What Can the St. Louis Blues Learn from the Dallas Stars Recent Success?

The Dallas Stars led the Central Division with 113 points and have made three consecutive playoff appearances.

In the 2022-23 season, the Stars finished second in the Central Division with 108 points, and in the 2021-22 season made the playoffs with 98 total points.

The Dallas Stars are improving and developing additional skills each consecutive year.

How do the St. Louis Blues and the Dallas Stars stack up against each other?

The St. Louis Blues had a superior record in the 2021-22 season and earned a playoff spot. However, in the 2022-23 campaign, the Blues finished sixth in the Central Division with 81 points and didn't earn a playoff appearance.

Of course, the St. Louis Blues fell short of the postseason this year but improved in the point column with 92 points.

What can the St. Louis Blues learn from the Dallas Stars?

First, the Dallas Stars are one of the oldest, most veteran teams in the NHL, with a roster average of around 29 years old. The St. Louis Blues average age is 26.

Does veteran experience matter? It does for the Dallas Stars. The team is guided by Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Miro Heiskanen.

Jason Robertson finished the season with 80 points, making him the point leader on the Stars. Joe Pavelski had 67 points, and Wyatt Johnston, Roope Hintz, and Matt Duchene all had 65 points.

The top three players for the Blues were Robert Thomas (86 points), Jordan Kyrou (67 points), and Pavel Buchnevich (63 points).

It goes without saying that the Dallas Stars possess an abundance of talent and boast a strong roster.

Goaltenders Jake Oettinger and Jordan Binnington had similar statistics. Oettinger finished with a .905 save percentage, compared to Binnington's .913.

So why have the St. Louis Blue fallen short?

Three primary reasons exist. Defense, scoring threats, and veteran leadership.

The Stars have one of the best defenseman in the league, Miro Heiskanen (54 points), followed by a solid performance from Thomas Harley (47 points).

Torey Krug and Justin Faulk led the way for the St. Louis Blues. Krug recorded 39 points, and Faulk 30 points.

Outside of defense, the Stars put on a show, having six players finish the season with 60-plus points, all within the winger and center positions. Scoring was the name of the game, and they succeeded.

The St. Louis Blues had three players above sixty points and none in the 50 points category.

Perhaps most telling, the Dallas Stars embody a championship squad built on leadership, endurance, and toughness.

Benn sets the tone, and Seguin's leadership continues to be on display.

Combining veteran players and young talent, the Stars have formed a strong team, led by Robertson, that can compete with the best in the league and even eliminate Nathan MacKinnon and company.  

The recipe for success proves that veteran-surrounded teams can win and tend to flourish in the moments that matter most: postseason play.