The Dallas Stars went into the Christmas break with a win. Stars fans hoped this would be a sign of things to come in 2017. Captain Jamie Benn had a monster shift in overtime. Tyler Seguin scored a goal in the game. Kari Lehtonen was strong in net. The Stars got the extra point against the Kings, a team they are chasing for a playoff spot. It was a good sign for future.
Dallas goalie Antti Niemi makes a kick save – Photo by Jack Lima
It wasn’t supposed to be that way this year. The Stars were supposed to build on last year’s regular season success. Hopefully turning it into post season success this year. This year’s regular season has been disappointing. Forget American Thanksgiving at World Wide Christmas the Stars are looking up at the playoffs. So what happened?
It’s easy to blame the goaltending, but the goaltending is the same as it was last year. Incredibly inconsistent. Kari Lehtonen looks amazing one game and horrible the next. Antti Niemi was supposed to be the answer but it’s just more mediocrity and salary cap hit.
Last season Benn and Seguin were hockey’s dynamic duo. Benn was the next Jonathan Toews. Seguin was a scoring machine. This year both Benn and Seguin’s numbers are down. Seguin may be still feeling the effects of last year’s injury. Benn has no excuse.
Benn and Seguin’s struggles noted ,the Stars lineup of skaters has changed significantly this season. After the first week of the season the Stars had lost four of their top eight forwards from last season. Mattias Janmark and Ales Hemsky were knocked out for the season with major Injuries. Patrick Sharp missed significant time with concussion issues. Valeri Nichushkin took the rubles and went back to Russia. A ton of scoring to be missing from the line up.
Jason Spezza has found the fountain of youth and is having a solid year. Brett Ritchie has produced. Uber pest Antoine Roussel is finding offense but Dallas’s secondary scorers cannot be expected to replace four legit top six scorers. Dallas also lost grit and leadership when Vernon Fiddler was allowed to sign in New Jersey.
Injuries are a part of hockey and not a management team’s fault. Dallas GM Jim Nill does deserve blame for the Dallas blueline. While no one would compare Alex
Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn – file photo by Brent Clark
Goligoski and Jason Demers to Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer but they ate up ice time and were not adequately replaced. The overrated Dan Hamhuis was brought in and has been a healthy scratch. Last year John Klingberg looked like a guy on the way to a Norris trophy. This year he’s on the trail to the dog house. Julius Honks, Stephen Johns and Jamie Oleksiak have shown signs but they’re kids. You can’t throw a bunch of young defensemen in the lineup all at the same time and expect them to thrive. The opposite of young Johnny Oduya is showing his age. Jordie Benn is on the team to carry his brother’s bags.
Taking all of this into consideration the Stars can still make a run this season.The Dynamic Duo can ignite. Hemsky may return. Better goalies are on the market, especially at the deadline. If any coach can get team to make a run it’s Lindy Ruff. If not Ruff maybe coaching in Vegas next year.
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