Jake Oettinger will likely debut a new mask tonight, which fans have already nicknamed "Otterzilla" or "Ottzilla"

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/B44vtvpRWN

— DLLS Stars (@DLLS_Stars) October 4, 2025

1. Love the Ottzilla mask
2. Bischel. If it wasn't for Hintz he might be my next jersey.

As a Dallasite living in the Houston area, I would love this. Always room for more Dallas-Houston sports hate.

Getting warmer... 👀👁️🏒 +2 pic.twitter.com/MDxgDfJ8tF

— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) October 4, 2025

Opening Night Roster will include:

Nathan Bastian - 27 year old, 6'4" winger
Harrison Scott - 25 year old, 6' C/winger
Trey Taylor - 23 year old, 6'2" LHD

Interesting note; Scott finished up with the University of Maine and Taylor at Clarkson University last spring, then both played a few games with the Texas Stars and now find themselves on the opening night roster. Scott is listed as one of the 12 forwards so it looks like he'll play. Unsure of Taylor because he's 1/7 D. I'd assume Bastian is a fill in for Back while he's hurt.

Last thing...how about Bichsel getting loaned to the Texas Stars? Not great.

If you listen to/ watch the DLLS podcast from today, it's all about managing the cap. Also I've seen x posts that say Bisch will be on opening day roster. I'll try and find again and post here.

Anyone have interest in 1 ticket to the Canes game on Saturday October 25th at 7pm? Section 115, Row T. My cost was $149, not trying to make a buck.

Also it sounds like Petrovic may stick with the big club to start the year. Good for him - thought he was great in the postseason.

Kids had a great time at six flags tonight
Thank goodness my wife can handle the big rides. The damn mini mine train is about enough to make me nauseous

Whole lot of grown ass adults willing to stand in line for hours to get autographs. Always find this odd.

Ha. Right there with ya. Took the youngest and I was more than happy to keep it to rides only, and the "kiddie" rides at that. That mini mine train is rough. Last time I did the big rides, I had to sit out for a couple of hours.

I certainly understand why people collect autographs, but I'm not one of them. A photo would be one thing, but the lines are ridiculous for that. It left plenty of time to ride and take things slow. We got photos with some ice girls and Victor E. Green (he even rode the carousel with us). Perfectly pleasent evening.

My oldest has gone the past couple of years and did a couple of player lines each time and between the two times collected all the autographs he wanted.

Really awesome that the Stars put this event on every year. I'm sure the players have better things to do, but they're cool about it.

Main thing, it means it's time for hockey season!

Howdy y'all. Quick question from a longtime Stars fan who really doesn't follow the NHL during the offseason:

Is there a general consensus on expectations for the season? We should be pretty good again, yes?


Thanks in advanced for your replies... Let's Go Stars... and I'll go back to lurking.

for those wondering Lian Bischel is back on the Stars roster this morning on the team website and the NHL Media Site. Trey Taylor and Harrison Scott no longer are. They also only have 11 forwards healthy on the site, so another move still to be made.

— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) October 7, 2025

Yeah this makes way more sense. The NHL up and down roster management is always interesting and hard to put a finger on.

I know a lot less than most of the posters in this thread, but we fired our coach because he couldn't get past the WCF. That signals to me that the org thinks they should be getting to the Stanley Cup Final.

This is definitely still an upper tier team that should easily make the playoffs and expect to go on a deep run.

It will come down to how the room reacts to a new voice. Without the change at the HC slot, we probably crash and burn this year because the guys were DONE with DeBoer. Hopefully GG gets buy in and we are strong on both ends of the ice

Can't wait to troll this thread like no other.

I'm looking forward to seeing more physical play throughout the season. It was the one factor the team had been missing. If we can get consistent play from the defensemen, i think we will have another great year.

Looking forward to watching hockey tonight on ESPN!

What does everyone think on a scale from 1-10 on the odds of us resigning Robo? I think it's maybe a 4 right now.

jr15aggie said:

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Howdy y'all. Quick question from a longtime Stars fan who really doesn't follow the NHL during the offseason:

Is there a general consensus on expectations for the season? We should be pretty good again, yes?


Thanks in advanced for your replies... Let's Go Stars... and I'll go back to lurking.

---

From the perspective of someone who follows the Eastern Conference more closely, I still see the Stars as one of the 3-4 teams most likely to win the Western Conference.

There's no excuse , other than the entire team getting hurt, that we shouldn't at least be in the WCF again and that's the bottom floor. It's the Finlas or bust this season. Otter really needs to be the best goalie in the league under this contract he just got.

Tksymm7 said:

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What does everyone think on a scale from 1-10 on the odds of us resigning Robo? I think it's maybe a 4 right now.

---

I'm probably at a 2, but was at a 0 last week after Kaprizov's new contract so I guess that's progress. McJesus taking such a huge discount yesterday could be helpful with Robo's negoatiations which may be the only thing getting me off of a 0% chance.

With Robo and Harley both being RFAs after this season, and Seguin's contract falling off after the following season being the only real thing of note, I think it's either/or for Robo/Harley, and if that's the case, it's Harley 100% of the time in my eyes.

I know the cap keeps going up...but I just think Robo's going to end up being too expensive for what other teams would offer him and the Stars will still need to be able to ice a complete roster (which was even a question going into this last offseason).

60/40 on Robo, in favor of returning.

$8.5 million cap jump next year. Then there should be another big jump and the Seguin contract comes off the books.

Unless he meaningfully boosts his points total this year and he's able to demand William Nylander money, I expect they find a way to make it work in the short term.

We have recalled Justin Hryckowian from the @TexasStars and loaned Harrison Scott and Trey Taylor. @Shift4 | #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/NKesuJ7rf4

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) October 7, 2025

Danny Vermin said:

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There's no excuse , other than the entire team getting hurt, that we shouldn't at least be in the WCF again and that's the bottom floor. It's the Finlas or bust this season. Otter really needs to be the best goalie in the league under this contract he just got.

---

I'd agree, but given the stupid playoff seeding, if you get Dal/Col in the first round again, it's basically a coin flip.

Kyle Connor just got 7x12.75….YIKES

Looks like the initial report making the rounds came from a fake account, but the real numbers coming out now aren't far off. 8 x $12mil.

$55 million in salary. $41 mil in signing bonus over 8 years. https://t.co/1AiLXYFiUg

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) October 8, 2025

I like Kyle Connor too, some of these numbers just have a little sticker shock.

Although lines will certainly be juggled for a bit (new coach, new system, etc.), here is what we'll likely see to start tomorrow:

Stars 2025-26 season eve practice lines:

Steel - Hintz - Rantanen
Blackwell - Duchene - Seguin
Robertson - Johnston - Bourque
Hryckowian - Faksa - Bastian
Erne

Lindell - Heiskanen
Harley - Lundkvist
Bichsel - Lyubushkin
Petrovic

Oettinger
DeSmith

— Sam Nestler (@samnestler) October 8, 2025

PP lines:

PP1: Heiskanen, Rantanen, Hintz, Robertson, Johnston.

PP2: Harley, Seguin, Duchene, Steel, Bourque. https://t.co/14xUMVxIZK

— Sam Nestler (@samnestler) October 8, 2025

Wish we didn't have to wait until the 3rd night of the regular season to get going.

Steel and Blackwell being on those top 2 lines with those other guys is an interesting match. You can see what GG is thinking there.

No Oskar Back? Is he hurt or somewhere else?

Hurt. Should be back next week or so.

I should be in bed but what a shootout btw CGY v EDM. 8 rounds