Stars' Glen Gulutzan admits offensive struggles, sends clear playoff message

Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan acknowledges the team's defensive focus but challenges them to improve puck possession ahead of the playoffs.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 9:33pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting featuring sharp, overlapping geometric planes in muted blues, grays, and whites, with hints of red and yellow, conceptually representing the Dallas Stars' defensive-focused hockey strategy.A cubist interpretation of the Dallas Stars' defensive-minded approach, with overlapping geometric shapes capturing the intensity of the game and the team's focus on puck possession.Dallas Today

Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan admitted that while the team has been playing a more conservative, defensive-minded style of hockey, they need to improve their puck possession and offensive production. Gulutzan noted that the Stars are "playing a little bit of a stingier brand of hockey" that he believes will benefit them in the playoffs, but he also challenged the team to "get better with it" and create more scoring chances by holding the puck longer and improving their forecheck.

Why it matters

The Stars' shift to a more defensive style of play has helped them win two straight shutouts, but Gulutzan recognizes that they can't rely solely on strong defense to succeed in the playoffs. Improving their puck possession and offensive output will be crucial if the Stars want to make a deep postseason run.

The details

Gulutzan acknowledged that the Stars "don't score easily" and have to "grind to score," but he believes their defensive focus will pay off in the playoffs. He said the team is "very, very good without the puck" but needs to be "more fun to play with the puck." Gulutzan has been emphasizing this message for about a month, encouraging the team to hold the puck longer, improve their forecheck, and create more scoring chances.

  • The Stars beat the New York Rangers 2-0 on Saturday, April 12, 2026.
  • The Stars will visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, April 13, 2026.

The players

Glen Gulutzan

The head coach of the Dallas Stars, who has been emphasizing the need for the team to improve their puck possession and offensive production despite their recent defensive success.

Dallas Stars

The NHL team based in Dallas, Texas, who have won two straight shutouts but are focused on becoming a more well-rounded team ahead of the playoffs.

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What they’re saying

“We don't score easily, you know, we grind to score, but I mean, we start off differently than a lot of teams, we're not out here trading chances back and forth. We're playing a little bit of a stingier brand of hockey that we're willing to stay with.”

— Glen Gulutzan, Head Coach, Dallas Stars

“Usually that's the way it goes in the playoffs after everything settles down. And hopefully that benefits us as we go.”

— Glen Gulutzan, Head Coach, Dallas Stars

“It's no fun to just defend. I think our team's really good without the puck. We're very, very good without the puck. But it's more fun to play with the puck.”

— Glen Gulutzan, Head Coach, Dallas Stars

“That was really the message here. We got to do some things, holding the puck, start getting our forecheck, get our feet moving through the neutral zone so that we can play with it. I mean, who wants to defend all night, right?”

— Glen Gulutzan, Head Coach, Dallas Stars

What’s next

The Stars will visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, April 13, 2026, in their penultimate game of the regular season.

The takeaway

The Stars' shift to a more defensive-minded style of play has helped them win two straight shutouts, but head coach Glen Gulutzan recognizes that the team needs to improve their puck possession and offensive production if they want to succeed in the playoffs. Gulutzan has challenged the team to hold the puck longer, improve their forecheck, and create more scoring chances, as he believes this will be crucial for their postseason success.