Dallas Stars’ early-season woes intensify as the offense sputters—just one goal in six periods and an 0-2 start. Are star forwards like Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, and Wyatt Johnston living up to expectations, or is Head Coach Glenn Gulutzan’s system to blame for the lackluster scoring and energy? With glaring depth challenges and a reluctance to get into the hard areas, fans are left wondering: Is this a personnel issue or a coaching crisis in the making? Joey Erickson breaks down Dallas’ struggles against the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, highlighting key moments, lineup shifts, and struggles on special teams. Insights include the impact of recent roster moves, the need for grit from players like Radek Faksa, and what must change before facing the surging San Jose Sharks. Can the Stars rediscover their identity and avoid being outworked in their own building? The pressure mounts for Dallas to prove they’re still a Central Division contender.
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00:00 — Stars’ Early Season Struggles
05:37 — Personnel vs. Coaching Debate
12:32 — Top Players’ Performance Issues
22:24 — Upcoming Sharks Matchup Preview
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Hey Joey. I agree 100% there’s been something different (since maybe even March). I have no faith in any of these players to go out there and score. It use to be, ok Hintz has had enough here we go and Johnston scores. You could see and feel it. The passing around and doing nothing… I’m so confused. Get it to the net and crash it. They look bothered, bored, and out of shape. They literally looked like they were under orders from the mob to fulfill a gambling debt. ROBO for the past 12 months looks so “over it” or something. Does this team not like eachother anymore?? Love the Stars and hope something changes because in contrast with the LA Kings, who are also 0-2, I have very little hope. You nailed it; the little things like hustle, drive, (the ones harder to quantify) are not there. Lastly, adjusting to what new system?! Virtually same team. Thankfully we traded Dumba and Ceci but really missing Bourke, Stanky and Marchment too. Struggling to penetrate the blue line against the Predators??They better decide what they want in life, like time now…. because right now… it ain’t hockey. They need to become a team again and not a bunch of disconnected individuals. Anyway. Later, Brother
Once again bold prediction the Stars will go 0-3 to start the season.
We go back to Otter in game 3 and I see no way this offense will be able to overcome whatever weak goals he'll give up. It'll take a miracle to have a 3 or less from him. And I don’t see us scoring 4.
Is that a Brighton scarf?
I honestly, truly don't get it. Even a BLIND man can see that what the stars are doing is not working. and this is not new, this goes back to last season and especially the playoffs. Overpassing the puck, a continuous reluctance to SHOOT, and the numerous times they pass across the ice east/west in the offensive zone and then the pass gets blocked or deflected. SHOOT the F"ing puck! Send players to the net, play a north/south game, play for rebounds, get in the dirty areas. Why is this SO hard to understand? I agree….is it the players making poor decisions, or is it the players following the coach's system he wants to implement? If Dallas starts the season with only 2 or 3 wins in their 1st 10 games, I bet Gulutzan is a gonner.
Here's another issue…Gulutzan is too nice. Presents as a players-coach, super nice and supportive. He's probably too nice to give the players shit, for shit play. Do you honestly think Coach Tortorella cares? do you think Coach Mike Sullivan cares? Do you think Coach Cassidy cares? these are known tough-on-players coaches with winning pedigree. Gulutzan needs to be tougher on his guys.
and for the love of God, please put Capobianco in the lineup. Sit Myers. What's there to lose? Capo is a great skater, he'll add speed, he's a great passer out of the Dzone to get the rush started…yet Gulutzen just keeps him a healthy scratch.
Other teams are becoming better and faster and I dont believe this team as constructed is going to win. Time to move on from Nill and lblow it up.
Hot take. The issues we are seeing are not unique to Glen Gulutzan. The stars have had an intensity/grit issue for years. They don’t go to hard areas, they don’t play physically in the offensive zone, they don’t stick up for each other and the list goes on. It’s been 8 years of the exact same thing. I don’t believe this core of players is going to be able to get us over the hump regardless who the coach is. As much as I love the Fins, I don’t think they are mean enough. Rantanen shows it sometimes and I think he should be the centerpiece this team builds around, but having Lindell and Heiskanen as your top 2 defensive pair with Thomas Harley following them up isn’t really intimidating from a physical perspective. Idk. I just think we need to get meaner.
amazing how you all give up after 2 games …..
When Nill fired Deboer instead of Otter, was the start of the decline. They lost the respect of the team .
Once you fire someone, you should never hire them back. ESPECIALLY, when he hasn't been good anywhere else. Either Nil was duped or the sell job by Glenn was crazy. Never should have fired PDB, but our mediocre goalie got his feelings hurt.
They look terribly sluggish. It almost looks lazy at this point. And Rantanan also doesn't look healthy