It's late July, and the Dallas Stars are in submarine mode: making moves in the deep that we can't see or fully explain yet. And yet they're still giving us plenty to talk about, so it seems like the perfect time to call for backup.

Friend of DBD and recurring Celebrity Guest Juraj Kralik is here again, and this time he joins both Wes and Mark to think about the future. In this edition, they talk about why the blueline might be in better shape than we think, how two stacked forward lines could carry the offense, what to look for in the Gulutzan System, and a whole lot more.

Forget losing Jason Robertson: What if the Stars got his brother, too? We’re Stargazing, and we're all for having both Radek Faksa and Faksa Lite (a.k.a. Oskar Bäck). Let’s talk about it at Defending Big D.

And please give the cast a rate, review or share while you’re thinking about it. We love you. Thanks.

The Dallas Stars are probably going to have a pretty boring draft this year. It's the rest of the offseason that is shaping up to be a ride, and many fans are afraid it will be a dark one. But how much do we really have to fear, with the NHL salary cap rising and Jim Nill at the helm?

Mark knew who he wanted to talk to about it, so he contacted self-described stats nerd and friend of DBD Juraj Kralik – who's also a big maven concerning the business of hockey and is generally in his glory during free-agency season. In this edition, they talked about how the Stars could take a step back in 2025-26, the very real chance that they'll actually be better next April than they were this year, where those Jason Robertson trade rumors may be coming from...and a whole lot more.

Is Wyatt Johnston really Nathan MacKinnon Lite? We're Stargazing, and this is the kind of thing we think about during the offseason. How about you? Let’s talk about it at Defending Big D.

And please give the cast a rate, review or share while you’re at it. We love you. Thanks in advance.

The Dallas Stars are this close to the mountaintop. It's not close enough. What will they do to get their next Stanley Cup, and will they have to change their entire team identity to cover that last mile?

Wes and Mark want to know, too. Their latest talk covers everything from Jason Robertson trade rumors to the new two-way contract for Rémi Poirier, with a few stops at the salary cap situation just to keep everything in perspective. (And keep in mind that this conversation took place before everyone's season ended earlier this week, so please give our dynamic duo their flowers for predicting...everything.)

Will the next head coach just need to play Nils Lundkvist more? We’re Stargazing, and we think that's not the real story...but it may be part of the story.

What do you think about what's happening in Frisco? Let’s talk about it at Defending Big D.

And please give the cast a rate, review or share while you’re at it. We love you. Thanks in advance.

The Dallas Stars' season is over, and we're all left to contemplate what happened to their Stanley Cup hopes. Was this an Edmonton Oilers problem, or a symptom of something bigger that an occasional explosion of elite talent could only hide for so long?

Wes Lawrence and Mark Zimmerman sat down after the end (and before the news of Pete DeBoer's departure) to examine the strategy...and why we might have seen this coming. In this edition, they discuss how slow starts seem to doom the Stars' chances, the eerie silence of their vaunted scoring depth, and why their four (4) deliberate moves on defense didn't work.

They also discuss how much of the Stars' downfall may have been down to being out-coached – and what the team needs to do to clear the next hurdle.

We're Stargazing, and we think Neil Graham might want to keep his cell phone charged. Possibly. Maybe. What's your take? Let's talk about it at Defending Big D.

And please give the cast a rate, review or share while you're at it. We love you. Thanks in advance.

The Dallas Stars are back in town, and they're really really going to need help from the home crowd in Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oil are a tough team – but that doesn't absolve the Stars of their deficits on offense, nor of their dumb-penalty problem. So the question is, who will step up to ensure they get a Game 6?

Wes and Mark discuss the dangers of over-passing, the importance of scoring first, and the importance of turning expected goals into, well, goals.

Wyatt Johnston, you're probably going to be the key to whatever happens tonight...for better or otherwise. We’re Stargazing. (No pressure.)

Who you got for tonight in Dallas? Tell us at Defending Big D, because someone's going to be correct, and it might as well be you.

And please give the cast a rate, review or share. While you can. Thanks in advance.

The Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers have won their way to the Western Conference Final by working each other's side of the street. The Stars have gotten all-time performances from their superstars, while the Oil's goaltending and depth scoring have come through for them in a big way.

So what does this tell us about the rematch we've all been waiting for? Wes and Mark worked After Dark to fashion a narrative for the Stars based on everything they had to do to beat the Colorado Avalanche and the Winnipeg Jets. And in this edition, they discuss the Connor McDavid game plan, the value of going east-west versus north-south, and why the best way for Dallas to win this series is to stay out of the penalty box.

I know what let's do – let's you guys get a ton of goals! We're Stargazing, and we're not afraid to state the obvious. And if you're looking for that link to the True North Youth Foundation that Wes mentioned...well, look no further.

Ready to make those last-minute calls? Tell us about them at Defending Big D, because you can't just come in at the start of the Stanley Cup Final and tell us you went seven for seven in Round 3.

And please do us the honor of giving our little puckcast a rate, review or share. We live for your validation. Thanks in advance.

It sometimes seems as if the Dallas Stars are only permitted to have one player get hot at a time. But do you need Mikko Rantanen to score a hat trick every game when Mikael Granlund can go off in his stead?

A lot has happened in the past five days, and Wes and Mark want to talk about all of it. In this edition of Stargazing, they examine the advantages of having two No. 1 defensemen, compare and contrast the return trajectories of Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen, and discuss the importance of playing within your structure – and what happens when an opposing team forces you out of it.

When is a playoff penalty not a playoff penalty? And does it matter? Here at Stargazing, we ask the hard questions. (You're welcome.)

Can the Stars close out Round 2 in Game 5, in enemy territory, against a Winnipeg Jets team that will throw everything that got them the 2025 President's Trophy onto the ice? Let's talk about at Defending Big D.

And thanks in advance for your rate, review or share. We love you.

The Dallas Stars won a Game 1! This is the best thing to happen since 2020, when they won Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning...hey, wait a minute.

We know everyone loves a doomcast, but at this point we're constantly on the lookout for reasons to believe. So Wes and Mark worked through the night to find sustainability in the Stars' current good fortune (you know, the kind that doesn't involve counting on Mikko Rantanen to tally a hat trick in every remaining game).

In this edition, they discuss double-shifting Moose, dealing with the Jets' dominant top line, the return of Robo, how the game will change if Miro or Morrissey (or both) make it back in Game 2, what to expect from Pete DeBoer, and so much more.

A great penalty kill is like great insurance: You love to have it, but the more you use it, the costlier it gets. We're Stargazing, and we can come up with this stuff all day. And After Dark!

Can the Stars keep winning on the road – and, even more importantly, at home? Let's talk about it at Defending Big D. We'd love to discuss your thoughts in the next cast.

And please don't forget to rate, review and share wherever you listen. We're grateful for it. Enjoy.

The Dallas Stars are about to begin the fight for another Central Division championship – and to get there, they only have to knock off the team that earned the 2025 President's Trophy. (Oh, is that all?)

Brad McDonnell joined Wes and Mark to examine how the Stars match up with their Dirty Central cellmates, the Winnipeg Jets. In this edition, they discuss how Mason Marchment can help (and hurt) by creating chaos, where Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson will slot back into the lineup, and whether Connor Hellebuyck is human after all.

It's just like the regular season, with 62 percent more #MurderDeathKill! Welcome to Stargazing. Four more won't matter where we're going.

What do you want to see from the Stars as this series begins? Sound off at Defending Big D, and let's talk about it.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. Enjoy.

The Dallas Stars did it. They won a Round 1 against the Colorado Avalanche that, in a better world, would have been a Western Conference Final. It wasn't easy, or pretty, or predictable – but the Victory Green Gang gave themselves the chance to win a Central Division title with all their elite players healthy and back on the ice.

And if Game 7 taught us anything, it's that sometimes you need to rely on your superstars. That's why we turned to Taylor Baird – DBD's managing editor and NHL.com's go-to Stars contributor. In this edition, she and Wes talked about and. And along with the usual stat tricks, they ponder what the Stars are coming to mean to the DFW area's success-hungry sports fans.

Welcome to Stargazing. We love you.

What do you want to know about what's next? Tell us at Defending Big D. We'll get to all your questions in our Round 2 preview.

And please don’t forget to rate, review and share. Let's go.