Puck drop 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. CT local)
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Prime Video (Dallas market), NBC Sports California
Game Overview
The surging Sharks visit the struggling Stars in a Western Conference matchup. San Jose is off to its best start in years with back-to-back overtime wins, while Dallas seeks its first victory after scoring just one goal across its first two games. Both teams are early in the 2026-27 season, with the Sharks holding 4 points and the Stars still searching for their first.
Recent Team Forms
Sharks (2-0-0): Opened with a 4-3 OT home win over Florida, followed by a 5-4 OT home win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Igor Chernyshov scored twice (including the OT winner) and added an assist; Macklin Celebrini had two assists; Tyler Toffoli, Kiefer Sherwood, and Nolan Allan also scored. Yaroslav Askarov has started both games. The young core, led by new captain Celebrini, is producing early.
Stars (0-2-0): Dropped a 4-0 home opener to St. Louis, then fell 2-1 on the road at Nashville. Offense has been nearly nonexistent (one goal total through two games), with key scorers like Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston still searching for production. Defense and goaltending have kept games close, but the team needs to generate more.
Injury Reports
San Jose Sharks:
Adam Gaudette (C/F): Out (upper body).
Alex Barré-Boulet (C): Out (undisclosed).
Jacob Trouba (D): Day-to-day (illness; some reports indicate he may be available).
Longer-term: Logan Couture (groin, out for season/IR), Quentin Musty, Cam Lund, Kyle Keyser (upper body).
Core young talent (Celebrini, Smith, Chernyshov, etc.) is healthy.
Dallas Stars:
Matt Duchene (C): Out/LTIR (lower body; expected mid-to-late October at earliest).
Additional depth issues reported in some preseason contexts (e.g., Cameron Hughes and others resolving), but the primary absence is Duchene. Jake Oettinger is expected in net.
Current/Projected Rosters and Lines
Sharks projected forwards:
Mason Marchment – Macklin Celebrini – Will Smith
Ivar Stenberg – Alexander Wennberg – Collin Graf
Igor Chernyshov – Michael Misa – Tyler Toffoli
Barclay Goodrow – Zack Ostapchuk – Kiefer Sherwood Defense: Darnell Nurse – Michael Kesselring (and pairings involving Jacob Trouba if available, Nolan Allan, Dmitry Orlov, etc.). Goaltenders: Yaroslav Askarov (likely starter after two strong outings); Alex Nedeljkovic.
Stars projected (typical structure adjusted for absences): Expect lines centered around Wyatt Johnston, Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Tyler Seguin, and depth options filling Duchene’s spot (e.g., Sam Steel or others). Strong blue line led by Miro Heiskanen. Goaltenders: Jake Oettinger (primary); Casey DeSmith. Key available talent includes Celebrini, Smith, Chernyshov, Toffoli, Nurse for San Jose; Robertson, Johnston, Hintz, Heiskanen, Oettinger for Dallas.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Macklin Celebrini / Will Smith line vs. Dallas top pair (Heiskanen-led) and checking centers: The young Sharks captain and supporting cast are flying early; their speed and skill will test Dallas’s structure.
Jason Robertson / Wyatt Johnston / Roope Hintz vs. Sharks defense (Nurse and partners): Dallas needs its stars to break out against a mobile Sharks blueline.
Yaroslav Askarov vs. Jake Oettinger: Askarov has been solid in the early wins; Oettinger provides elite stability for a Stars team that has limited scoring chances.
Special teams: Sharks showing early power-play promise; Stars historically strong but quiet so far this season.
Series History
Dallas has generally held the edge in recent years (Stars won 8 of the last 10 meetings in some samples). Last season the teams split or leaned toward Dallas in limited matchups. Home ice at American Airlines Center has often favored the Stars.
Betting Trends
Home favorites with superior roster talent are typically backed, but Dallas’s early offensive struggles and San Jose’s momentum create value on the underdog. Early-season totals lean higher given the Sharks’ scoring.
Game Odds
San Jose Sharks 6.5
Dallas Stars – 195
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, October 4, 2026
