It belongs to Mikko Rantanen, who just became the fastest player to reach 111 points in his first 100 games with the franchise since it moved to Texas. This record-breaking pace happens right as the Stars prepare to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night for a Halloween showdown at American Airlines Center.
Rantanen posted two assists during the loss to Montreal on Thursday night, pushing his total to 10 points over the last seven games. With his 78th assist as a Star on Jamie Benn’s goal, he surpassed Kent Nilsson for the franchise record through a player’s first 100 games.
The Stars enter Saturday with a 7-5-1 record, looking to bounce back after two rough outings against New Jersey and Montreal. Dallas faces a Columbus team that is 5-6-0. that has secured victories in its last three games versus Dallas. The Blue Jackets have a strong history against the Stars, holding a 35-36-7 all-time record against them, but Columbus has found recent success in this rivalry.
Blue Jackets Find Their Stride
Columbus is not a pushover, especially with Kent Johnson riding a three-game point streak. Johnson has collected six points during that span and leads the Blue Jackets with 11 points through 11 games this season. He matches his goal total from the entire 2025-26 season, showing he is a major offensive threat for Dallas to handle.
Defensively, Columbus relies on Zach Werenski, who leads the team with nine assists in 10 games. Werenski has recorded the most points by a Blue Jacket against the Stars, totaling 13 points in 21 career games. He scored a goal against Dallas in the most recent meeting between the teams.
The Stars face some significant injury hurdles heading into this game. Esa Lindell remains on the Injured Reserve list with an estimated return date of Oct. 31, while Radek Faksa is out until Nov. 3. Matt Duchene and Oskar Back are also on long-term IR with returns now scheduled for Jan. 12 and Nov. 14, respectively, leaving the roster thin in the middle.
A Coach Who Knows the Roster
The matchup features a familiar face on the Columbus bench. From 2019-20 through 2021-22, Rick Bowness held the head coach position for the Dallas Stars across four seasons. During his time in Dallas, he posted an 89-62-25 record and led the team to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
At .577, Bowness ended his time with the team possessing the fifth-highest points percentage in franchise history. He knows the system and the players better than most, which adds a layer of complexity to Saturday’s game. The puck drops at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. for fans who want to celebrate Halloween with costumes and trick-or-treating.
Fans can watch the action on Prime Video or ESPN+, while local radio coverage comes from Sportsradio 96.7/1310 The Ticket. The Blue Jackets will broadcast on the Blue Jackets Hockey Network for their fans.
