2026 Texas Stars vs Grand Rapids Griffins

AHL Power Rankings: Texas Stars Starting To Shine

The Texas Stars needed most of the first half of the AHL's regular season, but they may be playing making themselves a second-half threat.

Feb 11, 2026 by Patrick Williams

AHL Power Rankings: Texas Stars Starting To Shine

Patrick Williams delivers the FloHockey AHL Power Rankings each week throughout the regular season.

This is what the Texas Stars are supposed to look like.

Not the team that went 1-5-0-0 to start its home schedule and then sat at 10-15-3-1 on Dec. 30.

The team that went to Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals last spring had taken hits to both its roster and win-loss record. Sniper Matěj Blümel and his league-leading 39 goals had signed with the Boston Bruins. Justin Hryckowian and top defenseman Kyle Capobianco won jobs with the Dallas Stars.

Texas had returned some of last season’s talent, though. They had Cameron Hughes, Kole Lind, and captain Curtis McKenzie among the returnees for new head coach Toby Petersen.

But they managed just 10 goals in their first six games. Their first win didn’t come until Nov. 2. And from Nov. 8 through Dec. 13, they won just five times in 15 games. Remi Poirier needed time to find his own game as he took over as the team’s undisputed number-one goaltender. The bottom point came when the Grand Rapids Griffins crushed them at H-E-B Center, 10-1, on Nov. 25.

Since Dec. 30, though, the Stars have rallied. They have won 12 of their past 16 games and took a seven-game winning streak into the AHL All-Star break after sweeping a two-game weekend series from the Manitoba Moose at home. That work has the Stars fourth in the Central Division and 10 points clear of the divisional playoff line. They’re scoring now, too. A three-goal third period at home last Saturday took them past the Moose, 4-3.

Poirier excelled during their just-completed homestand against Manitoba and the Henderson Silver Knights, allowing just four goals in his four appearances.

A major test awaits them when the AHL All-Star break concludes. They have to go to Grand Rapids to face the league-leading Griffins in back-to-back games Friday and Sunday. Grand Rapids caused the Stars all kinds of problems early in the season, but Texas did get a two-game split last month on the road.

2026 Texas Stars vs Grand Rapids Griffins

Pass this next test, and the Stars could make the battle for second place in the Central Division – now held by the Chicago Wolves – a real fight.

Let's break down the rest of the AHL.

1) Grand Rapids Griffins (--)
The Griffins went down to Charlotte and got a split in their two-game series there. But the past few weeks have shown that Grand Rapids is beatable.

2) Providence Bruins (--)
Make it 10 wins in a row for the P-Bruins, who have emerged as the Eastern Conference’s top power. They have a very winnable schedule coming out of the AHL All-Star break as well.

3) Colorado Eagles (+2)
After an overtime loss at home to Chicago, they took that out on the Wolves the next night by unleashing a 6-2 pounding. It was a brief layover at home for the Eagles, who had come off a six-game road trip. They get the Wolves again this weekend for a pair of games on the road.

4) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (+1)
With Hershey and Lehigh Valley as opponents for the past four games, it has not been the most high-end of opponents lately for the Penguins. Nevertheless, top teams take care of opponents that they should handle, and the Penguins have done that. They get a change of pace this weekend when the Cleveland Monsters and Syracuse Crunch come to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

5) Ontario Reign (+1)
Ontario goaltenders have been asked to make just 18 saves in each of the team’s past three wins. They swept a home-and-home series against the Bakersfield Condors with a pair of 4-3 victories. With three straight games against the last-place Abbotsford Canucks ahead of them, the Reign have a prime opportunity to bank away more points as the fight for the Pacific Division lead continues.

6) Bakersfield Condors (-2)
It will be another home-and-home weekend for the Condors. After last weekend’s battle with Ontario, they get the San Diego Gulls next for a pair of games. Friday’s game in Bakersfield will be just the third meeting this season between the two Pacific Division clubs, who will see a lot of each other down the stretch.

7) Laval Rocket (+3)
Going up against a hot opponent like Cleveland, the Rocket put a stop to the Monsters in taking back-to-back wins. Those victories came after they had blown out the visiting Utica Comets. Home dates with the Hershey Bears and Toronto Marlies are next. It’s Jacob Fowler’s net in Laval.

8) Charlotte Checkers (+1)
Putting together a 3-0 masterpiece against the top team in the AHL shows that the Checkers can play with any team in this league. In fact, they finished their season series against the Griffins with a 2-1-1-0 record. If those teams were to meet this spring, the Checkers would not be an easy out by any stretch.

9) San Jose Barracuda (-2)
The Barracuda slipped going into the break, taking a 2-1 loss at Abbotsford. A pair of home dates with the Henderson Silver Knights are the plan for this weekend. The goaltending tandem of Laurent Brossoit and Gabriel Carriere is still waiting for a clear number-one to emerge. If that does happen, the rest of the team has been able to bottle up opponents.

10) Chicago Wolves (-2)
Some nights the Wolves look like they can match up with any team in the league. They have taken wins against Grand Rapids and Colorado in the past two weeks. Another night, they get blown out, 6-2, by a power like Colorado. So it goes for a team still trying to find its way into the upper-most echelon of the AHL.

11) Coachella Valley Firebirds (+1)
Beating Ontario, 5-1, last Saturday helped the Firebirds to salvage what could have been a rough week after home losses to Colorado and the San Diego Gulls. That win at Ontario started a run of seven of nine games on the road.

12) Toronto Marlies (+3)
It was a quiet week with just one game. But that one game was a noisy one with three fights to open their game against Springfield, and they went on to handle the Thunderbirds easily. Laval, a team that the Marlies have had some run-ins with earlier, will be part of a holiday home-and-home match-up. The Marlies are hanging around and have the potential to cause some havoc in the North Division.

13) Rochester Americans (+1)
After falling at home to the Belleville Senators, the Amerks rallied by easily dispatching Springfield and Utica, a pair of teams just about out of contention.

14) Syracuse Crunch (+2)
After going three games with just three goals, last week helped the Crunch to get well. They rang up 14 goals in wins against Springfield, Belleville, and a repeat engagement with the B-Sens. They have had a rather weak schedule, but they’re still on a 7-2-1-0 run since mid-January.

15) Manitoba Moose (-4)
The Moose fell prey to Texas, a team that gave them trouble even when the Stars were faltering. A four-game homestand against the Calgary Wranglers and Iowa Wild is the sort of opportunity where the Moose can’t afford to squander points.

16) Cleveland Monsters (-3)
Reality hit hard last weekend in Laval. And their schedule for the remainder of February is an absolute grind as they face Wilkes-Barre/Scranton three times and also go to Grand Rapids.

The Rest
17) Texas Stars (+2)
18) San Diego Gulls (--)
19) Tucson Roadrunners (+2)
20) Hershey Bears (-3)
21) Belleville Senators (-1)
22) Bridgeport Islanders (+3)
23) Lehigh Valley Phantoms (-1)
24) Henderson Silver Knights (-1)
25) Milwaukee Admirals (-1)
26) Rockford IceHogs (+2)
27) Calgary Wranglers (--)
28) Springfield Thunderbirds (-2)
29) Iowa Wild (+2)
30) Utica Comets (--)
31) Abbotsford Canucks (+1)
32) Hartford Wolf Pack (-3)

How To Watch The AHL

The AHL is streaming globally on FloHockey. Watch every single game from the regular season through the Calder Cup Playoffs, as well as key events like the AHL All-Star Classic and AHL Outdoor Classic. Subscribe to FloHockey today so you never miss a moment. All games will be available on FloHockey.tv or via the FloSports mobile and connected TV apps.

NHL Prospect Coverage On FloHockey

The best, and most complete, coverage of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft is found on FloHockey. Don't miss the latest new prospect guides, rankings and more from Chris Peters and the FloHockey staff.

Watch the AHL, ECHL, QMJHL, OHL And More On FloHockey

FloHockey is the streaming home to some of the best hockey leagues in North America, including the ECHL and more. Check out the broadcast schedule to watch more hockey.

Join The Hockey Conversation On FloHockey Social

Follow us on Twitter @FloHockey
Follow us on Instagram @flohockey
Follow us on TikTok @flohockeytv
Watch us on YouTube
Like us on Facebook