CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Barry Petchesky

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 28: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) blocks a shot during the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round game 5 between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild on April 28, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

They Don’t Call Him Jesper Sievestedt

Lauren Theisen

Goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) of the Dallas Stars saves a shot bu right wing Valeri Nichushkin

The Central Is So Nasty

, TX - MAY 29: Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer takes questions from the media after game 5 of the Western Conference Final between the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers on May 29, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Pete DeBoer Just Loves Making Conference Finals And Getting Fired

Ray Ratto

Tyler Seguin #91 of the Dallas Stars is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in Game One of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 21, 2025.

Three Goals, Six Minutes, No Response

DALLAS, TX - MAY 13: Dallas Stars center Mikael Granlund (64) scores a goal for a hat trick during game 4 of round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets on May 13, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Mikael Granlund Takes Jets Downapeg

DALLAS, TX - MAY 11: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) tries to block a shot during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets on May 11, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Rulebook Aficionados: Let’s Ride

WINNIPEG, CANADA - MAY 7: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Dallas Stars celebrates his second period goal against the Winnipeg Jets with teammates at the bench in Game One of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canada Life Centre on May 7, 2025 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

On His Third Team Of The Season, Mikko Rantanen Is Second To None

DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 08: Victor Mancini #90 of the Vancouver Canucks is congratulated by his bench after scoring a goal during the third period against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on April 08, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Canucks Forget They’re The Canucks For One Historic Minute

Mikko Rantanen celebrates his goal with teammates

They Should Call Them The Dallas Even More Stars

<p>Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the managing editor at the <em>Columbia Daily Spectator</em>. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.</p>


Heather Wei-Xi Chen

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 27: Ty Dellandrea #10 of the Dallas Stars is congratulated by Max Domi #18 after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period in Game Five of the Western Conference Final of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 27, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

My Child Has Been Taken By The Sharks

Jake Oettinger during pregame introductions

The Stars Crashed Down To Earth

EDMONTON, CANADA - JUNE 02: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates his first-period goal against the Dallas Stars in Game Six of the Western Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on June 2, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McDavid What In The Actual Hell

Wyatt Johnston scores a goal on Stuart Skinner

Sometimes The Puck Goes In, And Sometimes It Doesn’t

DALLAS, TEXAS - MAY 23: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers reacts after his game winning goal against the Dallas Stars during the second overtime in Game One of the Western Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center on May 23, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)