Fresh off of Wisconsin's loss in the National Championship, Christian Fitzgerald has signed a one-year, entry-level contract with Dallas starting in 2026-26. The 23-year-old forward had spent the last three seasons at the University of Wisconsion (NCAA) and put up career numbers in his senior campaign in 2025-26, with 16 goals and 31 points in 39 games played.
Heiskanen suffered a lower-body injury vs. the Wild on Thursday and will be shut down for the rest of the regular season. The Stars are hopeful that he'll be ready for Game 1 of the postseason.
Oettinger allowed four goals on 31 shots in the Stars' win over the Wild on Thursday. Oettinger comes into Saturday's game riding a three-game winining streak, allowing seven goals on 73 shots (.904 SV%). The Stars are still playing for home-ice advantage in Round 1 vs. the Wild, so Oettinger should be a reliable start on Saturday vs. the Rangers as -181 home favourites.
With Nils Lundkvist (illness) out of the lineup on Thursday, Dallas will welcome Hughes back in as they return to a six-defenseman, 12-forward formation. The 29-year-old Hughes made his season debut last earlier this month, his third career NHL game, playing 6:34 time-on-ice.
With Lundkvist out of the lineup due to an illness, the Stars will return to the traditional six-defensemen, 12-forward formation, welcoming Cameron Hughes back into their lineup. The 25-year-old Lundkvist has become a more reliable presence on the Dallas blueline this season, recording 11 points (3G / 8A) and a +12 plus/minus through 51 games.
In a preview of their upcoming first-round playoff matchup, Oettinger will tend the twine against the Minnesota Wild in a pivotal battle for home-ice advantage. Oettinger did not need to be spectacular in his previous outing, allowing three goals on 20 shots (.850 SV%), but managed to salvage a 4-3 overtime win over the Calgary Flames. The Minnesota-born Oettinger has been excellent in his career against his hometown team, including posting a 2.31 GAA and .929 SV% in three meetings this season (1-1-1). The Stars enter Thursday's contest as -123 home favourites against a Wild team that has scored four or more goals in four consecutive games (4-0-0).
Bunting has not played in over a week due to a lower-body injury, but could return this weekend. The 30-year-old Bunting only has two points (1G / 1A) in 11 games since being acquired by Dallas at the trade deadline. It was initially believed that Bunting could play in a top-six role alongside Mikko Rantanen, but coinciding injuries prevented that from happening; he could get a look there in the final games of the regular season.
Tyler Myers will return from an undisclosed injury on Tuesday, sending Petrovic back to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 34-year-old Petrovic has been the odd-man out of the lineup since Myers was acquired at the trade deadline, playing only one game in the last five weeks.
Myers has not played the previous three games for the Stars, but will re-enter the lineup on Tuesday against the Calgary Flames. The 36-year-old Myers has two assists in 11 games since joining the Stars at the trade deadline. Alex Petrovic will exit to lineup to accommodate Myers' return.
Oettinger is coming off one of his best performances of the season, saving all 22 shots he faced in a 3-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets, and will hope to continue that excellence as the Stars battle to secure home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. That said, Oettinger has been inconsistent lately, posting a 3.07 GAA and .854 SV% in his last five appearances (2-2-0). The Stars enter Tuesday's contest as sizable -238 home favourites against a Calgary Flames team coming off a 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Bastian was limited to only 4:02 time-on-ice in his last game over a week ago, and has not been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season and beyond due to an undisclosed ailment. The 28-year-old forward scored seven points (6G / 1A) in 36 games this season.
Faksa did not play in Czechia's final two games at the Olympics and has been sidelined for the Dallas Stars ever since. The 32-year-old Faksa has 17 points (2G / 15A) through 56 games in a fourth-line role this season and has not surpassed the 20-point plateau since 2018-19. Initially expected to be sidelined into the postseason, Head Coach Glen Gulutzan expressed that Faksa is remarkably ahead of schedule and could play before the end of the season.
DeSmith allowed two goals on 30 shots in the Stars loss in Philadelphia last Sunday. DeSmith has not registered a win since March 8th, losing four straight with 3.03 GAA and .890 SV%. Tonight he'll face an Avalanche team that has scored three-plus goals in six of their last seven, averaging 4.7 goals per game during that stretch.
Myers did not play in Dallas' previous game, and he will miss at least one more outing due to an undisclosed ailment. The 36-year-old Myers has two assists in 11 games since joining the Stars at the trade deadline.
Cameron Hughes will exit the Stars lineup on Thursday, as the team will welcome Capobianco back into the lineup and go with an 11-forward, seven-defenseman formation on Thursday. The 28-year-old Capobianco has not played since early Februrary. He has five points (2G / 3A) in 31 games this season.
