Stars vs Red Wings

Dallas rolls into Detroit on a four-game win streak, having outscored Toronto, Anaheim, San Jose, and Los Angeles by a combined 22-8 while pushing its season goal differential to one of the best marks in the league, and that sustained two-way dominance makes the modest road favorite price enticing against a Wings team that’s hot but more volatile. Detroit has won seven of its last nine and just swept a home-and-home from Washington, yet it will be without Patrick Kane, whose absence removes a key playmaker from a power play that’s driven much of their recent surge, while Elmer Soderblom’s recent facial injury further tests forward depth even if he’s able to go. Dallas is also missing Tyler Seguin and depth defender Lian Bichsel, but their remaining top-six of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen and Matt Duchene remains deeper than Detroit’s current forward group, and the Stars’ elite special teams (over 30% on the power play and top-five on the penalty kill) match up well with a Red Wings squad that still gives up more than three goals per game. Recent head-to-head history slightly favors Dallas too, with Robertson and Jake Oettinger starring in a 4-1 win last January, even if Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond exploded for six combined points in Detroit’s 6-4 comeback at Little Caesars late last season, underscoring that the Wings usually need offensive fireworks rather than lockdown defense to beat this opponent. With Dallas driving play more consistently at five-on-five, owning the more reliable goaltending ceiling, and catching Detroit without Kane, I’m willing to lay -125 on the Stars’ moneyline, grading it an A- due to a strong likelihood of cashing and a fair price for backing one of the league’s top underlying profiles on the road. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 23/12/2025 09:25am

The total at 5.5 feels a tick low for two offenses that both sit in the league’s top third in scoring, especially with Dallas averaging roughly 3.5 goals per game behind an elite power play north of 30% and Detroit sitting above three goals per game with an increasingly dangerous first unit built around Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, and Moritz Seider. Even with Patrick Kane sidelined, Detroit has still produced multi-goal nights from DeBrincat and Raymond in recent wins, and the Wings have played an up-tempo style in December, going 7-2 in their last nine with game totals regularly landing at six or higher. Dallas, meanwhile, has been involved in plenty of multi-goal wins and high-event contests lately (8-3 vs the Ducks, 5-3 vs the Sharks, 5-1 vs the Leafs), and their scoring depth often forces opponents into a track meet once they get a lead, which suits an aggressive Detroit blue line that loves to activate in the offensive zone. The recent series history also tilts toward offense: last season’s meetings finished 6-4 Detroit and 4-1 Dallas, and neither side profiles as a low-event group given the combination of high-end shooters on both benches and defenses that can wobble under sustained pressure. Strong goaltending from Jake Oettinger and Detroit’s tandem can absolutely steal an under on any given night, but with both power plays in rhythm and top talent on each side of the matchup, I lean to Over 5.5 at -115, grading it a B due to a solid, if not overwhelming, edge and the standard juice attached to the number. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 23/12/2025 09:25am

For the puckline, Dallas -1.5 at +205 is a classic high-risk, high-reward spot that’s still worth a B-grade look given how often the Stars turn wins into multi-goal victories and how banged up Detroit’s top six now looks. Dallas has routinely blown games open this month, piling up multi-goal margins in recent wins — 8-3 over Anaheim, 5-3 in San Jose, 4-1 over Los Angeles, 5-1 vs Toronto — on the back of a deep forward group and a blue line that can push play but also smother late when protecting a lead. Detroit has been excellent of late but their profile includes occasional crash landings at home (recent 6-3 and 4-1 losses to Nashville and Utah), and without Patrick Kane to help drive secondary scoring, they’re more dependent on their top unit to keep pace if Dallas’ power play or transition game gets rolling. Historically, when the Stars beat Detroit they often do it decisively — last January’s 4-1 win in Dallas is a good example — and a similar script is entirely reasonable here if Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen can exploit a Red Wings defense that still allows more goals than it scores on the season. I expect a competitive game given Detroit’s recent 7-2 run and strong play from Moritz Seider and John Gibson/Cam Talbot, but if you’re going to back Dallas’s overall edge in talent and special teams, the +205 return on the -1.5 puckline offers better long-term value than laying heavy juice on the home side +1.5, even with a lower hit rate, which earns this play a B grade as a more aggressive way to leverage a Stars victory. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 23/12/2025 09:25am