First Shift: Stars kick off 2023-24 campaign against division rival

After stumbling to the finish of the preseason and dealing with injuries that have prevented practicing with certain lines or special teams alignments, the Stars actually get a really nice opponent in their season opener on Thursday.

Not only does Dallas face a Central Division rival in the St. Louis Blues, it’s the same team that walked out of American Airlines Center a week ago with a 4-0 preseason win.

“For sure, we need to be better,” defenseman Esa Lindell said after Dallas allowed two own goals in that game. “With the way they have played for years, they work hard and they track back and stuff the middle. So you need to earn it. Today, we didn’t.”

Stars coach Pete DeBoer said having that memory can be helpful.

“Every time you play a team, you get a good pre-scout,” DeBoer said. “The fact that [head coach] Craig Berube has been there for years, we’ve got a good book on what they do and they’ve got a good book on us. I think we both know what to expect, but it’s always good to have some recent tape on a team. That was basically their opening night lineup.”

Dallas went 18-4-4 against the Central Division last season, including a perfect 3-0-0 against the Blues. It was their first time to sweep St. Louis in a season since the 2013 divisional realignment. Goalie Jake Oettinger has a 1.68 GAA and .944 save percentage in his career against St. Louis, and he and his teammates will be looking to get off to a hot start this year.

“I think we all want to get off to a quick start,” said center Radek Faksa. “You want to win every game, but especially early. If you can get going, it gives you momentum and a bit of a cushion. That’s what we did last year.”

Dallas started 4-0-1 last season and never looked back. A similar start this season would be great.

That said, they had three injuries during training camp to Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Faksa, and that was one of the reasons for lopsided losses to St. Louis and Minnesota to close out the preseason. It also meant coaches couldn’t put together ideal lines or special teams, so there could be some rust early on. Johnston and Faksa practiced the last two days, but Hintz (upper body) was still limited in practice on Wednesday.

He’ll be a game-time decision.

“We’ll see. I would call him game-time,” DeBoer said. “We’ve been extra cautious here. We’ll see how he feels [Thursday] morning.”

The Stars have four days off before their second game of the season, which could mean they continue to be extra cautious with Hintz and allow time to fully heal.

“Let’s put it this way, we’re not going to jeopardize anything long-term to rush him in,” DeBoer said. “If he’s ready, he’ll play. If he’s not, he’ll get that extra time.”

Key Numbers

109
Stars forward Jason Robertson tallied 109 points (46 goals, 63 assists) last season. The all-time Minnesota/Dallas franchise record is 114 set by Bobby Smith in 1981-82 for the Minnesota North Stars.

49
Stars captain Jamie Benn has 49 points (21 goals, 28 assists) in 51 career games against St. Louis. That’s the most points versus any team. He also has 49 penalty minutes.

70.2 percent
St. Louis ranked 31st in road penalty kills last season at 70.2 percent.

944
Both the Stars and Blues have 944 wins since the start of the 1999-2000 season. They’re tied for 4th most in the NHL over the span.

He Said It

“I would have liked to have an opening night lineup over the last couple of games. We didn’t get a chance to do that with some of the injuries we had. That’s something you can’t control.”

- Stars coach Pete DeBoer on how injuries affected the team’s preparation for Thursday’s season opener

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.