Lian Bichsel set for breakout season as Dallas Stars' physical presence
Swiss blueliner Lian Bichsel established himself last season in his initial full year in the
NHL
, and now the 21-year-old appears ready to play a larger role for the Dallas Stars in the 2025-26 season.
With the rosters in flux on the blue line and postseason experience under his belt, Lian Bichsel is set to become the foundation of the defensive identity of the team.
Rookie year sets stage for greater expectations from Lian Bichsel
At 6-foot-7, 231 pounds, Lian Bichsel's size was never an issue, but last year showed that he could pair that size with poise and versatility at the top level. After beginning the year with the AHL's Texas Stars, where he accumulated 9 points in 28 games, Lian Bichsel got an NHL call-up in December.
A mid-season trip back to the minors provided him more time to work on his game, but fate intervened again in January when Miro Heiskanen suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Since then, Lian Bichsel has become a mainstay in the Dallas Stars lineup, sharing shifts with veterans Ilya Lyubushkin and Matt Dumba.
Lian Bichsel | 2024-25 Highlights
Physical presence becomes crucial following offseason exits
These offseason additions to the Dallas Stars defense—losing Cody Ceci, Matt Dumba, and Brendan Smith—make Bichsel's role more critical.
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Of the returners among defensemen, he is the Stars' most physical defenseman, leading them with 155 hits in only 38 regular-season contests, averaging 16.4 per 60 minutes. That physicality ratcheted up in the playoffs, where he had an astonishing 21 hits per 60. However, it is important to note that head coach Pete DeBoer will have several right-shot options to match with Bichsel.
And any pairing might ask the Swiss defender to modify his game.
Also read:
Lian Bichsel's brutal injury could be the breaking point in Stars vs. Avalanche showdown
Achieving physicality and discipline
Though Bichsel's playoff hit numbers received acclaim, so did his giveaways during the playoffs. Entering his first complete season in the NHL, the test for Bichsel will be reconciling his enforcer role with disciplined, intelligent hockey. With his size, propensity for dropping the gloves to defend teammates, and growing comfort on North American ice, Bichsel has a chance to be one of the most effective physical blue liners in the league.
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