We’ve got a good American League team and the guys we’ve called up have done a really good job. The list is long. We’ve got a lot of contributions from that group of guys.”

And when Marchment (facial injury) and Seguin (hip surgery) eventually return, that will make the team even better.

“It’s a great opportunity for everybody,” DeBoer said. “Now, we have to take advantage.”

Key Numbers 🔢

80 percent

Dallas ranks second in team shootout conversion at 80 percent (4 for 5). Robertson is 2-for-2.

56

Toronto has scored the second-most second period goals in the league at 56. Dallas is 10th in second period goals against at 36.

3

Toronto forward Nick Robertson has three goals and one assist in five games against the Stars and brother Jason. He is plus-5 in those five games.

He Said It 📢

“It’s been a great road trip so far. We’ve got a chance to go in and get this rolling again, so we’ll reset and get ready to go. It’s probably the best team, standings-wise, on the trip, so it’s a great test for us.”

-Stars coach Pete DeBoer on ending a five-game road trip (3-1-0 so far) in Toronto on Tuesday night

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.

Upcoming Games 📅

Opponent
Date
Time
Location
Stream
January 16
7:00 PM CT
American Airlines Center
Colorado Avalanche
January 18
3:00 PM CT
Ball Arena
January 19
7:00 PM CT
American Airlines Center

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