The Texas Stars haven’t exactly found their footing out of the gate, and the early story has been a familiar one for any team trying to blend prospects, new faces and a thin offense all at once. Through four games, they’ve managed only eight goals in regulation, and that scoring drag has left the AHL club hunting for answers while some of the organization’s young names learn the pro game on the fly.
Mike Sgarbossa has been the most reliable source of offense so far. In his first season back in North America after a year in Switzerland, he leads Texas with two goals and two assists for four points in four games. Outside of that, the production has been spotty, and the Stars’ attack has gone quiet in stretches that have already defined the opening month.
That same uneven start has shown up in the standings. Texas opened with a 4-3 shootout win against the Iowa Wild, then dropped a 4-3 shootout result the following night.
The next series was even rougher, as Hershey swept the Stars with a 2-1 win and then a 6-1 rout. Hershey, which barely reached the playoffs last season, has looked like a much different group this year.
Goaltending has also been part of the early adjustment. Remi Poirier, who was a strength for Texas last season, is gone after being claimed on waivers by the New Jersey Devils.
In his place, newcomer Brandon Halverson has given the team a respectable start after coming over from the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. He’s 1-1-0 with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in three appearances.
Arno Tiefensee, a fifth-round pick in 2023, has had a tougher time. The 2023 draft pick has lost both of his starts, allowing six goals while stopping 36 of 42 shots. He has played one season with Texas and is still looking for a cleaner first impression at the AHL level.
On the blue line, Jack Anderson has been one of the more encouraging developments. The 23-year-old college free agent signee already has two goals in four games after putting up three points in 12 games last season. Anderson came to the Stars after his college run at Michigan Tech and Lindenwood, and he’s given Texas an unexpected lift early.
The focus, though, has largely been on Emil Hemming, and that has not gone the way Texas hoped. The top prospect is still searching for his first point of the season, leaving him scoreless through four games. That follows a five-game scoreless stretch last season, giving him nine straight games without a point at the pro level.
There are other young players worth tracking, too. Aram Minnetian, a 2023 fourth-round pick who joined the club after a strong college career at Boston College, has an assist and a minus-two rating through four games. Last season he posted three assists in eight games and added an assist in three playoff games.
Tristan Bertucci, selected in the second round in 2023, was steady enough last year with 24 points in 63 games. This season, he has one assist and a minus-one rating in three games.
Texas will try to turn the page quickly with a road set against the Manitoba Moose, the AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, on Friday and Sunday.
In Other News...
Stars Survived A Wild Avalanche Battle Colorado Won't Soon Forget
Cale Makar was back in the Avalanche lineup after missing the previous game for the birth of his twin boys, and Colorado got the kind of high-drama return game that reminded everyone how thin the margin can be against Dallas. The Stars came away with a 3-2 shootout win in a matchup that had plenty going on for Colorado, including notable nights from Gabriel Landeskog, Brock Nelson and Nazem Kadri.
The game took on even more frustration for the Avalanche when two potential goals were taken off the board, one on an offside review and another for a kicking motion. Dallas survived all of that, then finished the job in the shootout to leave Colorado with a loss it will not forget anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Suddenly Have A Lineup Decision Fans Will Be Watching
The Avalanches coaching staff changed this week with the hiring of Brett McLean, but the more immediate ripple for Dallas is on the roster side. The Stars are still sorting through their center depth as they wait for Wyatt Johnston to get back into the mix, a boost that would help after he missed the recent games against Colorado because of an illness.
Oskar Backs situation adds another layer to the picture. He left last nights win over Colorado with an upper-body injury, and Dallas has not confirmed his status for Saturday, leaving the Stars with at least one lineup spot very much up in the air. For a team trying to settle in after a tight stretch, the timing of Johnstons return and Backs availability could matter just as much as anything happening behind the bench in Denver. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Stay In The Avalanche Race After Another Tight Battle
The Avalanche and Stars have already given the Central Division an early-season feel of a race that could go a long way. In a pair of tight games, the clubs split the set, with Colorado picking up three of a possible four points against Dallas and showing why it is once again one of the teams the Stars have to track closely over the long haul.
Jaden Schwartz has been part of the early push for Colorado, while Brock Nelson has also helped steady the Avalanche as they keep building through the opening stretch. Colorado now gets a more favorable run of games ahead, and if it takes advantage, the Stars may have to chase a little harder just to keep pace. [Read more 🡒]