Dallas Stars face a lineup test as Calgary arrives in Dallas
The dallas stars enter Tuesday night with more than one storyline attached to the matchup, from injured forwards to a possible defensive return and a Calgary side leaning on recent scoring form. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p. m. EDT at the American Airlines Center, and both benches arrive with different kinds of uncertainty.
What is the biggest lineup change for the Dallas Stars?
The clearest note around the home side is that forward Radek Faksa will not return yet, even though he was a full practice participant on Monday. Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said the forward, who has not played since Feb. 4 after an injury sustained while competing for Team Czechia at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, remains out. The projected forward groups also show Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston, and Mikko Rantanen on one line, with Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, and Colin Blackwell on another.
There is one possible boost on the blue line. Myers is expected to return after missing three games with an undisclosed injury and is likely to serve as a seventh defenseman. That kind of detail matters because it suggests Dallas may be able to ease back into its preferred structure rather than forcing a larger reshuffle.
Why does this game matter beyond one night?
For Calgary, the game carries a different kind of edge. The Flames are coming off a 5-3 win at the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, and the projected lineup shows only one likely change: Aydar Suniev is set to make his season debut on the third line in place of Victor Olofsson. That is the sort of adjustment that can feel small on paper but meaningful in a long season, especially when coaches want to balance chemistry with availability.
The Flames also arrive with a scoring thread worth watching. Morgan Frost has been producing steadily, with 21 goals and 20 assists in the campaign, and he has scored one goal in two games against Dallas this season. Matt Coronato is also drawing attention with nine points in his last 10 games, while Matvei Gridin has shown shot volume in recent outings. The dallas stars will need to track those tendencies without overextending themselves on the ice.
Which players could shape the pace of the game?
The most watchable individual duel may come from the way Calgary’s top chances meet Dallas’s structure. Frost has 20 points in 38 outings and leads the Flames in power-play points with 15. Coronato has averaged 2. 45 shots on goal per game this season, and he has seven shots on target across two matchups against Dallas. Gridin, meanwhile, has been putting pucks on net in a steadier rhythm, including three on target in Saturday’s win and four in Thursday’s loss to Vegas.
On the Dallas side, the projected lines suggest a group built to absorb and counter. With injuries still affecting the roster, the Stars are missing Nathan Bastian, Michael Bunting, Roope Hintz, Tyler Seguin, and Sam Steel, among others listed as unavailable. That means the responsibility is spread across a lineup that has to stay clean in its own zone while still finding enough offense to keep pace.
What should fans watch as the game unfolds?
The most immediate answer is simple: line management and special teams. Calgary has its own absences and scratches, but the return of Suniev and the continued form of players such as Frost and Coronato give the visitors enough pace to test Dallas. For the dallas stars, the question is whether the projected grouping holds up and whether the return of Myers helps stabilize the back end.
In a game shaped by injuries, returns, and recent form, the opening shift may tell part of the story, but not all of it. The American Airlines Center will offer the setting; the benches will supply the tension. And if Dallas can manage the pressure without losing its shape, the night could look very different by the final horn than it does at puck drop.
