Thursday night was an old-school tilt between the Hartford Whalers and the Quebec Nordiques, and it was every bit as crazy as you would've expected. The Canes hopped out to a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes, but Colorado worked their way back into the game, tying it late in the third. Despite losing three players over the course of the night, the Canes prevailed, 5-4, in a shootout.
The Hurricanes enter the night with one-fourth of their Opening Night roster nursing an injury, including three of their seven defensemen. With this being the final stop on the trip, the objective, win or lose, is to ensure that no more damage is inflicted upon this roster. If they can get back to Raleigh without anything catastrophic happening, that would be a win in itself.
On the Other Side: Dallas Stars
The 2024-25 campaign was memorable in many ways for the Dallas Stars. However, the moment both of these franchises came together for a big deadline deal was arguably the biggest of them all, when the Canes shipped Mikko Rantanen to Dallas after just over a month in Raleigh. It proved fruitful for both sides, especially Dallas, as they marched to the Western Conference Finals.
However, when their playoff run stalled in the conference finals for the third straight season, the Stars' front office made a change behind the bench, canning Peter DeBoer for Glen Gulutzan. That was their biggest move of the offseason, with Rantanen's new contract preventing them from doing a ton in free agency. Mason Marchment (Seattle) and Matt Dumba (Pittsburgh) became cap casualties.
Now, in his second tenure behind the Dallas bench, the season has started slowly for Gulutzan and the Stars. After three straight wins to open the season, the Stars have lost four in a row, including an OT loss to the Kings on Thursday. Their offense has been top-heavy, led by Rantanen, Roope Hintz, and Wyatt Johnston (8 points each), and Jake Oettinger hasn't looked great between the pipes.
Last season: The Stars visited Raleigh before Thanksgiving, ending with an incredible comeback. Dallas led 3-1 after two periods, but the Canes responded with five goals in the third period, including a wild go-ahead goal by Martin Necas with 2:07 left, in a 6-4 win. The Canes completed the season sweep in Dallas in January behind two goals from Jesperi Kotkaniemi in a 2-1 victory.
Stars to Watch
Mikko Rantanen: For the near future, every time the Stars and the Hurricanes play, Rantanen will be the center of attention. It's for good reason. The Canes tried to make a splash, but it didn't work out, and they traded him. It's as simple as that. Rantanen has been a good fit with the Stars, tied for the team lead with eight points, though he could probably be doing more for their offense.
Thomas Harley: Even with Miro Heiskanen on the roster, Harley represents the future of the Stars' defense. Frankly, he represents their present, leading their defensive group with six points. He played well against the Canes last season, scoring a goal in both meetings, including Dallas' only goal on home ice in Carolina's 2-1 victory in January.
Hurricanes to Watch
Logan Stankoven: Just like with Rantanen's spotlight, Stankoven won't avoid being placed in the same conversation, despite being vastly different players at different stages of their careers. Saturday represents his first time back in Dallas since the trade. Stankoven has had a quieter start, though he's coming off a good performance on Thursday, picking up his second goal of the season.
Joel Nystrom: Thrust into action at the last minute, Nystrom held his own in his NHL debut on Thursday in Denver. It had to be cool to have his first game in Whalers attire. Given the dire state of the lineup, Nystrom was used in all situations against the Avalanche. With this game behind him, this is a good chance for him to go a step further.