The Dallas Stars need a quick reset after a lopsided Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Wild. They must lean back into what made them strong in the regular season. This was reported by Mike Heika on April 19, 2026.
The Ted Lasso ‘BELIEVE’ sign is more than a TV placard. It is based firmly in fact. The message goes beyond its neighborhood.
The show features an American football coach leading a Premier League soccer team. It shows the human part of sports is important. The concept should be laughable but makes you believe.
By going through steps and drama, you start to trust the characters. They step outside comfort zones and learn others’ problems. They find a new part of themselves.
The Stars have been like that this year. General Manager Jim Nill changed the coaching staff to change the message. He reacted to problems after last year’s playoff loss.
Nill also saw a chance to instill a different culture. New head coach Glen Gulutzan is more collaborative as a long-time assistant. He is also more personable as a ‘nice guy’.
His ideas have taken hold this year. The 54-year-old coach brought his ‘One Degree More’ philosophy. It was built on his time as an assistant in Edmonton.
He wanted the team to be more physical and intense. He wanted them tougher mentally and physically. Gulutzan has accomplished that task.
He imagined beliefs ‘sewn into the fabric’ of the team’s jerseys. That part is still a work in progress. But the concept is a good one.
Gulutzan said you cannot just react to a physical series. You cannot be motivated only by results. The process has to be natural.
It has been natural for this team at times. Intensity bubbled up against Edmonton, Colorado, and Minnesota. They played heated rivals.
Players like Justin Hryckowian get under opponents’ skin. Mavrik Bourque and Jason Robertson do the same. They do hard things every shift.
That is why Game 1 was disappointing. The team did not play its game. They must reset for Game 2.
