The Dallas Stars are pretty good at winning. They've even gotten good at winning games in which they didn't play as well as their opponents. That's one reason why it's so frustrating to see the Stars' vices become their manners...especially when they drop games that were in their reach.

What does it mean for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs? Wes and Mark needed backup for this one, so they invited DBD alumnus Robert Tiffin – who's now kind of everywhere, thanks to D Magazine and his own Stars Thoughts Substack. And they talk about everything — from odd-yet-effective set plays to messy zone exits to how much it may (or may not) help when the Stars' injured stars are back from injuries.

Now that they're in the playoffs, maybe they just want to stay healthy and blow everything up in the first round. We're Stargazing, and we think about this stuff all. the. time. And we're only half-joking when we say that this episode is presented by StarsThoughts.com.

What's your biggest worry about the state of the Stars? Tell us about it at Defending Big D. We may bring up your points in the next podcast.

And please leave us a like, review or share wherever you listen, because we’re just about everywhere you are. Thanks!

The officially playoffs-bound Dallas Stars always seem to have one player or another going off these days. If it's not Wyatt Johnston racking up points like a veteran elite forward, or Jason Robertson regaining his scoring touch with a vengeance, then it might be Thomas Harley making a late run at the postseason awards with all the offensive-defenseman flair he can muster.

But we are Stars fans, which means we can't have nice things. So we're left to wonder if a Stanley Cup competitor's path through the Victory Green Gang will simply involve beating up on our favorite high-skill players until there aren't any left.

In this edition of Stargazing, Wes and Mark consider what the Stars' roster depth will mean for this year's postseason run. How important may it be that the front office hasn't overreacted to the team's perceived weaknesses? How long can their PDO bender last? And what will it mean for their chances if they can't slam the door more consistently on their opponents?

Think, for a moment, about the secret genius of pairing Lian Bichsel with Matt Dumba. We certainly have. This is Stargazing, brought to you by BetOnline.

What would this season have looked like without Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith? Tell us about it at Defending Big D. We may bring up your points in the next podcast.

And please leave us a like, review or share wherever you listen, because we're just about everywhere. Thanks!

By the time you listen to this, the Texas Stars will have already punched their ticket to the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs. Turns out Victory Green is a fun color in Austin Metro, too!

The Stars in Dallas benefit greatly when the Stars in Cedar Park succeed. So to take the measure of the T-Stars' prospects, Mark once again calls on the expertise of Stephen Meserve — creator of the must-read Texas Stars source 100 Degree Hockey and co-author of We Win Here: The Definitive Essays You Need About The Texas Stars.

In this episode, they address some hot topics:

• • how the Stars are working around their lack of draft capital,

• • why the organization remains a destination of choice for prospects and pros alike,

• • what needs to happen in the goalie pipeline,

• • what the future may hold for captain Curtis McKenzie,

• • the guys who might be playing on an NHL team next year, even if that team is not the Dallas Stars,

• • and so much more.

Does everything come down to left-handed D and right-handed D? Stargazing wonders, too. And it’s presented to you by BetOnline, because The Game Starts Here.

What happens if the T-Stars and the D-Stars are both deep in the playoffs at the same time? Let’s talk about it at Defending Big D. Your input always fuels our future casts. (And we'll mention you by name. Just saying.)

One more thing: Please don’t forget to give us a like, review, or share wherever you listen. Thanks!