The Dallas Stars have all but locked up a playoff spot, and their current five-game winning streak has propelled the team into first place in the NHL’s Central Division. The Stars have had a very strong regular season up to this point, and with 16 games remaining before the playoffs start, there’s a good chance the team will at least earn home ice in the first round of the postseason. Despite currently holding the top spot in the Central, both the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche are within four points of the Stars, with both teams having at least a game in hand over Dallas.
Despite the season being almost over, playoff matchups are nowhere near set in stone, and the Stars have several different opponents that they could play in the first round. In no particular order, let’s take a look at some potential opening-round playoff matchups for Dallas.
Nashville Predators
If the playoffs started today, the Stars would be playing the Nashville Predators in the first round. This would be a fairly favourable matchup for the Stars, but as we’ve seen before, anything can happen in the playoffs.
The two teams last met in the first round of the 2019 playoffs, and despite being a wild-card team, the Stars upset the Central-winning Predators that year, winning the series in six games. This year, the Stars outmatch the Predators in numerous aspects, most notably scoring, star power, and depth on forward and also defense. The Predators are a fairly deep team. Dallas not only matches this depth, but they also have more stars up front and on the back end. What Nashville does have over the Stars is goaltending, as their tandem of Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen has been more consistent than the Stars’ goalies. But if Jake Oettinger can play like he’s capable, the Stars should have no issues beating Nashville in a playoff series.
Colorado Avalanche
If the Stars fall out of contention for the Central Division title, there’s a solid chance they’ll play the Avs in the first round. It’d be a rematch of the 2020 second round, which saw the Stars defeat the Avalanche in an instant classic playoff series that went seven games. A thrilling Game 7 tied at four goals apiece saw Joel Kiviranta score the series winner in overtime, capping off a hat trick for him in a game that will likely stand as his career highlight.
This would be a terrific opening-round matchup from an entertainment perspective, as a series between two of the best teams in the NHL and a growing rivalry would make for phenomenal hockey. Colorado has a slight edge in terms of star players, with the likes of Nathan Mackinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen forming one of the best core groups in the NHL. But what the Stars lack in superstars, they make up for in depth. While the Avalanche made some deadline moves to address this issue, the Stars still have the edge. The series will likely come down to goaltending, as both teams’ respective goalies, Alex Georgiev and Jake Oettinger, have had less-than-stellar seasons. This is a series that Dallas can definitely win, but both teams match up very evenly, and it more than likely goes seven games.
Winnipeg Jets
The other Central Division team that could catch the Stars is the Winnipeg Jets, who are two points back of Dallas with two games in hand. The Jets and Stars have never met in the playoffs, but this year could be the first time. Another fun fact to note is current Jets coach Rick Bowness formerly coached the Stars, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2020.
The Stars and Jets have a fairly even matchup in terms of forwards, with the Stars getting a slight edge when it comes to defense and the Jets earning a massive edge when it comes to goaltending, as Connor Hellebuyck is making a strong case for the Vezina Trophy. One thing the Stars do have is recent playoff success, including reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 and reaching the Conference Final last year, while the Jets have only won one playoff series since 2018. This would be another very evenly matched series that likely goes seven games.
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Regardless of who the Stars play, they’re going to be an extremely entertaining team to watch in the playoffs. The best-case scenario for Dallas is if they win the division and earn themselves an easier matchup in the first round. The Western Conference looks like a gauntlet this year, with the Jets, Avalanche in the Central and the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and defending champions Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. But no matter what, the 2024 NHL Playoffs look like one to remember.
