Why Stars will win 2024 Stanley Cup

Jamie Benn enjoyed a true bounce-back campaign last season, going from 46 points in 2021-22 to 33 goals and 78 points in 2022-23 — in the same amount of games. It looked like the veteran had put his best days behind him, but he found a different level throughout the campaign, helping the Stars get within two games of their second Stanley Cup Final in four years.

And after a slow start in 2023-24, Benn has been one of the best players in the league over the last couple of weeks. Over the six game winning streak, the Canadian has amassed a ridiculous seven goals and 10 points. He scored the winner against the Canucks on Thursday night with just minutes left in the third period, and he looks rejuvenated ahead of another postseason. He’s up to 54 points in 74 games — not too shabby after a dismal first couple of months.

Benn has never won a Stanley Cup, and at age-34, time is ticking. But the former Kelowna Rocket is looking as hungry as ever, and he’s one of the reasons why this team is going to be a very difficult out in the playoffs.

Stars’ core has been there before

And Benn isn’t the only one. He was a key piece of the team that advanced to the Finals in 2020, but so was Joe Pavelski, who is 39-years-old and still hasn’t won a championship. Miro Heiskanen, Tyler Seguin, Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz were also all part of that squad.

Oettinger was the backup to Ben Bishop, but he’s no stranger to postseason hockey. The netminder was great throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023, and the only thing that stopped this team from advancing was a dominant Golden Knights club who would not be denied their maiden championship.

Fast forward a year and the Western Conference is a gauntlet. The Stars have a great team — maybe as good or better than they were in 2020 — but there are a ton of contenders. The Avalanche and Jets are going to make the Central Division extremely difficult to come out of. But we can’t forget the Oilers, Kings, Canucks, and even the surprising Predators, who are all hoping to make some noise come the end of April.

The parity in the National Hockey League is insane. But the Stars have been a constant presence in the postseason since 2019 (not counting 2020-21), and the veterans on this team are desperate to bring a championship back to Texas for the first time since 1999.

Helping Dallas try to get over the hump are a few young stars-in-the-making, including Logan Stankoven and Wyatt Johnston. And we can’t forget about Chris Tanev, who was brought over at the deadline and has looked like an excellent fit with his new team.

With a strong offensive core, mobile, puck-moving defensemen and a great goaltender, the Stars are well-positioned to win a couple of rounds — at least — in the Western Conference. But it’s going to be a battle right from Game 1 of Round 1. Can Dallas keep their incredible momentum going into the most important month of the campaign, or will it be another disappointing ending after an awesome campaign? We’ll find out soon enough.