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The season for the Dallas Stars, which produced an impressive 50-26-6 record during the regular season and thrilling series wins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets, is now over.
Dallas was done in for the second consecutive campaign by the Edmonton Oilers, dropping Thursday night's Game 5 by a 6-3 final score. It marks the third straight season in which the Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final but fell short of getting to the NHL's ultimate series.
And naturally, there will be plenty of questions for the team and coaching staff to answer after they fell short of what they felt should have, at the bare minimum, been the club's first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 2020.
But who on the Stars can realistically have the most blame laid at their feet for once again falling to the Oilers?
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin
Two of the longest serving members of the Stars, both Benn and Seguin were complete non-factors for the Stars in the series against the Oilers. While Seguin found the back of the net twice in the opening game, Benn's picture may as well be on milk cartons all throughout the state of Texas right now.
Benn's performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs was, in a word, unacceptable. He's not only the team captain but is also expected to produce offensively. It's true that at 35 years of age, Benn's skills aren't what they once were. But to score only a single goal while adding literally two assists in 18 postseason games just isn't cutting it.
Benn's performance in the playoffs last season already came into question when he managed only four goals. There aren't many who would have believed that he'd be kept off the scoresheet in all but one of the Stars' 18 playoff games in 2025, but that's the sad reality. Benn's contract is up this offseason, and it's very possible that he's played his last game as a member of the Stars. Right now, Stars GM Jim Nill likely will have little reason or motivation to re-sign him, especially after his complete no-show performance.
As far as Seguin goes, he did have his moments in the playoffs which included his breakaway goal against the Oilers in Game 1 (the Stars' lone victory in the series) along with his overtime game-winning goal in Round 1 against the Colorado Avalanche.
But like Benn, Seguin was nowhere to be found offensively for most of the postseason. He has two years left on his contract with an exorbitant cap hit of $9.85 million.
Mikko Rantanen
Acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in one of the biggest trades in recent team history, Rantanen looked like one of the best players in the NHL when he scored back-to-back hat tricks against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 and Winnipeg Jets in Game 1.
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But that offensive touch fell completely silent in the final seven games of the postseason, which included failing to find the back of the net during the entire five-game series loss to the Oilers. Considering that the Oilers aren't exactly known as a defensive stalwart combined with the reputation of Stuart Skinner as being one of the league's most streaky goaltenders, Rantanen's disappearance from the scoresheet against the Oilers was especially disappointing.
It brought an end to Rantanen's first postseason with the Stars since the trade, but there will be plenty more opportunities for Rantanen to redeem himself, as he's under contract for the next eight seasons.
Jake Oettinger
Stars fans everywhere are wondering the same thing — what on Earth happened to Oettinger in Game 5 on Thursday night?
Oettinger was pulled by coach Pete DeBoer in controversial fashion after he allowed a pair of quick goals on each of Edmonton's first two shots during the game; he didn't touch the ice again for the rest of the night and reportedly didn't speak to reporters after the loss.
Stars management, led by Nill, recently saw fit to cement Oettinger's status as their main man in the crease with a handsome contract extension with an $8.25 million cap hit, making him one of the highest paid players at his position in the NHL.
While Oettinger played well during the regular season (earning a roster spot on Team USA during the 4 Nations Face-Off) and for the most part during the postseason, Oettinger's performance against the Oilers for most of the series was questionable at best.
The Stars needed him to be better, especially in the opening 20 minutes of play in an elimination game. Oettinger didn't deliver the kind of performance required of him compared to what he's being paid to do.
