Over the past two seasons, the Dallas Stars have come tantalizingly close to reaching the pinnacle of the NHL. Their journey has ended in the Western Conference Final both times, but the outlook is bright for this group as they strive to clinch their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 2020.
Most recently, in 2024, the Stars were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in a six-game Western Conference Final series. Dallas initially held the advantage, winning two of the first three games, but their offense subsequently faltered dramatically, scoring only four goals over the final three contests.
The previous year, in 2023, the Stars faced the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights. Dallas fell into a daunting 0-3 series deficit before mounting a comeback to win Games 4 and 5 and pull back into contention. However, the Golden Knights decisively closed out the series with a dominant 6-0 victory in Game 6 to secure the Western Conference Final title.
While many core members from those two teams remain, this current iteration is significantly different and has much to prove this year. The acquisition of Mikko Rantanen at the trade deadline immediately positioned the Stars among the top contenders to lift the Stanley Cup this summer, and with good reason.
Several key factors suggest the Stars are ready to complete their mission and reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2025.
The Impact of Mikko Rantanen
Since joining the team in March, Rantanen has consistently delivered on expectations. He has been an offensive powerhouse in the NHL postseason, leading all players with 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, showing no signs of slowing down.
In recent years, the Stars have boasted impressive forward depth. However, Rantanen brings an `alpha` presence capable of single-handedly influencing a game. Over a four-game stretch bridging the first and second rounds, Rantanen scored eight goals, including back-to-back hat tricks. He has a history of rising to the occasion on the biggest stages throughout his NHL career. If he maintains this elite performance, the Stars will be in an excellent position offensively.
Jake Oettinger`s Crucial Goaltending
Recent Stanley Cup winners like Sergei Bobrovsky, Adin Hill, and Andrei Vasilevsky highlight the critical need for stable and exceptional goaltending. For the Stars, Jake Oettinger has demonstrated just that, particularly with a strong finish to the team`s second-round series against the Winnipeg Jets.
Entering the Western Conference Final, Oettinger holds an 8-5-0 record in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, supported by a 2.47 goals-against-average and a .919 save percentage. In the crucial final four games against the Jets, Oettinger posted remarkable numbers: a 1.75 goals-against-average and a .939 save percentage, contributing significantly to three of Dallas`s wins. He has allowed more than three goals in only two of his 13 starts this postseason. Oettinger possesses the capability for highlight-reel saves, evidenced by his .963 save percentage against unblocked shots, according to MoneyPuck data. While the team`s offense is formidable, the Stars` ultimate success is heavily reliant on Oettinger`s performance.
Elite Special Teams Performance
The Stars are a highly dangerous team even at five-on-five, but they become even more potent on the power play. In the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Dallas ranks third overall with a 30.8% success rate among all playoff teams. Crucially, they boast the highest power-play percentage among the teams still competing. Their 12 power-play goals are the most across all NHL playoff teams. Dallas has also netted at least one power-play goal in three of their last four games, including defenseman Thomas Harley`s game-winning goal on the power play in overtime of Game 6 against Winnipeg.
Dallas has also excelled on the penalty kill throughout the postseason. With an 86.0% penalty kill rate in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they rank third among all playoff teams, behind only the Carolina Hurricanes (93.3%) and Florida Panthers (89.5%). The Stars surrendered only three power-play goals during their second-round matchup against the Jets. Dallas features a seasoned top penalty kill unit, including Sam Steel, Mikael Granlund, Esa Lindell, and Cody Ceci, which has performed exceptionally well this postseason.
Torin Vale 
Elton Marrow