The Dallas Stars start training camp on Thursday, Sept. 17, and play their first preseason game on Sept. 21 in St. Louis against the Blues. As we march closer to the 2026-27 season, we will continue to preview the Stars and what they will look like when the regular season begins at the end of the month. Today, we look at a defensive group that has been among the best in the league for years.
Over the last four seasons, the Stars have ranked third in the NHL in goals allowed per game with 2.72, and 10th in shots allowed per game with 28.4. In that time, Esa Lindell ranks third with a plus-110 plus/minus rating, and Thomas Harley ranks in the top 15.
While names like Jason Robertson, Mikko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, and Jake Oettinger steal the headlines, Dallas’ defense has been the backbone of a consistent Stanley Cup contending team and looks to be the same in 2026-27.
Esa Lindell & Miro Heiskanen
I don’t know if it’s because they are in Texas, but it seems like Lindell and Miro Heiskanen are the most underrated top defensive pairing in the NHL. Year after year, they dominate in their zone, against opponents, and on special teams.
After a down season in 2024-25 (25 points in 50 games), Heiskanen bounced back with a terrific campaign in 2025-26. The 27-year-old Finn had nine goals and 63 points in 77 games, the second-highest total of his career. He’s known for his offense and puck-moving ability, but his defensive awareness and discipline make him one of the more well-rounded D-men in the league. He also had 28 points on the power play, ranked fourth amongst defensemen, and his 3:27 of power-play time per game was seventh.
Lindell is the anti-Heiskanen in many ways. He’s known for his shutdown defensive game rather than his offensive one, and he’s known for his penalty-killing prowess rather than on the power play. The 32-year-old is as reliable as it comes, not just defensively but also because he is always available to play. Since his first full season in 2016-17, he has played fewer than 80 games just four times, and two of those were during the COVID-shortened seasons.
While Heiskanen is one of the better power-play quarterbacks in the NHL, Lindell is one of, if not the best, penalty killers. Since 2022-23, he leads defensemen in penalty kill minutes with 1194:23. Gustav Forsling’s 988:32 is a very distant second.
Thomas Harley & Nils Lundkvist
I am really looking forward to watching Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist play together this season. They both have high offensive upside, and they have both worked hard on the defensive details of their game.
Harley took a step back last season after a terrific start to his career, and is looking to bounce back strong. He had just six goals and 36 points after scoring 31 and 97 in his previous two seasons combined. I recently wrote that there is no one on the team facing more pressure than Harley.
Firstly, on a team that needs to win a Stanley Cup, the Stars’ star players need to be their best players. Secondly, this is year one of an eight-year extension worth $10.59 million annually. It’s a tough look to sign a deal like that, then follow it up with a dud campaign.
It’s taken Lundkvist a while to become what the Stars thought he could be, but we’re finally seeing the fruit of their patience. When he made his debut with the New York Rangers, Lundkvist was known for his offensive potential. During his time in Dallas, we’ve seen him try to focus more on defense, which took away from how he plays the game.
Last season, under head coach Glen Gulutzan, we saw a player who looked free to be himself and play the game how it naturally comes to him. While the numbers weren’t there, it was by far the best season of his young career.
Lian Bichsel & Tyler Myers
Lian Bichsel and Tyler Myers round off Dallas’ defensive pairings and are in a terrific position to succeed in that role. At 6-foot-7 and 237 pounds, Bichsel is the big body the Stars have been waiting for. He’s physical, he’s aggressive, and he’s not scared to throw around the body. He’s also 22 years old, with some learning and bad habits to work through on defense.
But the Stars have great players on both sides of the puck. They have responsible and reliable players. It’s not that Bichsel doesn’t need to be that, but the Stars are desperate for a player who other teams are scared to play against. If he can stay healthy, they finally have that guy.
Myers had a tough stretch after being picked up by the Stars at the trade deadline last March. He never really looked comfortable, and that bled into the team’s short playoff run. Myers is a veteran and a pro, and after a full training camp in Dallas, I have no doubt he’ll be just fine this season.
All the Stars need him to do is be defensively sound. That’s it. On the third pair, they don’t need him to be a solid puck mover and facilitator. They just need him to make the next right play.
If Healthy, Stars’ Defense Poised For a Strong Year
Health is crucial to the Stars’ season, especially given the impact it had on their playoff run last spring. Well, it is especially true of their defense. After Alexander Petrovic’s departure this summer, Dallas is incredibly thin on blue line replacements. Kyle Capobianco is a fine third-pairing replacement, but beyond that, they have nothing.
Pairings one through three make up maybe the best group in the league. I have zero concerns about this defense. However, if any blueliner is injured for any amount of time, I will have major, major concerns.
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