NHL Playoff Preview: Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars with Line Combinations (05/17/2025)

Photo Credit: Conrad Jack (Inside The Rink)

Winnipeg Jets (6-7-0) at Dallas Stars (7-6-0)
Venue: American Airlines Center
Date: Tonight – Saturday, May 17th
Time: 7:00 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 -148
Winnipeg Jets -1.5 ML +124
O/U 5.5

Dallas Stars News & Notes:

The Dallas Stars are coming off another 4-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets and will look to rebound in game six tonight to close out the series against the Jets. The previous game had it’s physical antics as Jamie Benn sucker punched Mark Scheifele and other Jets/Stars players had some intense battles.

Related: Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars Series Preview

Winnipeg Jets News & Notes:

The Winnipeg Jets are coming off a big 4-0 win at Canada Life Centre to send the series to game six and avoid elimination on home ice. The Jets will also be looking for a similar game to their games two and five shutout wins as they look to defeat the road game losing narrative and send the series to a seventh game back in Winnipeg.

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 – Evgenii Dadonov

Thomas Harley – Miro Heiskanen
Esa Lindell – Cody Ceci
Lian Bischel – Ilya Lyubushkin

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

Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg – Neal Pionk
Haydn Fleury – Colin Miller

Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie

Players To Watch:

Dallas Stars

Mikko Rantanen has been a monster for the Dallas Stars all series long, even when the Jets have shut out the Stars. He’s all over the ice and driving play, and will be looking to be a massive part of the Stars’ potentially eliminating the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets team.

Jake Oettinger has been the better goaltender in three of the five games up until game six, and he will be looking to outduel his opposing American netminder to solidify his spot as the Olympics starter. If Oettinger posts a big game and eliminates the Jets, it will likely solidify his keep beyond this game.

Miro Heiskanen returned in game four for the Dallas Stars and has been a gem for the Stars, but he’s due to break out in a big way for the team. Heiskanen will look to play an integral part in the Stars’ quest to advance to yet another Western Conference Finals.

Wyatt Johnston has been rather quiet for the Stars all series long, and that could be a good thing for Johnston as the Stars look up and down their lineup for scoring. If Johnston gets going tonight, he’s another player the Jets are going to have to shut down.

Jason Robertson has been a great chip for the Stars throughout the entire 2024-25 season and the playoff run. Roberston’s unpredictability in this series makes him a similar wildcard to his teammate, Johnston.

Winnipeg Jets

Connor Hellebuyck has been lights out in games two and five, and he will look to carry that over to the road game in Dallas and slay his road woes to send the series back to game seven in Winnipeg. If Hellebuyck has his confidence for a road game, the Jets will have a great opportunity to play Monday night at Canada Life Centre.

Cole Perfetti has been all over the Jets’ 2025 Playoff run as one of their most clutch players in do-or-die scenarios, and tonight should be no different for the Jets’ emerging young superstar. Perfetti is likely going to have his mark tonight, and it will be a massive boost to the Jets’ team who are looking to send this series back to Winnipeg.

Gabriel Vilardi has taken off massively in the past two games, and the Jets need that to continue into tonight if they want a seventh game. With all the animosity surrounding the Jets’ road woes, one big collective performance will be the difference maker for the Jets, and Vilardi can be the biggest contributor in that collective performance.

Josh Morrissey has been a massive piece of the Jets’ defensive structure, and tonight can’t be any different. With a big game on the road to potentially slay the road woes and send the series back to Winnipeg, Morrissey will be plastering himself all over the ice and making his mark tonight with the hopes of keeping the series alive.

Kyle Connor has had a KFC bucket given out after he’s been clutch at some of the best times this series, and tonight has to be another big KFC performance. Connor, like Vilardi, must have a great individual performance in a bigger collective performance by the Jets if they want to send this series back to Winnipeg for game seven.

Injury Report:

Dallas Stars

D Nils Lundkvist – IR, Shoulder

Winnipeg Jets

None

ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again Inside The Rink

Join Chris and Conrad as they break down the Florida Panthers winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, Trevor Zegras traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, the AHL Calder Cup winning Abbotsford Canucks, and the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft!
  1. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again
  2. ITR 43: It's Winning Time
  3. ITR 42: Ripe For Repeat?
  4. ITR 41: Stanley Cup Final – The Rematch
  5. ITR 40: Headed For A Repeat?

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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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