2019 Dallas Stars Odds to win Stanley Cup with Expert Predictions

I get sucked in more by the Dallas Stars than by any other Western Conference team and more than any team other than the Lightning overall. So many years, I believe that this is the year that the Stars contend in a big way. Lured in by their top-end talent, their solid top-end defense, and their goaltending, I pick them as a big team. Either the team to beat if they are well regarded elsewhere that year or as an upstart if they aren't quite on the radar. And every year they break my heart. They have made the playoffs just three times in the last 11 years, and never in consecutive years. They made it last year, and even won a series, so they will have to find some consistency that has been lacking for more than a decade if they want to break that trend. They have one thing going for them, though - while I like them, I won't be picking them to win anything this year. Or maybe that means that this is the year they finally do pull off a big year.

Dallas Stars Offseason Moves

At the risk of spoiling the experience before it starts, I'll tell you that reading about the offseason that the Stars had is not going to be the most interesting thing you do this week. It was far from the most active or most exciting series of moves and additions. They were mostly happy with what they had, and it mostly worked, so it seems like tweaking things was better than overhauling them. Or at least they hope so.

The biggest departure was a guy they hardly knew. They acquired Mats Zuccarello from the Rangers midseason last year then lost him right away to injury. When he returned, he was very useful - 14 points in 15 games, mostly in the playoffs. But the $6 million a year for five years that the Wild paid him this summer was more than Dallas thought he was worth. Also gone are aged veterans Jason Spezza and Marc Methot. And they traded away Tyler Pitlick, a depth forward, instead of giving him another contract. They received Ryan Hartman in exchange but then bought him out right away. The final move of note was a buyout. Forward Valeri Nichushkin played three seasons with the Stars, returned to the KHL for two seasons, and then was lousy in another season with Dallas last year. He's in Colorado on a cheap deal now.

To fill the holes on offense, they went against trends in this league. While things are getting younger and faster, the team went older. Much older. Joe Pavelski had 38 goals last year, yet the Sharks weren't interested in giving the 35-year-old the three year deal he was looking for. Dallas gave him $7 million a year, so it's a significant investment. If he can keep up his level of play, then it's a good move that improves the second line significantly. But if his age catches up to him, and it's rare to see a 36- or 37-year-old in this league who is still at his best offensively, then this could be a problem contract. The other addition is much tougher to be optimistic about but also much cheaper. Corey Perry has seen his production fall off a cliff the last couple of years, and he was hurt last year. At 34, the Ducks were ready to move on from a long-time core piece, and the Stars gave him a home - likely as a winger for Pavelski. But the injury woes have struck already, as Perry broke his foot this fall and has missed training camp - and probably more.

In the first round of the NHL Draft, the team took defenseman Thomas Harley, who was surprisingly the first player picked out of the very strong Ontario Hockey League despite only going 18th. He had 59 points in 68 games last year, so the offensive upside is massive, but he is a few years away.

Dallas Stars NHL Outlook

The top line is outstanding, and the second line can be good if age doesn't catch up to them. The top four on defense are outstanding, and can still improve - especially because Miro Heiskanen, who was so good as a rookie last year, is still only 20 so he has plenty of room to grow. And Ben Bishop was very good in the playoffs last year. This team has the pieces to be a strong contender. Again.

Dallas Stars Schedule

It's probably not the most significant game on the schedule, but the most interesting is probably on Jan. 1. That's when the Stars host Nashville in an outdoor game. The whole outdoor game concept is mostly played out, but it's a little different when they are played in non-traditional outdoor markets. Where I live, everyone grew up playing hockey outside, but the same doesn't go for Dallas. Or Nashville, for that matter. The spectacle makes an already important divisional tilt even more worth checking out.

Dallas Stars NHL Futures Odds

The Stars are one of six teams - four from the Western Conference - tied as the ninth choice to win the Stanley Cup at +2000. They are tied with Nashville and San Jose as the fifth choice to win the Western Conference at +900 and are tied with St. Louis as the second choice to win the Central Division at +400, trailing only Colorado at +300. The season point total sits at 96.5, with action evenly split between the "over" and the "under". They are at -200 to make the playoffs and +170 to miss them.

2019-20 Dallas Stars Predictions

They are a playoff team and not one that is likely going to be any fun to play. But the addition of older players to a roster that is already far from the youngest in the league is a concern. And the West is deep. They are in the mix, but they are not going to win the West.

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