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An incredibly casual fan' s guide to the Dallas Stars season

The fate of the season will largely depend on this man. Photo: Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Dallas Stars play their first game of the regular season tonight, taking on the Nashville Predators.Haven't had time to catch up on the team but still want to be able to have a discussion with your season-ticket owning boss without embarrassing yourself? We've got you covered with the basics. Last season: After a late-season collapse by Las Vegas, the Stars squeaked into the playoffs, then took the vaunted Calgary Flames to seven games in the first round — mostly because of the incredible play of goalie Jake Oettinger. ?The big picture: Dallas will look to capitalize on last season's momentum. The team lost one of the NHL's best defenders in , but there are a few new faces, including new head coach .The Stars have played outstanding defense in recent seasons but have struggled to score. (Sound familiar, Cowboys fans?) Storylines to watch: Can Oettinger play well over a full season? If he tends goal as masterfully as he did in the playoffs, Dallas will be a force in 2022-23.Can Jason Robertson keep scoring? He led the team in goals last year and just signed a .Can Joe Pavelski continue to defy time? The 38-year-old was great last season, but he won't be able to play at that level forever.Will they wear those ugly neon uniforms again? They're . Expectations for 2022: Oddsmakers have the Stars in the , starting the season with a roughly 45-to-1 chance of winning the Stanley Cup. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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