The Dallas Stars are set to face off against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs this season. The two teams had played each other in the second round last season, with the Stars winning the series in six games.
Game 1 of the series will begin on Saturday, April 19, at Dallas (8:30 p.m. ET; Victory+, MAX, truTV, TNT, ALT, SN360, SN, TVAS).
Projected Lineups for Stars vs. Avalanche | Game 1
There’s a personal edge to this rivalry now. Stars forward Mikko Rantanen began the season with the Avalanche. Colorado picked him in the 2015 NHL Draft, and he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
After months of contract talks, Rantanen and the Avs couldn’t agree on a new deal. He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in January, then moved again to the Stars right before the trade deadline, signing a new contract in Dallas.
Rantanen will no doubt be itching to show the Avs what they missed out on during the upcoming series.
“It’s going to be different, for sure, than I’m used to playing in the playoffs,” Rantenen said via NHL.com. “I played for the same team always, but now it’s different — and I’m playing against them, which is funny.”
Dallas has the home ice advantage because they were second in the Central Division while the Avs were third.
The Stars posted a 50-26-6 record for 106 points this season, though they struggled late, dropping their last seven regular-season games. They went 3-5-2 in their final 10.
The Avalanche finished with a 49-29-4 record and 102 points, going 5-4-1 over their final 10 games.
Colorado Avalanche Projected Lineup
Forwards
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Valeri Nichuskin
Jonathan Drouin — Brock Nelson — Martin Necas
Joel Kiviranta — Charlie Coyle — Ross Colton
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor
Defensemen
Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Josh Manson
Ryan Lindgren — Sam Malinski
Goalies
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Scratched
Erik Johnson, Keaton Middleton, Jimmy Vesey, Miles Wood
Injured
Gabriel Landeskog (knee surgery)
The Avs might see captain Gabriel Landeskog take the ice for the first time in three years.
Dallas Stars Projected Lineup
Forwards
Mikael Granlund — Roope Hintz — Evgenii Dadonov
Mason Marchment — Matt Duchene — Tyler Seguin
Jamie Benn — Wyatt Johnston — Mikko Rantanen
Oskar Back — Sam Steel — Mavrik Bourque
Defensemen
Thomas Harley — Ilya Lyubushkin
Esa Lindell — Cody Ceci
Lian Bichsel — Alexander Petrovic
Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith
Scratched
Colin Blackwell, Mathew Dumba, Brendan Smith
Injured
Miro Heiskanen (knee), Nils Lundkvist (shoulder), Jason Robertson (lower body)