The Dallas Stars face a challenging travel schedule in the 2024-25 NHL season, covering 56,700 miles, while the Pittsburgh Penguins will have the easiest schedule with just 31,500 miles. How this will impact each team remains to be seen. Read on for more details.
According to B/R Open Ice (@BROpenIce) via Thomas Nestico (@TJStats), the Dallas Stars will have the longest travel distance in the league this upcoming season. This is typical for the Stars due to their location in Dallas, Texas. Additionally, the inclusion of the Utah Hockey Club will add even more miles to their travel plans.
The extensive travel could lead to wear-and-tear similar to what the Stars experienced last season. They reached the Western Conference Final in 2024 but were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in six games. The travel distance between Dallas and Edmonton was 1,655 miles per trip, which, while less than the 2,540-mile trips between the Oilers and Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, could still contribute to fatigue and jet lag.
The Florida Panthers will be the second most-traveled team with 51,100 miles. The Panthers and their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, are the only two Eastern Conference teams in the top ten for travel distance. This increase is due to the updated geography of the Western Conference teams.
In contrast, the Pittsburgh Penguins will travel the least, covering only 31,700 miles—25,000 miles fewer than the Stars.
Last season, the Stars had a 52-21-9 record, finishing first in both the Central Division and the Western Conference with 113 points. Forward Jason Robertson led the team with 80 points (29 goals and 51 assists), although this was a 29-point decrease from his 2022-23 performance.
The Stars appear poised for another strong season, but the impact of their extensive travel remains to be seen in both the short and long term.
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