Posted by Howdy, hockey hombres: with no games on the buck-huntin’, chainsaw-tossin’, bear-baitin’ channel tonight, it’s time to put aside the inevitable Red Wings Stanley Cup Parade Route banter and get on with what really matters. Of course, I’m talking about the tough decisions the Dallas Stars Voltron GM LesBrett Hulkson will have to make this offseason.
Some of you more astute readers might remember that before the Stanley Cup Playoffs began, there was one team that re-defined ‘FAILURE’ in ways Daniel Webster could not even dream of. A team that could not defy the Major Media Publication Prediction Curse so cruelly placed on it in September. A team that routinely snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, finding new and inventive ways to express their passion for losing hockey games.
This young Stars team is hungry for the Cup, flesh of the living
Of course, if you’ve already forgotten about the debacle of the Stars 2008-09 season, I can’t blame you: those same pundits that called a Stars Stanley Cup victory in the fall went eerily silent on the team by mid-February. You would, too, if you were trying not to attract attention to your abysmal pre-season prognostications.
But what if these pundits –myself included– were simply telling the truth in advance? Could it be possible that we were just a year off, and next September –when SI and THN have gone back to their comfortable ways of ignoring the Western Conference entirely– that this hungry and talented team of misfits will finally pull off the Cup run that is rightfully theirs?
Consider the facts: you wouldn’t expect a Red Wings team missing their #1 center and #1 defenseman to have any on-ice success, would you? Oops, well, scratch that then. But multiply season-ending injuries to Brenden Morrow and Sergei Zubov with large chunks of hockey with no Jere Lehtinen, Steve Ott, Phillipe Boucher, and Brad Richards, and you’re left with a #1 center the Habs didn’t want (Mike Ribiero), a #1 d-man the Blackhawks didn’t want (Stephane Robidas) and a gaggle of rookies and second-year players (James Neal, Loui Eriksson, Fabian Brunnstrom, Mark Fistric, Nik Grossman, Matt Niskanen) playing huge minutes every night.
Throw in a full-on season-long goaltender meltdown, and you’ve got a huge bucket of hockey slop.
On the other hand, this is a much younger team than the ones that disappointed Stars fans through much of the 2000s. With the core of the team in their late 20s, and some key players still under 25, this is a team built to contend for the Cup far beyond next season. If there is one thing that should give Stars fans hope, it’s that GM Hulkson did not mortgage a single prospect for a washed-up veteran at the trade deadline. That alone should give Stars fans confidence that, even after the apocalyptic Avery signing, these guys more or less still know what they’re doing.
No more free agent signings like these, thank you very much
Currently, the team has 18 players (11 forwards, 6 d-men, 1 goalie) and one Sean Avery under contract for 2009-10, with salaries totaling just over $42 million. Depending on the exact cap for next year, that leaves roughly $8-14 million left over for re-signing their key free agents.
The players the Stars will most likely sign are Mark Fistric (RFA), Lehtinen (UFA) and Matt Climie (RFA), and they will probably bring up promising minor leaguers Jamie Benn ($850,000, just led the Kelowna Rockets to within a win of the Memorial Cup and lead all players in scoring) and Tom Wandell ($600,000, and was impressive in his short call-up in the bigs). College goaltending phenom Richard Bachman will also need a contract, but his days of backing up Turco are probably not here just yet (ask me that again in mid-December after Turco lets in five more softies to the Las Vegas Coyotes, however).
The Stars then have whatever’s left to spread around to UFA’s Sergei Zubov (please!), Brendan Morrison (yes!), Darryl Sydor (sure), Steve Begin (uhh), Landon Wilson (absofrickinlutely) and Mark Parrish (no thanks), and RFA’s Chris Conner (hah) and Tobias Stephan (highly unlikely). Unless Zubov and Lehtinen break the bank, the Stars have got a lot to work with –trade Turco to the Flyers and you’d have enough to sign pretty much any of the high-dollar free agents out there.
So where do the Stars go from here? Re-sign their young core players, get Turco a competent backup and hope that Tom Hicks’ financial insolvency doesn’t mean another season of off-ice distractions, U-Hauls and change-of-address forms from the post office.
Some Other Articles That You May Enjoy:
For Dallas, Every Game Is A Must Win
Dallas Stars
Stars Running Out of Time
Dallas Essentially Eliminated From 2008-09 Playoffs
Home Losing Streak Finally Ends For Big D
Sean Avery Trying to Make Comeback
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[...] Here’s my first post, despite a Memorial Day Writers Block that has had me waste pretty much the entire day drooling all over my Schlitz Rulez tanktop. [...]
Love the Lindros pic…lol…
Nice article! Really strange to see Stars with a top 10 pick in the draft. They should land a nice piece to the puzzle with the #8 pick, although likely not an impact for next season.
Neal and Eriksson are going to be major scorers in Dallas’ future. Nice piece and welcome to the group.
Nice write-up, Todd.
I’m somewhat skeptical of a few things with the Stars at the moment. The first being Matt Climie’s “readiness” to play in the NHL. Several reports that I have read is saying he’s still 2 years away from being NHL ready. Dallas seems to be a precarious position: Do you continue to deal with Turco’s extremely inconsistent play OR do you rely on a goaltender who may not be ready for the NHL at this time?
You like Brenden Morrison that much, huh? I hope you enjoy being disappointed. The guy is a wash. Same goes for Sydor. Wayyyyyyy past his prime.
Instead of signing hasbeens and neverwases (ha), Dallas should consider making a play for a solid defenseman with experience to compliment the youth on their backend. They are awfully thin in the system right now on defenders, so it may not be a bad move, especially with Zubov getting up their in age.
I like the young faces in Dallas, though. Some of the best in the league. Neal, Brunnstrom, Conner, Niskanen- Dallas has got a pretty good future ahead of them. Last year was a fluke.
Thanks for the mad props, guys.
As for Climie, he seemed ok in the garbage games at the end of the season, and leagues better than Stephan, who was a walking rebound machine (and not in the good Dennis Rodman way, either). Hopefully he can hold down the fort until Bachman gets some seasoning, or they could sign a competent goalie (Harding?) to push Turco.
Morrison used to light up the West, but is 75% of the player he once was since the injuries. But he’s still a good player even at that level. Sydor is at 15% of what he once was, but he’s a team leader and a calming influence on the room, esp. with so many young guy on defense.
Agreed with bringing Sydor back he was spectacular this past season.
Trade Niskanen even a wet noodle is more physical then him, trade Daley as well he’s too small and not physical enough. Richards massive salary hurts and Eriksson was invisible a lot late in season.
Stars need to lock up Robidas and Turco to long term contracts!
Agree with team needing to find veteran capable backup to Turco team lacks veteran presence.
Stars need draft one of the following
Defenseman Jared Cowan big physical presence Hatcher clone
Defenseman Ryan Ellis A Robidas clone that goes all out with more offense
Forward Zack Kassian big physical presence and can score
Forward Carter Ashton big physical prsence and can score
Forward Brayden Scheen Physical presence and can score
Forward Nazdem Kadri similar to Ribs but plays with edge and physical.
Anyone else not worthy of being drafted with first rounder!!
Hoping somehow a player like Evander Kane falls to Stars pick.