In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive deep into the state of the Dallas Stars, a team that continues to knock on the door but can’t quite break it down. After a heartbreaking third straight Conference Final loss, the Stars made a surprising offseason move—replacing head coach Peter DeBoer with Glen Gulutzan, signaling a reset without dismantling their core.

Dallas finished the 2024–25 regular season with 102 points and were one of the West’s most dangerous teams on paper. But after a Game 1 offensive outburst against Edmonton in the Conference Final, the Stars’ scoring completely dried up. That collapse has left major questions about leadership, playoff preparedness, and whether the window to win with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Matt Duchene is beginning to close.

The episode covers offseason moves, the state of the blue line, the future of Jake Oettinger, and why the new coach might finally be what pushes this veteran-heavy team to the next level.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Dallas Stars 2024–25 recap: Another deep run, same ending

[00:38] Jim Nill wins GM of the Year again—but makes a major change

[01:00] Glen Gulutzan replaces Peter DeBoer: Why now?

[02:00] Veteran core aging: Benn, Seguin, Duchene

[03:00] Free agent re-signings: Duchene, Benn, Blackwell, Bork, Lundkvist

[03:45] Offseason additions: RFA Rodak Faksa returns, Nathan Bastian signs

[04:15] Key departures: Mason Marchment, Matt Dumba, Cody Ceci

[05:00] Offensive depth: Still dangerous despite losses

[05:45] Defensive pairings: Heiskanen, Lindell, Harley, Laaksonen, Burns

[06:00] Goaltending: Oettinger & DeSmith remain the tandem

[07:00] Miro Heiskanen’s return and Brent Burns’ arrival

[08:00] Rantanen’s revenge against Colorado: A defining moment

[09:00] Why the scoring collapsed vs. Edmonton

[10:00] Was DeBoer’s message stale? Can Gulutzan change the tone?

[11:00] Final thoughts: The Stars are a contender—but for how much longer?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

The window is closing: Benn, Seguin, and Duchene are aging, and the opportunity to win with this core is narrowing.

Jim Nill’s bold coaching change to bring back Glen Gulutzan—whom he originally let go—shows humility and a desire to fix culture from the top down.

Scoring vanished in the Conference Final, and questions remain about why so many top-tier players underperformed.

Jake Oettinger is still one of the league’s top young goaltenders, but he’ll need to carry the load again in 2025–26.

Miro Heiskanen’s return to full health, along with the quiet addition of Brent Burns, could be critical for defensive stability.

The Central Division is loaded, with Dallas, Winnipeg, and Colorado all battling for top spots—but one of them is destined to go home early, again.

RESOURCE LINKS:

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Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

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