The Stars skated into their Stars Vs Blackhawks matchup with Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Jamie Benn listed together on the top line, while Wyatt Johnston rejoined the group after missing two games with an illness. Johnston had opened his NHL career with 333 consecutive games in 2022, and his return gives Dallas another familiar option down the middle for a game that now comes with a freshly reshuffled look.
That reshuffle matters because the lineup card also shows what Dallas is managing around. Kyle Capobianco and David Perron were scratched, Matt Duchene was out with a lower-body injury and Oskar Back was on injured reserve with a finger injury. The Blackhawks also arrived with their own changes, as Roman Kantserov, Connor Bedard and Patrick Kane were listed on the top line, while Kevin Korchinski and Dominic Toninato were scratched and Andrew Mangiapane and Bowen Byram were both sidelined.
Dallas signed Perron to a one-year contract on Friday, but he will not join the team in Dallas until Monday, which means the club will have to wait to see where he fits once he arrives. For now, the Stars are leaning on the combinations they can use tonight, with Johnston back in the lineup and Knight set for his fourth straight start.
The projected lineups offer a clear snapshot of where both teams stand before the puck drops: available bodies, missing pieces and one new addition waiting for the next practice shift. For Dallas, the immediate story is not just who is playing against Chicago, but how long the club can hold its shape before Perron steps in and the lineup changes again.
