NHL teams face regression risks this season. Morgan Geekie jumps to the top line with Boston, shooting% spikes and a near-30 goal ceiling look probable but not guaranteed. Scheifele may drop from elite status as Jets’ PP changes bite his pace. Protas surprised last year, yet sustained 21% shooting is unlikely. Hagel, Stone, and Duchene all carry notable regression risk due to line shifts, health, or role changes. Expect 22–26, 30/77, ~20, and 21/40-type outputs respectively, with upside dampened by tougher matchups and shooting normalization.

Shots, lines, and power-play dynamics shape these projections. Each player’s fate hinges on role stability, opponents’ adjustments, and the persistence of high shooting rates. The piece weighs who might still carve solid fantasy value despite regression, highlighting top-line exposure, minutes, and the likelihood of less favorable matchups as seasons begin.

Stars lean on their high-end talent for 2025-26, adding Mikko Rantanen for a full season and leveraging Jason Robertson's contract/Olympic-year urgency. Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Mavrik Bourque are set to lift the offense, while Benn starts the year sidelined and Duchene chases Cup glory. Depth pieces like Sam Steel, Nathan Bastian and Radek Faksa must fill gaps after Marchment, Dadonov and Granlund departed.

Gulutzan’s Dallas move injects Oilers-style power play thinking into the Stars, aiming for two mobile units and a constant top-pp tempo to avoid stagnation over an 82-game season. In a 0-for-3 preseason, Dallas showcased movement with Robertson, Lind, Hintz and a rotated Rantanen on the top unit, and Benn, Seguin, Duchene and Rantanen on the second, with Harley and Heiskanen steering the action.

Gulutzan and Neil Graham emphasize flexibility, letting skill shine within structure. Early practice signals a blueprint to lift Dallas’ power play this season, translating talent into consistent production when it counts and keeping the system fresh across the lineup.

Dallas Stars beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 in a brisk NHL preseason showcase, with Jason Robertson lighting the lamp in the third and Tyler Seguin ending it in overtime. The win underscored Dallas' depth, pace, and goaltending stability from Jake Oettinger, while veteran leadership stays central to the top line. Fantasy players should note Robertson's continued scoring touch, Seguin's ongoing two-way relevance, and Dallas' potential PP rhythm as the season nears.

Several Stars veterans and a handful of Wild youngsters flashed offensive instincts and two-way play, hinting at upside for depth players like Kole Lind, Matt Duchene, and Caedan Bankier's Wild minutes. Oettinger's steadiness adds a reassuring baseline for Dallas' fantasy outlook as real games begin.

Gulutzan reloads Dallas with youth and energy, naming Bourque and Lundkvist as the camp targets while acknowledging gaps left by Granlund and Ceci. Bourque aims for top-six and more offense; Lundkvist looks to cement a trusted role after a bumpy finish under DeBoer. Benn remains a steadying veteran as Duchene and Johnston could supply breakout bursts. Internal growth is the theme, with camp as the proving ground for the Stars’ next wave.