Heading into the season, the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers were considered among the favorites to contend for the Stanley Cup. However, neither is playing their best hockey of late, as they meet for the first time this season on Friday in Dallas.
Dallas has lost four of its last seven, including a 5-3 defeat Wednesday to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The slump coincides with a dip in offense.
In the Stars' first 22 games, a stretch from Oct. 10 to Nov. 29, coach Peter DeBoer's team averaged 3.5 goals per contest. Since then, Dallas has scored just 24 times in nine games (2.67 average). Last season's Western Conference finalists have only scored more than three goals once this month, a 6-2 win over Calgary on Dec. 8.
DeBoer told reporters after Wednesday's loss that part of the problem is the hip injury to Tyler Seguin. The 32-year-old, who scored nine goals in 19 games this season, underwent surgery earlier this month and is expected to miss between four to six months, which may make it a season-ender. Dallas is also missing Joe Pavelski, who retired after last season.
Those two skaters combined to score 52 goals last season.
"We have to fill that void with other guys," DeBoer said. "Other guys have to find ways to score goals. That includes guys that have scored before. (They need to) get up to the pace they have been on most of their careers."
DeBoer didn't name names. However, Jason Robertson, a 25-year-old left wing and two-time 40-goal scorer, has just seven this season through 31 games. Jamie Benn, another left wing, ranks second in franchise history with 389 goals in 16 seasons, including 33 in 2022-23. The 35-year-old has only six through 31 games.
New York has won just once in its last six (1-5-0). The only victory came against the Buffalo Sabres, who have lost 11 straight.
On Tuesday, the Rangers lost 2-0 on the road to the Nashville Predators, who entered Thursday's action tied for last place in the league standings.
The Rangers' slump has come while the front office has changed the roster. On Wednesday, the team shipped Kaapo Kakko, the second overall draft pick in 2019, to the Seattle Kraken for defenseman Will Borgen and two picks in next year's draft. Two weeks ago, the Rangers traded away defenseman and team captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks for Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
New York may welcome back Artemi Panarin on Friday. The left wing leads the team with 15 goals and 36 points but has been scratched the last two games with an upper-body injury.
Reporters said Thursday that Panarin practiced wearing a noncontact jersey. Per the New York Post, Laviolette and assistant coach Michael Peca took part in practicing shootouts, in an effort to change the mood.
"Guys get out there, and they work," Laviolette said, according to the Post. "You get into it, and everybody's got to find a way to break through this. Having a practice like that, maybe a little bit lighter, an opportunity to just go out and play, get back to it. The best remedy for all of it is winning, and we got to start that (Friday night)."
--Field Level Media
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