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Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild players, including Stars center Cameron Hughes (34) and Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) tussle after a goal by Stars center Colin Blackwell during the second period of an NHL hockey game at American Airlines Center on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Dallas.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
The last time the Dallas Stars<\/a> won the Stanley Cup \u2014 check that \u2014 the ONLY time the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup,<\/a> we could see it coming. The three-year run of regular season success, the leaps the team made in the 1998 playoffs after a stunning loss to Edmonton in 1997, the previous summer\u2019s signing of Brett Hull as the final piece to a deep, complete roster \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n The Cup was coming to Dallas, even if it took until past 1 a.m. on a summer night in Buffalo to make it official.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n That was a generation ago, or more, depending upon how one counts such things. Where does the three-year run of Western Conference finals defeats fit into the puzzle of Stanley? What comes next following a startling coaching change<\/a> plugged into the \u201cfinal piece\u201d slot where Hull once fit? The Stars have run through another ridiculously good regular season, scoring 112 points for the West\u2019s second best record and the third best in the 32-team\u00a0NHL.\u00a0<\/p>\n Things are in place. And yet here come the Minnesota Wild<\/a> to spoil the party.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s not as if the Stars aren\u2019t accustomed to being forced to hit the ground running full speed in the playoffs. They faced the defending cup champs from Vegas two years ago and high-octane Colorado last year, winning both in seventh games and needing every ounce of energy and bounce of the puck along the way, climaxing with a third period hat trick last April from\u00a0Mikko Rantanen.\u00a0<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n How much more can the Wild really have to offer?\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n It\u2019s all a matter of how one views these things. Practically the entire Stars\u2019 roster is poised to put this conference finals defeat string to rest. And here\u2019s as close as I can come to a promise. Call it a strong prediction with italics for the full effect. This Stars team WILL NOT LOSE the conference finals.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2026, the first two opponents (Minnesota and almost certainly Colorado) are the stumbling blocks, not whatever might come after. Clear those first two hurdles and that feeling about a Cup being just a few weeks away will blanket the city of Dallas. This is all about just surviving early and the Wild are determined to end their own little run of playoff mishaps. In its case, it\u2019s eight straight playoff losses. Minnesota has not advanced beyond the first round since 2015.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most of those teams were not worthy as their performance demonstrated. This team has been retooled. Remember Minnesota was two points behind Dallas after 78 games and leading 4-3 here last week after two periods. It looked like home ice was coming down to the wire and the visitors were in full flight.\u00a0Defenseman Quinn Hughes, fresh off a gold medal-winning performance as the top defenseman for Team USA, had made two brilliant passes to set up goals in the game with Dallas, and Wild GM Bill Guerin was beaming before the third period. It wasn\u2019t so much about winning that particular game as knowing that a difference maker had arrived in Minnesota.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like when I went to Pittsburgh at the end of my career. It didn\u2019t matter that there were three defenders between me and Sidney\u00a0Crosby, I had to learn the puck was coming onto my stick, anyway, and to be ready for it,\u2019\u2019 Guerin said. \u201cThat\u2019s how it\u2019s been with our guys and Quinn.\u2019\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Stars went on to win that game \u2014 haven\u2019t lost since, as a matter of fact, even though the last three games meant nothing in the standings \u2014 but they lost their version of Quinn Hughes in that battle with Minnesota.\u00a0Miro Heiskanen, who regularly leads all playoff performers in ice time, has remained day to day with a lower body injury<\/a> since taking a hit to the knee in that first period. His status is unknown. His countryman, Roope Hintz, this team\u2019s most dangerous forward before Rantanen arrived, has already been ruled out for at least the first two home games<\/a>, and coach Glen Gulutzan\u2019s appraisal of his status indicated a recent setback. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know when he can come back or if he can come back, we\u2019ll see,\u2019\u2019\u00a0Gulutzan said.\u00a0<\/p>\n By signing up, you agree to our Terms Of Use<\/a> and acknowledge that your information will be used as described in our Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Stars have played through injuries to\u00a0Heiskanen, to Hintz, to Tyler Seguin (done for the season), to Jamie Benn, to Matt Duchene and more. They even padded their longest win streak of the year while Rantanen was out following the Olympics. \u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n They beat Colorado in the first round without an injured\u00a0Heiskanen. This feels more like a seven-game series where full strength is required. It\u2019s a series where the Stars have the slight goaltending edge but Jake Oettinger has to deliver and prove it once again. If his conference finals appearances have left something to be desired (and eventually got Pete DeBoer banished to Long Island), his tendency has been to be spot on in the opening round. He was at his best when the Stars were outmanned against Calgary four years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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