After 9-0-1 Run, Stars Now Second-Favorites Behind Blues to Win Central Division

• The Dallas Stars have been one of the NHL’s hottest teams since overcoming a 1-7-1 start
• The Stars’ 9-0-1 run has lifted them to second in the Central Division standings, and to +250 second favorites to win the division
• With a league-leading 50 wins since January 1, the St. Louis Blues remain the team to beat in the Central

After opening their schedule with just one win in their first nine games, the Dallas Stars have made an impressive turnaround, winning 13 of their last 15, including a sparkling 9-0-1 run in their past 10.

The Stars’ surge has lifted them into second place in the NHL Central Division standings, and vaulted the club to +250 second-favorites in the NHL divisional odds.

Odds to Win Central Division

Odds taken on Nov. 25/19.

Stars Rebounding from Dismal Start

The Stars’ charge up the divisional odds has been meteoric. Pegged as a respectable +480 bet in early October, Dallas quickly plummeted during the team’s season-opening swoon, bottoming out at a lengthy +1400 by the end of the month. However, the Stars have made a rapid recovery, leap-frogging past Winnipeg, Nashville, and Colorado, both in the standings and in the Central Division odds.

In 36 days from Oct 19 to Nov 23, the @DallasStars have climbed from 30th place to 6th place in the overall NHL standings.

— Josh Bogorad (@JoshBogorad) November 24, 2019

The club still has plenty of work to do if they are to maintain their momentum. The Stars have powered their current run of success with a stingy defense, surrendering just 1.8 goals per game over their past 15 outings, and now enter the week ranked second in the NHL with a 2.33 GAA.

Dallas Less Than Dominant on Offense

The Stars have been far from dominant offensively in the early going of the campaign. They scored just 17 total goals during a 1-7-1 run to open the season, and they’ve potted three or fewer goals on seven occasions during the current 13-1-1 run that has lifted the club to within three points of the first-place St. Louis Blues.

roope hintz scoring while the rest of the dallas stars skate around pic.twitter.com/cIweILPyjy

— i (@hintzenthusiast) October 7, 2019

The Stars have shown signs of opening up offensively in recent outings, scoring five or more goals in three of their past four. The team has also been dominant in meetings with Western Conference opponents, going 10-1-2 overall, including a 5-0-1 mark against divisional rivals.

But while the Stars have taken full advantage of the early-season woes suffered by both the Avalanche and Predators, it is unlikely they can maintain their torrid pace over the course of the season. Even with their recent spike in scoring, the Stars only have one player, Roope Hintz, with more than six goals through the first 24 games of the season.

The #GoStars are on an 11-game point streak (10-0-1), which began with a comeback 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 29.

Take a look at the goaltending numbers during this streak (from @PR_NHL):

Ben Bishop
5-0-0, 2.10 GAA, .934 SV%

Anton Khudobin
5-0-1, 1.67 GAA, .948 SV%

— Owen Newkirk (@OwenNewkirk) November 25, 2019

The goaltending duo of Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin are also enjoying a spectacular month, combining to rack up a .945 save percentage since the start of the team’s rebound on October 19, a number they are unlikely to maintain over the course of the campaign.

Avs Remain in Hunt Despite Injuries

Complicating matters for Dallas is the fast-approaching return to full health of the Colorado Avalanche. Pegged as divisional favorites to open the season, the Avalanche have been decimated by injuries to key personnel, including Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog, goaltenders Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz.

Despite seeing limited action with a complete roster, Colorado remains in thick of the Central Division race, just two points back of Dallas, and sporting +350 divisional odds.

Mikko Rantanen appears close to returning. Has missed 14 games for #Avs pic.twitter.com/9i6PCNkAYY

— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers) November 25, 2019

Blues Still Team to Beat

However, the biggest challenge facing Dallas is the strong play of the St. Louis Blues, who enter a Monday night date with the Predators holding a three-point lead atop the division. While the Blues have yet to go on the sort of epic win streak that the Stars are currently enjoying, they remain the most consistent team in the NHL since beginning last season’s Stanley Cup run, going 50-25-10 over 85 regular season and playoff contests since January 1.

Defending Stanley Cup Champions with 4 or less regulation losses through 22 games (since 1990)…

1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins
2003-04 New Jersey Devils
2008-09 Detroit Red Wings
2013-14 Chicago Blackhawks
2019-20 St. Louis Blues#STLBlues

— Blues Views (@STLBluesViews) November 20, 2019

That consistency carries over to their near-identical home and away records, a sixth-ranked goals against average, and a fifth-ranked power play, even in the absence of sniper Vladimir Tarasenko, who is likely lost for the remainder of the regular season after recently undergoing surgery to repair a shoulder injury.

Currently +200 favorites, much of the value in wagering on the Blues has been lost since they opened at +410. However, barring a dramatic setback, it is tough to see any division rival keeping pace with the battle-tested Blues over the long haul as they prepare to make a run at a second straight Stanley Cup.

Pick: Blues (+200)