Stars Shine Bright, Team Dominates NHL Chaos!
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24), defenseman Esa Lindell (23) and center Sam Steel (18) take the ice before an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues at the American Airlines Center on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Dallas.
(Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer) The Dallas Stars are well on their way to their fifth consecutive playoff appearance. They've made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals in the last three.
Can they finally punch through in 2026? The postseason is creeping closer and the Stars are currently in the mix for a top spot. The Dallas Morning News will be there for every Stars playoff game, and we're keeping track of their spot in the standings up until the puck drops on the 2026 NHL playoffs.
Check out live updates on the Stars' spot in the Western Conference, the Central Division and their potential first-round matchup below. How the NHL playoffs work The top three teams in each of the four divisions will make up the first 12 teams in the playoffs. The remaining four spots will be filled by the next two highest-placed finishers in each conference, based on regular-season record and regardless of division.
In the first round, the division winner with the best record in each conference will be matched against the wild-card team with the lesser record. The wild card team with the better record will play the other division winner. The teams finishing second and third in each division will meet in the first round to round out the playoff field.