Two seasons ago, the Dallas Stars were two wins away from their first Stanley Cup in 20 years, and fell just short in their 4-2 series loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Then, COVID delayed the start of the 2020-21 season, and a series of injuries, surgeries and other unlucky happenstances derailed the Stars’ season in the new-look Central before it could even really get started. A near-Calder winning season from rookie Jason Robertson was the bright spot, but absences from Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov and Ben Bishop, a fifth-place finish was a bitter taste after nearly winning it all the season before.