St. Louis Blues vs Dallas Stars Picks and Predictions for Friday October 2 2026
The St. Louis Blues visit the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, October 2, 2026, as the Central Division rivals open their 2026-27 regular seasons. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:00 PM ET. St. Louis finished last season 37-33-12 with 86 points, while Dallas went 50-20-12 with 112 points and finished second in the Central Division. The Stars were one of the NHL's strongest defensive teams last season and won three of their four meetings with St. Louis. Be sure to check out our free NHL picks for more NHL predictions throughout the season.
St. Louis Looks for a Better Start to 2026-27
St. Louis enters the new campaign looking to make a significant jump after finishing 37-33-12 last season. The Blues collected 86 points and finished fifth in the Central Division, leaving them well behind a Dallas team that finished with 112 points.
Scoring was one of the bigger issues for St. Louis. The Blues produced 230 goals in 82 games, an average of just 2.80 per contest. Their defense allowed 254 goals, creating a negative-24 goal differential. That combination left little margin for error against the stronger teams in the Western Conference.
The matchup with Dallas demonstrated that problem particularly well. St. Louis won the first meeting last season 3-1, but Dallas responded by winning each of the final three. Those Stars victories came by scores of 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4. The Blues were competitive in every game, but they repeatedly came up one goal short.
Sign Up Get $30 Premium Picks Credit + Exclusive Offers
Subscribe Now
There was also a clear difference when St. Louis traveled to Dallas. The Blues lost both games at American Airlines Center last season, falling 3-2 in January and 5-4 in February. Friday's opener presents another difficult road assignment against a Stars team that was considerably stronger across the full 82-game schedule.
Dallas Opens After a 112-Point Season
Dallas enters 2026-27 trying to build on another excellent regular season. The Stars went 50-20-12 last year, reached 112 points and finished among the NHL's best teams. Their postseason ended earlier than expected with a first-round loss, but the regular-season numbers still provide a strong foundation for evaluating Friday's opener.
Defense was Dallas' biggest statistical advantage. The Stars surrendered only 222 goals in 82 games, the second-lowest total in the NHL. That works out to approximately 2.71 goals allowed per game. Dallas also scored 273 goals, giving the Stars an impressive +51 goal differential.
That balance is particularly important against St. Louis. Dallas doesn't necessarily need to turn this into a high-scoring game to control the matchup. The Stars showed last season that they could beat the Blues in several different types of games, winning 3-2 in a tighter defensive contest before taking 4-3 and 5-4 decisions later in the season.
Dallas also enters with recent head-to-head control of the series. The Stars have won six of the last seven regular-season meetings dating back through the previous two seasons. St. Louis has been competitive in several of those games, but Dallas has consistently found ways to finish them.
St. Louis Blues vs Dallas Stars Picks and Prediction
Pick: Dallas Stars Moneyline
Dallas is the side pick for the season opener. The Stars finished last season with 26 more standings points than St. Louis, scored 43 more goals and allowed 32 fewer. They also went 3-1 against the Blues and won both meetings played at American Airlines Center. St. Louis deserves some respect because all three losses in last season's series came by exactly one goal, which makes laying -1.5 less appealing. The Dallas moneyline allows us to back the stronger overall team without needing the Stars to create separation in a matchup that was consistently close last season.
Pick: Over 5.5
The Over 5.5 is the preferred total if that remains the available number. Three of the four meetings last season reached at least six combined goals, including finishes of 4-3 and 5-4 in the final two games. St. Louis' defensive numbers also create some concern against a Dallas offense that scored 273 goals last season. The Stars should have opportunities offensively, while the Blues scored at least two goals in all four meetings last year and reached three or more in three of them. A 4-2 Dallas result is enough to clear 5.5, and that type of score fits the statistical gap between these teams.
Final Picks: Dallas Stars Moneyline and Over 5.5
Never Tried Picks and Parlays? Now Is Your Chance
- Get your first daily picks package for ONLY $1 using coupon code BUCK
- If the pick loses, we credit your account with 3 Flex Picks
- If the pick wins, we still give you 1 Flex Pick on the house
- Win or lose, you walk away ahead. One dollar. No catch.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Get $250 in Bonus Bets when you wager $5 for 5 days
New DraftKings Customers: Spend $5+ Get $150 in Bonuses
