Stars Searching for Answers Amid Brutal Skid

If the Dallas Stars’ New Year’s resolution was to continue winning hockey games at a torrid clip, then they’ve failed, just like the millions of people who said they were going to start going to the gym.

Over the past several weeks, the Stars — who entered late December as one of the best teams in the NHL — have been reeling. All told, this recent skid has seen Dallas lose 10 of its last 12. Yikes. It’s a slide that’s frankly shocking. The depth and talent on the roster that Stars general manager Jim Nill has assembled is otherworldly. Still, for some reason, this squad just can’t figure it out right now.

After a recent 4-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Stars forward Justin Hryckowian expressed what has to be a similar sentiment to the rest of his teammates.

“We aren’t happy with the results,” Hryckowian said.

Perhaps even more telling was what his head coach, Glen Gulutzan, said back on Jan. 15 in the immediate aftermath of a loss against the then-reeling Anaheim Ducks.

“We’re not happy with our play as of late and the results of late,” Gulutzan said. “We’ve got to get back to a little bit of a resetting and get into some rhythm here.”

Gulutzan: "We're not happy with our play as of late, and the results of late. We gotta get back to a little bit of a resetting and get into some rhythm here." https://t.co/ecELn8Q3Uf
— Robert Tiffin (@RobertTiffin) January 15, 2026

While that’s all well and good, the Stars have lost two more games since that quote from Gulutzan, with the end of the skid having no end in sight.

So how in the world did this all happen? How did a team that’s equipped with players like Mikko Rantanen, Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson and a myriad of other potent talents fall into such depths of despair? What is going on in Dallas?

Lackluster Offensive and Defensive Production is Plaguing the Stars

Jan 18, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

For the first three months of the season, Dallas relied on a quality-over-quantity approach when it came to getting shots on goal. To its credit, it worked. The Stars roared near the top of the NHL standings — if it wasn’t for those pesky Avalanche, they would’ve been in first place — and all was well in the world.

But then the bubble burst.

It turns out that averaging a measly 25.2 shots on net per game, which is second-to-last in the entire league — with only the St. Louis Blues being worse — isn’t a recipe for success, even with some of the best scorers on the planet. The Stars simply have to pepper the goalie more than they have. Simple as that.

Even with the lackluster shot totals, the Stars still could’ve won more games over the past several weeks if their goaltending had been a bit better. Team USA netminder Jake Oettinger has valiantly led the charge for the Stars in the crease, but he and his partner, Casey DeSmith, have struggled as of late. All told, the duo has posted a 3.5 goals-against average over the past 12 games, which, while not terrible, isn’t good enough — especially when the offense isn’t producing at the high level it was earlier in the season.

All is Not Lost

Dallas Stars forward Justin Hryckowia — Jan 13, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Dallas Stars center Justin Hryckowian (49) controls the puck against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Even with the recent struggles, the Stars are still extremely well-positioned to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. All they need to do is get back to their winning ways, which is easier said than done, and all will be right in the Lone Star State. After all, this is the same organization that lost its final seven games heading into the postseason a year ago and still made a run to the Western Conference final.

This skid is not impossible to break. Take Hryckowian’s word for it. He believes, and sometimes belief is all one needs.

“We have such a tight-knit group, and we are going to get out of this,” Hryckowian said. “We just have to start stacking plays, stacking games, stacking practices, and it will start going our way soon.”

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