The Dallas Stars made it farther than most expected in the 2020 postseason, as their battle cry of "We're not going home!" carried them all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
They couldn't best the Tampa Bay Lightning in that series, and the offseason brought surgeries to two key players -- Tyler Seguin and Ben Bishop -- as well as a cap crunch that prevented any big signings.
How do they keep the momentum from the trip to the Cup Final going? Here's our preview for the 2020-21 season.
Big question: Can they get off to a strong start?
We often talk about Stanley Cup hangovers, but it can be just as hard for the runner-up. Dallas, for example, is beginning the season without Tyler Seguin and Ben Bishop, who are both recovering from offseason surgeries. The Stars know how arduous it is to climb back from a slow start, after going 2-7-1 to start last season. And in a condensed, 56-game season, there's less margin for error.