Jake Oettinger shared his cheat meals—Chick-fil-A or a Culver’s burger with fries and a chocolate shake—along with thoughts on the league’s relaxed dress code and a tease of Roope Hintz’s bold fashion sense. He named Drake’s Headlines as his pregame vibe and admitted a glove-tap quirk inspired by Carey Price, giving a window into Stars’ locker-room rhythm and weekend energy ahead of the season.

The ESPN interview from the NHL Player Media Tour near Las Vegas also spotlights Hintz’s potential fashion runway on the road and the team’s overall culture, hinting at how these off-ice habits might translate into on-ice consistency and fantasy-relevant stability for Dallas goaltending and top-line production.

Dallas Stars open a busy training camp with a 65-player roster (39 forwards, 20 defensemen, 6 goaltenders) ahead of the 2025-26 season, staging sessions Sept. 18-Oct. 4 at Comerica Center in Frisco. The first trio of days is free to attend with RSVP, and fans can watch Team A/B/C practices across the camp’s slate, capped by a Sept. 20 preseason versus St. Louis Blues at the American Airlines Center. The camp bookends a roster heavy with veterans like Benn, Robertson, Hintz, Seguin, Heiskanen and Oettinger while shuffling in prospects to prove themselves for opening night.

Roope Hintz lands at No. 17 among NHL centers entering 2025-26, posting 67 points (28 goals, 29 assists) in 76 games. His two-way game keeps him in fantasy conversations, with Selke Award votes piling up over the past four seasons. Dallas’ star forward contributed 12 playoff points in 17 games last spring, though an injury in the Western Conference finals stemmed from a controversial Nurse slash. Hintz anchors the Stars’ lineup as part of a celebrated Finnish contingent that once included Mikko Rantanen, Mikael Granlund, Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen, a group nicknamed the Finnish Mafia. Granlund’s free-agency departure leaves Hintz, Lindell and Heiskanen as core holdovers, while Rantanen and Robertson remain crucial wings on a roster that leaned on depth and elite skill. NHL Network’s write-up underscores Hintz’s rhythm heading into the season and the historic four-point playoff burst by Hintz and Rantanen in a pivotal Game 6, a reminder that Dallas can lift a high-end fantasy ceiling when the star power is healthy.

For fantasy managers, Hintz remains a safe bet for 65–75 points with strong peripherals and continued two-way value. The Stars’ Finnish quartet signals sustained upside around leadership and chemistry, even as Granlund’s exit reshapes the depth chart. Dallas’ top wings (Robertson, Rantanen) and defensemen (Heiskanen, Harley) figure prominently in projections, with Lindell and Harley poised to carry significant minutes on the back end. Monitor Hintz’s health after the playoff injury and the evolving lineup, but the core fantasy appeal remains intact: elite point pace paired with excellent defensive impact and playoff pedigree.

Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars faces a near-six-figure fine for an unauthorized absence from Finland’s mandatory military service in 2024. He was slated to report April 15, but delayed, submitting a start-date change that the army approved two days later. The penalty can reach 10-15 days worth of salary, potentially up to 85,000 euros. The Stars declined comment and Rantanen’s agent did not respond to multiple requests. Finland’s service requirement applies to all men over 18, with Hope Hintz exempted in past reports; Olympic status for Rantanen remains in focus as Finland’s national program moves toward Milan 2026. A longtime Stars acquisition, Rantanen posted strong production after a deadline-day deal and signed an eight-year extension, with teammates and league observers watching how this domestic issue might ripple into team chemistry and playoff readiness.

Finland’s stance and the Olympic angle underscore the layered risks players face beyond the rink. In Dallas, the situation could influence line dynamics, special-teams deployment, and depth utilization if the timeline shifts. While the Olympic eligibility discussion continues behind the scenes, the immediate fantasy impact centers on potential short-term absences and the ripple effects on Stars’ scoring balance as roster moves are contemplated for stretches with Rantanen out or limited.

Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill provided updates on key players' injuries following the postseason. Tyler Seguin and rookie Lian Bichsel both battled shoulder injuries throughout the playoffs, although Nill confirmed that neither player will require offseason shoulder surgery. Seguin is expected to benefit from a full offseason of rehabilitation after having already missed significant time due to hip surgery. Bichsel, however, will have a procedure to remove a plate from a previous ankle injury.

In other injury news, Roope Hintz suffered a broken foot due to a slash from Darnell Nurse in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Nill noted that recovery was complicated by additional bleeding. Additionally, Jason Robertson's injury from Game 82, which sidelined him for the first round, was identified as an MCL sprain. These updates highlight the physical toll of a long playoff run and underscore the importance of player recovery going into next season.