DLLS Dallas Stars Podcast

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  Can Artemi Panarin Carry The LA Kings Forward After Anže Kopitar’s Retirement? | DLLS Stars Podcast 21.08.2026 1t 3min

  The Other 31: L.A. Kings Our guest today is Zach Dooley, Kings Insider. The Los Angeles Kings are dealing with a monumental shift this summer, following the retirement of longtime captain Anže Kopitar, who hung up his skates after his 20th NHL season, all with the Kings. General Manager Ken Holland made a big splash last February, when he acquired superstar Artemi Panarin in a trade from the New York Rangers. Los Angeles made the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, but were swept in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings have lost in the first round five-straight seasons and have not won a playoff series since they last captured the Stanley Cup in 2014. A flurry of signings in free agency have bolstered the group, but they also have the oldest roster in the NHL, with an average age of 30.75. Keeping fresh and avoiding long term injuries over an 84-game regular season will prove to be the big test for the Kings.
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  Stars’ Neutral Zone Issues EXPOSED: Petey’s Deep Dive 21.08.2026 16min

  Steve “Petey” Peters from Inside the Coaches Room takes a deep dive into the Dallas Stars’ neutral zone problems. Petey breaks down what’s going wrong, why Dallas is struggling in the middle of the ice, and the adjustments the Stars need to make to clean it up and get their game back on track.
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  Wyatt Johnston: ALWAYS Available 21.08.2026 4min

  Wyatt Johnston has been one of the Dallas Stars’ most reliable players, having yet to miss a game in his NHL career. Johnston joins the DLLS Stars crew to break down his recovery routine, how he keeps his body ready throughout the grind of an NHL season, and what goes into making sure he’s always available when the Stars hit the ice.
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  Will The Carlsson & Gauthier Contract Drama Ground The Anaheim Ducks? | DLLS Stars Podcast 20.08.2026 1t

  Our guest today is Alexis Downie, host and content producer for Ducks Stream, the Anaheim Ducks audio broadcast platform. The Ducks snapped a seven-year playoff drought in 2025-26, officially ending their long rebuild and storming back onto the NHL’s main stage with a group of young, talented and dynamic players being guided by veteran head coach Joel Quenneville. Anaheim flirted with winning the Pacific Division, eventually settling in at 3rd place and beating the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs, before bowing out to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round. Can GM Pat Verbeek’s team take another step in 2026-27? It’s not quite that simple. Leo Carlsson has a shiny new five-year, $18 million AAV deal after signing an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers. RFA Cutter Gauthier, who scored 41 goals last season, needs a new contract and seems to be at odds with the team over what that valuation should be. The build up to the new season is filled with storylines for the Ducks!
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  Stars’ Neutral Zone PROBLEM: How Dallas Fixes It 20.08.2026 5min

  Steve “Petey” Peters and Dallas Stars legend Craig Ludwig break down the Stars’ problems in the neutral zone and what needs to change. From positioning and puck management to slowing down opposing attacks, Petey and Luds explain what’s going wrong—and how Dallas can fix it before it becomes a bigger problem.
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  Dallas Stars Forward Wyatt Johnston Joins The Show Live! | DLLS Stars Podcast 19.08.2026 1t 1min

  Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston led the NHL, and set a new Stars franchise record, by scoring 27 power play goals during the 2025-26 regular season, while also setting new career highs in goals (45), assists (41) and points (86). Johnston was drafted by Dallas in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, following having his 2020-21 OHL season with the Windsor Spitfires cancelled due to Covid-19. Johnston then went to have a big year for Windsor, scoring 124 points in 68 games, helping the Spitfires reach the OHL Finals before losing to the Hamilton Bulldogs. He then, at age 19, made the Dallas Stars roster out of the training camp for the 2022-23 season and hasn’t looked back. He has set career-highs in goals, assists, points and power play goals in each of his four NHL seasons and enters the 2026-27 campaign, at age 23, as one of the top goal scorers in the league.
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  How Do The Stars Solve The Problem Of Their Neutral Zone? | DLLS Stars Podcast 18.08.2026 1t 4min

  Today, we once again hit pause on our summer series “The Other 31” and turn our focus back to the Dallas Stars. Our good friend, and former NHL video coach, Steve “Petey” Peters joins us to talk tactics. Specifically, the Stars neutral zone. Right after Dallas lost to the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said the team’s neutral zone play was an issue the coaching staff discussed all year about possibly making a system change, but didn’t. So, Petey is here, with visual aids to break down what they were doing, what went wrong and how Gulutzan and staff might change things for the 2026-27 season.
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  Is Running It Back Good Enough For The Up-And-Coming Montréal Canadiens? | DLLS Stars Podcast 17.08.2026 1t 1min

  The Other 31: Montréal Canadiens Our guest today is Arpon Basu, senior columnist on the Montréal Canadiens for The Athletic. The Canadiens surprised some people in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, getting through the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round and the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, both in seven games. Then they handed the Carolina Hurricanes their first loss of the 2026 post season in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final… but that would be their final victory, as the Hurricanes won the next four games. Montréal president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and general manager Kent Hughes have not dialed up massive changes this offseason, as they are one of the youngest rosters in the league. Is continued growth and development of their young core enough to push Le Habs closer to winning their NHL-leading 25th Stanley Cup?
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  Nashville Predators Are LOADING UP 16.08.2026 11min

  Emma Lingan, reporter for The Hockey News and 440 Sports, joins the DLLS Stars crew to break down a busy offseason for the Nashville Predators. She dives into the blockbuster trade that sent former Dallas Stars Mavrik Bourque and Ilya Lyubushkin to Nashville, what the Predators are getting in their newest additions, and what it means for the growing Central Division rivalry. Plus, Emma breaks down the arrival of new Predators GM Chris MacFarland and the aggressive moves he's already made to reshape and dramatically improve Nashville's roster. Are the Predators becoming a legitimate threat to the Stars in the Central?
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  Jason Robertson SNUBBED Seattle 15.08.2026 13min

  Seattle Kraken radio play-by-play announcer Everett Fitzhugh joins the DLLS Stars crew to break down where the Kraken stand and why he believes they're much closer to becoming a serious threat than people think. Fitzhugh discusses Seattle's search for a true superstar, their aggressive pursuits of players like Jason Robertson and Artemi Panarin, and why attracting elite talent remains one of the franchise's biggest challenges. Plus, Everett explains what went wrong during Seattle's late-season collapse, how injuries and a demanding defensive style took their toll, and why this season could be a defining one for the Kraken as they try to turn competitive hockey into a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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  Rebuild or Reload: Was Last Year’s Tank A One-Off For The Toronto Maple Leafs? | DLLS Stars Podcast 14.08.2026 1t 3min

  The Other 31: Toronto Maple Leafs Our guest today is Luke Fox, Toronto Maple Leafs beat writer for Sportsnet. The Maple Leafs had their nine-year playoff streak snapped in 2025-26 as they missed out on the post season for the first time since 2015-16. It was a massive nosedive for Toronto, who went from winning the Atlantic Division with 108 points in 2024-25 to finishing in eighth place last season with just 78 points, a 30-point drop year-over-year. That led to the dismissal of general manager Brad Treliving and the hiring of John Chayka and Mats Sundin, who then fired head coach Craig Berube and brought in Jim Hiller. Then Toronto won the NHL Draft Lottery, using the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft to select Gavin McKenna. The new regime already had a massive win landing McKenna, but then they have also gone big in the offseason, bringing in Sergei Bobrovsky and Darren Raddysh. So the big question is, will the Maple Leafs surge right back into playoff relevance or are they in for a longer rebuild?
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  Is All This NHL Trade Drama GOOD for Hockey? 14.08.2026 4min

  The NHL offseason was louder than ever, with trade rumors, blockbuster possibilities and potential moves playing out more publicly than hockey fans are used to—including the heavily discussed Jason Robertson-to-Seattle deal that never happened. Seattle Kraken radio play-by-play announcer Everett Fitzhugh joins Owen and Sam to discuss the NHL’s suddenly noisy offseason, Seattle’s pursuit of Robertson and whether all this public trade drama is good for the league or if the NHL is better off keeping its business behind closed doors.
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  Can New Predators GM Chris MacFarland Build Nashville Into A Playoff Contender? | DLLS Stars Podcast 13.08.2026 1t 4min

  The Other 31: Nashville Predators Our guest today is Emma Lingan, Nashville-based NHL host and reporter for The Hockey News & 440 Sports. The Nashville Predators have missed the playoffs in three of the last four seasons and have not won a playoff series in nine years, when they topped the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. During this postseason drought, they have gone through three general managers (David Poile, Barry Trotz, Chris MacFarland) and three head coaches (Peter Laviolette, John Hynes, Andrew Brunette). The hiring of MacFarland this summer, drawing him away from the Avalanche, has been seen as a concerted effort to right the ship in Nashville. He has traded for Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, plus acquiring Avalanche forwards Ross Colton and Jack Drury. So the big question, can MacFarland rebuild the Predators into a perennial playoff team?
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  Jon Cooper FINALLY Wins The Jack Adams Award 13.08.2026 4min

  It FINALLY happened! Longtime Tampa Bay Lightning beat writer and LightningInsider.com writer/editor Erik Erlendsson joins the DLLS Stars crew to talk about Jon Cooper finally capturing the Jack Adams Award. Erik breaks down why the honor was long overdue, what has made Cooper one of the NHL’s premier coaches, and how remarkable it is that it took this long for him to win the league’s top coaching award.
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  How Far Can A Healthy Dallas Stars Roster Go In The Stanley Cup Playoffs? | DLLS Stars Podcast 12.08.2026 1t 1min

  We are taking a break today from our summer series “The Other 31” to talk about the team we cover, the Dallas Stars. After reaching the Western Conference Final in three consecutive seasons (2023-2025), the Stars crashed out of the 2026 Playoffs in the first round against the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have really taken strides under GM Bill Guerin, but Dallas also had some significant player injuries, including Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin, who did not play, as well as Miro Heiskanen and Mikko Rantanen not being at 100%. On today’s show we will look ahead at the potential for this current roster heading into the 2026-27 season, especially if they stay healthy. Also on the show, the ice is back at American Airlines Center, we should see potentially two new specialty jerseys this season, some records and milestones within sight and some NHL News & Notes.
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  Seattle Kraken Swung & Missed In Pursuit Of Jason Robertson – So What’s Next? | DLLS Stars Podcast 11.08.2026 1t 4min

  The Other 31: Seattle Kraken Our guest today is Everett Fitzhugh, radio play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Kraken. In one of the biggest stories of the offseason, the Kraken and Dallas Stars reached an agreement on a trade for then restricted free agent Jason Roberston, reported including a sign-and-trade on an eight-year contract with an AAV of $15 million. Robertson turned down that offer, showing that he wanted to stay in Dallas more than he wanted to chase the money. Seattle is desperate to make a big splash. They went hard after Artemi Panarin before the New York Rangers traded him to the Los Angeles Kings. The Kraken have been in the NHL for five seasons, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one time (2022-23) and have already had three different head coaches and two general managers over that span. The newness of being an NHL expansion franchise has worn off and the organization needs to start taking steps forward.
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  Will The Tampa Bay Lightning Win A Playoff Series For First Time In Five Years? | DLLS Stars Podcast 10.08.2026 1t 2min

  The Other 31: Tampa Bay Lightning Our guest today is Erik Erlendsson, longtime Lightning beat writer and writer/editor of LightningInsider.com. The Tampa Bay Lightning have been one of the most successful franchises in the National Hockey League over the past decade. The Lightning have qualified for the playoffs in 13 of the last 14 years, including the last nine consecutive seasons. They won back-to-back Stanley Cups (2020, 2021), also reached the Cup Final two other occasions (2015 vs. Chicago, 2022 vs. Colorado) and bowed out in the Eastern Conference Final in 2016 (Pittsburgh) and 2018 (Washington). However, amidst all that success, they have also crashed out in the first round on six occasions since Jon Cooper became head coach in the middle of the 2012-13 season. They were swept by Montréal in 2014 and then dealt a shocking sweep by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2019, the year the Bolts won the Presidents’ Trophy with a 128-point regular season. More recently, Tampa Bay has lost in the first round in each of the last four seasons and haven’t won a playoff series since beating the New York Rangers in the 2022 Eastern Conference Final. Thus, today’s big question, how do the Lightning recharge their energy to make another deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
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  What's Wrong with the New York Rangers? 09.08.2026 10min

  New York Post Rangers beat writer Mollie Walker joins the DLLS Stars crew to break down one of the NHL's most fascinating franchises. Mollie discusses the state of the New York Rangers, Chris Drury's vision for the team, Adam Fox's place among the NHL's elite defensemen, and whether New York's current core is still capable of competing for the Stanley Cup
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  Inside Logan Stankoven's Stanley Cup Celebration 08.08.2026 20min

  Fresh off winning the Stanley Cup, Logan Stankoven joins the DLLS Stars crew to relive the unforgettable ride to hockey's biggest prize. Stankoven shares stories from the championship celebration, the Stanley Cup parade, and what it was like lifting the Cup for the first time.
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  Will Moving On From The Yzerplan Help The Red Wings End Playoff Drought? | DLLS Stars Podcast 07.08.2026 1t 2min

  The Other 31: Detroit Red Wings Our guest today is Ryan Hana, host of the Winged Wheel Podcast. The Detroit Red Wings have missed the playoffs for 10-straight seasons and subsequently fired general manager, and club legend, Steve Yzerman. Plus, captain Dylan Larkin, who won a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics with Team USA, has requested a trade away from the only team he’s ever played for. Needless to say, there is a lot of turmoil right now in the Motor City.