NHL Playoff Preview: Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets with Line Combinations (05/09/2025)

Photo Credit: Conrad Jack (Inside The Rink)

Dallas Stars (5-3-0) at Winnipeg Jets (4-4-0)
Venue: Canada Life Centre
Date: Tonight – Friday, May 9th
Time: 8:30 pm CST

TV: Sportsnet, CBC, TVAS, ESPN
Radio: 680 CJOB (Winnipeg) & KTCK-AM (Dallas)

Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster

DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:
Dallas Stars +1.5 ML -102
Winnipeg Jets -1.5 ML -118
O/U 5.5

Dallas Stars News & Notes:

The Dallas Stars got Jason Robertson back into their lineup for game one and won off the strong natural hat-trick performance by Mikko Rantanen. They will look for a similar, but more rounded game tonight, especially with the nearing return of their top defender, Miro Heiskanen.

Related: Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars Series Preview

Winnipeg Jets News & Notes:

After falling 3-2 to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night, the Winnipeg Jets are looking to lean on their winning ways from the 2024-25 regular season and their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues.

With the looming return of top defenseman Josh Morrissey, questions surround not only the defensive pairing configurations, as Haydn Fleury, who has been a great defender throughout the past two games, emerged in his strong game-seven performance. Adding a similar performance in game seven is solidifying the Jets’ defensive pairings, but with Morrissey returning, it leaves fans and critics alike on what might happen to Fleury in the lineup going forward.

Dallas Stars Projected Lines

Mikael Granlund – Roope Hintz – Mikko Rantanen
Jamie Benn – Matt Duchene – Tyler Seguin
Jason Robertson – Wyatt Johnston – Mason Marchment
Oskar Back – Sam Steel – Egenii Dadonov

Thomas Harley – Ilya Lyubushkin
Esa Lindell – Cody Ceci
Lian Bischel – Alex Petrovic

Jake Oettinger
Casey DeSmith

Winnipeg Jets Projected Lines

Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Gabriel Vilardi
Nikolaj Ehlers – Vladislav Namestnikov – Cole Perfetti
Nino Niederreiter – Adam Lowry – Mason Appleton
Brandon Tanev – Morgan Barron – Alex Iafallo

Dylan Samberg – Neal Pionk
Haydn Fleury – Dylan DeMelo
Colin Miller – Luke Schenn

Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

Players To Watch:

Dallas Stars

Mikko Rantanen is likely the name everyone is watching tonight, and for good reason. A natural hat-trick performance in game one put him on the map big time, and he will look to build on that as games pass throughout the series.

Jake Oettinger didn’t have the greatest game in game one, but it was enough for him to take a win from it all. If Oettinger wants to help propel the Stars into a great position, he will be looking to dominate the game from the Stars’ net.

Winnipeg Jets

Cole Perfetti had his chances in game one, but none found the back of the net, and it seems that the Jets’ emerging star is due for another big moment. I said it in the regular season, but with every game that passes, it seems like Perfetti has a flashy moment or two every game, and tonight shouldn’t be an exception.

Nikolaj Ehlers has been everywhere on the ice since he’s returned to the lineup, but he can’t seem to find the net just yet. With the Jets looking to head to Dallas with an even series, a strong performance from the entire lineup, with stronger individual performances by players like Nikolaj Ehlers, is necessary.

Injury Report:

Dallas Stars

D Miro Heiskanen – IR, Knee
D Nils Lundkvist – IR, Shoulder

Winnipeg Jets

None

ITR 43: It's Winning Time Inside The Rink

Join Chris and Conrad as they break down the Chris Kreider trade, the Calder Cup Final, and the Stanley Cup Final drawing to an end.
  1. ITR 43: It's Winning Time
  2. ITR 42: Ripe For Repeat?
  3. ITR 41: Stanley Cup Final – The Rematch
  4. ITR 40: Headed For A Repeat?
  5. ITR 39: Conference Finals

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Conrad Jack

Conrad Jack is a Manitoba based sportswriter covering the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and the Manitoba Moose (AHL). He also covers the NHL Draft and World Junior Championship for ITR. He writes the Bargain Bin blog which covers NHL News & Rumours.

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