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Published on:

6th Sep 2025

2025 NHL Summer Cooler - Dallas Stars

In this Summer Coolers edition of NHL Wraparound, hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren dive deep into the state of the Dallas Stars, a team that continues to knock on the door but can’t quite break it down. After a heartbreaking third straight Conference Final loss, the Stars made a surprising offseason move—replacing head coach Peter DeBoer with Glen Gulutzan, signaling a reset without dismantling their core.

Dallas finished the 2024–25 regular season with 102 points and were one of the West’s most dangerous teams on paper. But after a Game 1 offensive outburst against Edmonton in the Conference Final, the Stars’ scoring completely dried up. That collapse has left major questions about leadership, playoff preparedness, and whether the window to win with Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Matt Duchene is beginning to close.

The episode covers offseason moves, the state of the blue line, the future of Jake Oettinger, and why the new coach might finally be what pushes this veteran-heavy team to the next level.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Dallas Stars 2024–25 recap: Another deep run, same ending

[00:38] Jim Nill wins GM of the Year again—but makes a major change

[01:00] Glen Gulutzan replaces Peter DeBoer: Why now?

[02:00] Veteran core aging: Benn, Seguin, Duchene

[03:00] Free agent re-signings: Duchene, Benn, Blackwell, Bork, Lundkvist

[03:45] Offseason additions: RFA Rodak Faksa returns, Nathan Bastian signs

[04:15] Key departures: Mason Marchment, Matt Dumba, Cody Ceci

[05:00] Offensive depth: Still dangerous despite losses

[05:45] Defensive pairings: Heiskanen, Lindell, Harley, Laaksonen, Burns

[06:00] Goaltending: Oettinger & DeSmith remain the tandem

[07:00] Miro Heiskanen’s return and Brent Burns’ arrival

[08:00] Rantanen’s revenge against Colorado: A defining moment

[09:00] Why the scoring collapsed vs. Edmonton

[10:00] Was DeBoer’s message stale? Can Gulutzan change the tone?

[11:00] Final thoughts: The Stars are a contender—but for how much longer?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

The window is closing: Benn, Seguin, and Duchene are aging, and the opportunity to win with this core is narrowing.

Jim Nill’s bold coaching change to bring back Glen Gulutzan—whom he originally let go—shows humility and a desire to fix culture from the top down.

Scoring vanished in the Conference Final, and questions remain about why so many top-tier players underperformed.

Jake Oettinger is still one of the league’s top young goaltenders, but he’ll need to carry the load again in 2025–26.

Miro Heiskanen’s return to full health, along with the quiet addition of Brent Burns, could be critical for defensive stability.

The Central Division is loaded, with Dallas, Winnipeg, and Colorado all battling for top spots—but one of them is destined to go home early, again.

RESOURCE LINKS:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgBj1LV0-DMfBhcRPSJZLjA

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound

Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nhlwraparound/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nhlwraparound

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555451139787

#NHL #Hockey #Podcast #DallasStars #GlenGulutzan #PeterDeBoer #JakeOettinger #JimNill #JamieBenn #TylerSeguin #MattDuchene #ColinBlackwell #NilsLundkvist #MavrikBourque #RadekFaksa #NathanBastain #MasonMarchment #MikaelGranlund #CodiCeci #EvgeniiDadonov #MattDumba #RoopeHintz #WyattJohnston #JasonRobertson #MikkoRantanen #SamSteele #OskarBack #MiroHeiskanen #EsaLindell #ThomasHarley #IlyaLyubushkin #LianBichsel #CaseyDeSmith

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About the Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast
Neil Smith & Vic Morren
Breadth and depth.
Contemporary and historical.
Straight-forward and experienced.
The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers and longtime ESPN/NHL veteran Vic Morren sharing no-nonsense opinions on news and issues around the National Hockey League.

Bringing decades of experience from their respective fields, Smith and Morren create a unique partnership that examines the NHL from multiple perspectives. Additionally, as hockey historians, the pair can delve into any topic in today’s game and enlighten the audience with connections to events from previous years. To truly appreciate where hockey stands today, one needs to understand its past.

With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of the Rangers last championship season, a special five-part series is planned to commemorate that magical run. Expect fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and special guests with particular focus on the GM who pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table amidst the most pressurized environments – and came out on top.

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned fan, each episode of NHL Wraparound will leave you entertained and informed.


Bio’s
Neil S. Smith, highly regarded NHL executive, served as the President and General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. During his eleven years with the team, they achieved significant success, including three division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, one Eastern Conference Championship, and a historic Stanley Cup victory—the franchise’s first in 54 years.

Known for his expertise in professional sports franchise economics, Smith played a pivotal role in management decisions under four different Rangers owners.. His tenure saw iconic trades and acquisitions, including Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, as well as successful drafts and free-agent signings.

Starting as a pro scout, Smith's career highlights include the impactful 1989 draft for the Detroit Red Wings and bold trades that shaped NHL history. He briefly served as GM for the New York Islanders in 2006, later working as a consultant for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

A Toronto native, Smith's hockey journey began in junior leagues before a distinguished college career at Western Michigan University. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including induction into the University's Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Vic Morren: Born in New York City close to the Old Madison Square Garden, Vic Morren has had hockey in his blood his entire life as a fan, player and television production manager.

A graduate of William Paterson University, Morren skated for three seasons with the Pioneers hockey club and became the first statistical analyst to apply his craft to telecasts working New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games from 1984-87. He co-authored two NHL-based statistics books within that span before moving to ESPN in 1987 and working the final season of the original deal the network had with the NHL.
After departing in 1990, Morren worked as a studio producer for SportsChannel America’s NHL coverage and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before returning to ESPN that fall where he worked all 12 seasons on the second ESPN/NHL deal and the first season of the most recent contract in 2021-22. Morren has also earned a Sports Emmy for his work on Sunday Night Football coverage in 2003.

His relationship with Neil Smith dates back 33 years through their mutual friendship with the late ESPN/ABC commentator John Saunders. Morren looks forward to NHL Wraparound and collaborating with Smith with the goal to provide an experience of contemporary viewpoints, historical spin and an overall enriching podcast experience.