STARS VS. DUCKS PREVIEW

Coming off a season that saw the team win the tough Central Division and a playoff round, Lindy Ruff's Dallas Stars drop the puck on the 2016-17 regular season on Thursday as they host Randy Carlyle's Anaheim Ducks at the American Airlines Center. Game time is 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.

This is the first of three meetings this season between the teams. Last season, the Ducks won two of three meetings with Dallas.

Last season, the Stars got off to a torrid start in the first half, going into the new calendar year having not lost back-to-back games at any point. Thereafter, Dallas was extremely streaky. The team started to yield far too many goals against -- in a manner reminiscent of the 2014-15 season. Ultimately, for all the team's offensive firepower, spotty team defense and inconsistent goaltending from Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi prevented the team from advancing to the Western Conference Final in the playoffs.

Stars Outlook

Although both team captain Jamie Benn (offseason core muscle surgery) and high scoring linemate Tyler Seguin (hairline heel fracture suffered at the World Cup of Hockey) had injury issues heading into the preseason, both are ready to play on opening night.

The Stars' roster features quite a few changes from last season, especially on the blueline. The team has added veteran shutdown defenseman Dan Hamhuis and is entrusting the likes of Stephen Johns, Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak (currently out with a lower-body issue), and Esa Lindell to provide steady play. Emerging young star John Klingberg still anchors the blueline, along with veteran holdover Johnny Oduya. Veteran Jordie Benn remains as well. Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers and Kris Russell have departed the team.

Up front, the Stars still have multiple dangerous offensive lines, with veterans Jason Spezza and Patrick Sharp as holdovers and veteran Jiri Hudler as a new addition. Agitating winger Antoine Roussel is still around to create havoc. However, there are some injury concerns entering the season.

A revelation last season, two-way forward Mattias Janmark is likely out until the spring due to knee surgery. Less serious in the long haul, third-line center Cody Eakin could miss the first month of the season with a knee injury. In the meantime, oft-injured right wing Ales Hemsky (groin) is out for the start of the season. The Stars recently added Lauri Korpikoski to replenish some of the depth.

Unsigned restricted free agent Valeri Nichushkin, citing differences with Ruff, elected to depart the NHL for the next two season to play in the KHL for CSKA Moscow.

Ducks Outlook

The Ducks, who will open the 2016-17 season with a five-game road trip, got off to a terrible start last season but rebounded strong as the season progressed before getting knocked out of the Western Conference playoffs in the first round. The Ducks let go of head coach Bruce Boudreau and decided to bring back Carlyle for a second tenure as head coach. During the 2006-07 season, Carlyle coached Anaheim to the Stanley Cup championship.

Carlyle is already very familiar with his team's top line, which continues to be anchored by long-time linemate Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. The third member of the line, at least entering the season, is Nick Ritchie. In goal, John Gibson and newcomer Jonathan Bernier will compete for playing time.

Neither young defenseman Hampus Lindholm nor forward Rickard Rakell -- both unsigned restricted free agents -- with the Ducks to start the season. On the injury front, Lewisville, TX native Nic Kerdiles (suspected concussion) and center Nate Thompson (achilles tendon injury) open the season on IR.

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