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PODCAST

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D

Defending Big D

From Defending Big D: Dallas Stars news, opinion, and everything you love about the South‘s most popular NHL franchise.

sports hockey

All Episodes

00:41:11

Olympic Break Score Sheet

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2026/02/11

There's very little like three straight victories over the St. Louis Blues to get Dallas Stars fans buzzing. So how do we talk about this team now that the mood of the Victory Green faithful has swung back from "Will they ever win again?" to "Let's start the Stanley Cup Playoffs right now!"?Fortunately, there's very little like a Winter Olympics break to facilitate some midseason gab – and here at Stargazing, "gab" is our middle name. (It's in there. The B is silent.)

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00:33:50

Harley Kick

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2026/02/04

A fair number of Dallas Stars enjoyers have perceived that fan fave Thomas Harley has been doing more, but with less to show for it, since the 2025-26 NHL season began. Is this a problem with his defensive partners? The lingering effects of his injury in November, and the missed games that resulted? The predictable struggles of a still very young blueliner? Something more concerning? Or less? ...If only there were some way of measuring it all. You know, with math and stuff.In this episode of

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00:29:59

Everything/Nothing

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2026/01/23

A blowout, followed by a shutout...the Dallas Stars are still all over the map. Did the momentary absence of Mikko Rantanen really doom the Victory Green Gang against the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference?Wes and Mark think it's not that simple...or is it? In this episode of Stargazing, they talk about the impact of beast mode, the cold comfort of outplaying an opponent and missing by that much, the value of swagger, the upcoming schedule and what they want to see from it, and ever so

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00:34:28

Incremental

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2026/01/20

Do you remember what a power play goal looks like? The Dallas Stars have had a hard time getting out of their own way for the past...little while, and it seems as if their opponents have figured them out. Or is it the typical winter doldrums conjoined with an Olympics-compressed schedule? Wes and Mark understand complexity, especially when it comes to the Victory Green Gang's problems. In this episode, they talk about why the Stars can't score anymore, the surprisingly affordable tweak that could

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00:36:31

Know Your Limits

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2026/01/13

The Dallas Stars vs. the Minnesota Wild is a practically guaranteed first-round matchup at this point. So why play all this hockey in the meantime...?No, Wes and Mark aren't serious about that. But they do have quite a few ideas about how the Stars can become the best version of themselves before April. In this edition of Stargazing, they discuss the tradeoffs the Stars make for an elite power play, the ways this team can still improve before the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the elephants in the room that

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00:40:54

Built This Way, Part 2

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2026/01/09

The Dallas Stars are winning again, more or less, which means it's time for more unbridled optimism about the stretch run to come. Right? ...Right?Regression got the Victory Green Gang, at least for the period of their regularly scheduled post-holiday swoon, and Our Gang probably told you so. Wes and Mark may even now be chatting with David Castillo – owner and operator of Stars Stack and its audio companion, the Stars Stackcast – because they do run long when its comes to these deep dives. In this

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00:43:50

Built This Way, Part 1

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2026/01/02

It's a new year bringing the same old worries for Dallas Stars fans. Every mistake is a harbinger, every loss is a world-ender. Have we gotten too used to the good times?In this episode, Wes and Mark invited David Castillo to talk about the Victory Green Gang's underlying stats – and, candidly, to talk them down from the rickety ledge of Stars positivity. And they had so much to talk about that we're splitting this cast into two parts, so you can slam it down fast. In this edition, the crew ponders

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00:29:17

Features, Not Bugs

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/12/19

The rise of advanced stats in hockey has taught us that much of what we know about the Dallas Stars is bad. Just look at them: 31st in the NHL in shot share, 24th in expected goals...so how in the world do they just - keep - winning?Wes and Mark have decided that this year's Stars were built this way on purpose. And in this edition of Stargazing, they make the case. They discuss the type of shots the team makes, the type they give up, and how the type of game they play means they perhaps don't get

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00:59:21

Texas Stars Fall Update 2025

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/12/15

The Dallas Stars are having themselves a season, injuries and roster holes and recent losses notwithstanding. But this year, that success has come at an organizational cost — and their brethren in Cedar Park have often been the ones paying it. Mark Zimmerman loves discussing the Texas Stars, and even more so when he can enlist Stephen Meserve to talk with. Late last week, the founder of the go-to T-Stars news site 100 Degree Hockey and co-author of We Win Here: The Definitive Essays You Need About

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01:11:21

Numbers Game

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/12/09

With Tyler Seguin's season-ending injury, the Dallas Stars face a challenge above and beyond even their other well-documented woes in the man-games-lost department in 2026-27. The question now is how they will try to fill his roster spot...unless, perhaps, the real question is whether they need to at all.Any time there's this much money involved, Wes and Mark know what to do — and that's to call on Juraj Kralik. In this edition, they all discuss the finer points of long-term injured reserve, how

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00:49:35

Give Thanks

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/11/28

The Dallas Stars are a better team now than they were a month ago...and they're still not as good as they project to be with a healthy lineup. In the spirit of the season, it's time for some thanksgiving.As it turns out, Wes and Mark know all about being grateful for the bounty in Big D. In this edition, they discuss Jason Robertson's record-setting heater, Tyler Seguin's creativity, Mikko Rantanen's magic, Miro Heiskanen's renaissance, Wyatt Johnston's yet-untapped potential, the power play's

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00:35:53

If You Think You're Done...

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/11/14

Somehow, the Dallas Stars have become one of the NHL's most dangerous power-play teams with only one power-play unit. And that's not the weird part. Wes and Mark are always looking for the worst explanations for the Stars' best performances — and even they're going to the "special teams mean nothing during the playoffs after the refs swallow their whistles" take at this point.That said, they do have questions. In this episode of Stargazing, they want to know what's up with Thomas Harley,

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00:36:37

Really Special Teams

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/11/07

Good news! The Dallas Stars' power play is every bit as dangerous as it looks. Now if only they could score at even strength....There's so little flexibility in the Victory Green lineup right now that it's easy to hang all one's hopes on the regular roster players who are surely coming back any day now. And however much false hope may trouble Wes and Mark, their take on the Stars' status is...pretty optimistic, all things considered. In the latest edition of Stargazing, they discuss who will be the

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00:48:20

Money Talks

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/11/05

The Dallas Stars have had a slower start than many fans wanted this season. Yet the team is still one point out of the Central Division's top three, which also means they're four points from the top of the league in general. Is the roster working as designed, despite new systems and old injuries? And is their progress sustainable through a playoffs run, or next year...or five years from now? For the latest edition of Stargazing, we followed the money. Friend of DBD Juraj Kralik joins Wes and Mark,

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00:31:22

Net Positive

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/10/24

Four Dallas Stars scored last night! Unfortunately, two of them were playing for the Los Angeles Kings. That left Our Team with one point, another loss, and a lot to contemplate.We here at Stargazing acknowledge our fault in this, mainly by making this season's Doom Cast so much longer than...well, every other cast we've done so far. In this episode, Wes and Mark pull back a little. There's plenty to like in the Stars' latest run of play (breakouts, neutral zone coverage, the power play), as well

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00:49:28

Doom Cast 2025

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/10/17

Welcome to Stargazing's annual celebration of the signal pastime of true Dallas Stars fans: obsessing over every bad turn the season takes. And even we have to admit, the Victory Green Gang's scheduled loss to Thatcher Demko sure did set this one up.For the 2025 Doom Cast, Wes and Mark pull out all the stops. From the gaps at left wing, to the lack of depth at goalkeeping, to why the best path to getting a better penalty kill is not to get on the penalty kill...nothing is safe from the worst

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00:27:24

Brightside Cast 2025

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/10/10

It's autumn, everyone. Can you feel it in the air? ...that utter conviction that This Is The Dallas Stars' Year, This Time For Real?Wes and Mark are here to stoke that fire. The 300th episode of Stargazing — and our umpty-umpth Brightside Cast — is dedicated to that unquenchable spirit of optimism. And here's the thing: There's evidence to back it up. Join us for a discussion of the new roster and how it works, fluke occurrences vs. systemic events, why (sometimes) simpler is better, and so much

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01:03:10

Technical Weirdos

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/10/09

We have one last chance to make predictions about the Dallas Stars before our musings start getting overtaken by events. Stargazing is ready. Again. As usual. Wes and Mark wanted a deep dive into the 2025-26 season, so they invited D Magazine contributor David Castillo — who's also the founder of Stars Stack (for Stars news and views) and Sticks and Salvos (for the NHL in general). In this edition, they discuss how Glen Gulutzun's system changes could benefit Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell as an oddly

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00:41:02

Corsi Monsters: Preseason 2025

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/09/27

Our brothers and sisters in ice, we are eating good. The Dallas Stars have started the 2025-26 NHL preseason not just with three consecutive wins, but with fancy stats suggesting that their good form is sustainable. Shot totals doubling up the competition, possession numbers off the charts, pucks actually going into the net – what could possibly go wrong? Right?...For once, that's a conversation for another day (read: don't worry, folks, the annual Doomcast will arrive in due time). For now, Wes

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00:42:45

The Lineup And Its Future

Stargazing: A Dallas Stars Puckcast | Defending Big D ·

2025/07/22

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

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