Denver, Colo. - The first night of two this regular season have arrived. The Dallas Stars are in town for the first time since handing the Colorado Avalanche a first-round exit from the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With the return of the Stars comes the return of Mikko Rantanen, who played a big role - if not the biggest - in that playoff exit with a natural hat trick in Game 7.

Fear not, though, as there are many more storylines heading into tonight's game.

Roster Updates

Head Coach Jared Bednar began his press conference this morning by telling the media that Ilya Solovyov will be making his debut in burgundy and blue.

Ilya Solovyov is making his Avalanche debut tonight ????????

That and more from Coach Jared Bednar today.

Full presser below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FD7Jht55VT

— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) October 11, 2025

With his debut comes bad news: Sam Girard will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Other than that change on defense, none of the forward lines will change for the Avalanche, meaning Zakhar Bardakov will be a healthy scratch once again, Parker Kelly will center the fourth line, and Gavin Brindley will get yet another look in the NHL.

With that said, Scott Wedgewood will occupy the crease again tonight for Colorado after an almost shutdown performance against the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night.

Jake Oettinger will start in net for the Stars on the other side of the ice.

1,500 Games Played, What a Milestone

Only seven defensemen have ever gotten to the 1,500-game milestone in their careers. Tonight, Brent Burns will become the eighth.

The 8th defenseman to ever do it.

What an incredible milestone. Congrats, Burnzie ???????? pic.twitter.com/Cb9uKqZ5Tr

— DNVR Avalanche (@DNVR_Avalanche) October 11, 2025

"It's impressive to hit 1,000. Every game after that, it's a bonus, I'm sure. Now, he's at 1,500, it's hard to do, especially when you - they're not easy minutes that he plays. He's an older guy now... The streak he has of games he's played in a row. It's part of the reason he's been able to hit 1,500, to be able to play the way he does, as physically as he does, and to be able to stay healthy for as long as he has, it's amazing."

Burns was drafted by the Minnesota Wild back in 2003 (20th overall). Since then, he's played with the Wild, the San Jose Sharks, the Carolina Hurricanes, and now, the Colorado Avalanche.

In that span of time, Burns has tallied 910 points (261g/649a), taken a total of 4,057 shots, and collected 857 PIMs.

*1500 NHL games later* pic.twitter.com/dazB9VzZw1

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 11, 2025

When/Where/How to Watch the Game:

Puck Drop: 7:08 pm Mountain Time

Avalanche T.V. Broadcast: Altitude Sports Network

Avalanche Radio Broadcast: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM

Dallas T.V. Broadcast: Victory+

Dallas Radio Broadcast: The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM

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