Dallas Stars

[larrylintz]

Thanks. Can there be any doubt Dallas won't lift a finger to sign spezza? (And they shouldn't. The guy is an overpaid PP specialist.) And man, how they must regret the Hemsky thing, I guess he's on track for a four-point season. I'd "buy low," that's gotta improve rather dramatically, except i own him!

[NoWayOut]

They are talking about an extension. I've got no problem with re-signing Spezza as a #2 center if they don't break the bank and if they don't sign him for more than 2, 3 years tops. He's a polarizing figure but I don't see where having him center a second line is that detrimental. He showed he can produce when he's got good wingers, problem is when they take him off the Benn-Sequin line then he gets Hemsky and Cole. Not a whole lot to work with there for him or anybody else so far this season who's drawn Hemmer on their line.

[NoWayOut]

And the peasants rejoiced....

Jordie Benn will be a spectator for tonight's game.

Jyrki Jokipakka draws in for Jordie and Curtis McKenzie sits in favor of Patrick Eaves.

Eakin once again draws the long straw and gets to center the better Benn and Seguin. He's had other looks at top 6 and even top line ice time in the past, but never has he had another wing opposite Jamie like he does now. I've been dubious of Eakin as a top 6 center, I think he excels in the third line role, but now is where we really see if he can be more than that.

From Mike Heika comes this quote from Ruff on Jordie Benn's struggles....

“For me, it’s really been up and down,” Ruff said when asked to assess Jordie Benn. “He’s had some good moments, he’s had some tough moments. He’s faced some tough situations, out-numbered rushes where sometimes it’s his partner or our team has got him in trouble. For me, his game is a lot about skating and making that first play, and I think he’s had some good games and maybe had some tough ones, but you can say that for a lot of our defensemen.”

There you have it folks, visual confirmation that Lindy has gone off the deep end. Jordie's partners have gotten him into trouble?!?! Seems to me that those of us blessed with the gift of sight have seen things 180 degrees the opposite.

[NoWayOut]

Projected lines and D pairings from Mike Heika....

Benn - Eakin - Seguin
Roussel - Spezza - Hemsky
Moen - Fiddler - Eaves
Cole - Horcoff - Sceviour

Goligoski - Daley (Should be Klingberg here)
Dillon - Klingberg (Should be Daley here)
Jokipakka - Oleksiak

Lehtonen

I do like the move to put Roussel up with Spezza and Hemsky. Roussel gives those them a net presence that has been lacking on the second line other than when Eakin's old line moved up to play that role behind the superline. Now let's see if Ruff will wait a couple of games to see if they can click together. Recent trends say no unless they go nuts and score a hat-trick apiece, which we all know ain't happenin'

[NoWayOut]

One last tidbit from Heika's twitter feed, the power play units....

PP1:

Benn - Seguin - Roussel - Spezza - ............Daley.

PP2:

Eakin - Sceviour - Hemsky - Goligoski - Klingberg

He just won't admit defeat on that 4F/1D power play.

[larrylintz]

What the heck....? After all that agonizing where's Noway's analysis? u okay there buddy?

[NoWayOut]

I work Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights so I tape the games. Can't wait to see this one. I'll post my thoughts and observations later today.

[NoWayOut]

Now that's poetic justice. A third period comeback, on home ice no less, instead of a collapse. And the way that it happened too. To be the team that rips off a couple of quick backbreakers. Issues remain the same more or less, but man that was a huge morale booster. They needed it to unfold pretty much like that to slay those mental demons. It's a good foundation on which to start the climb back up out of this hole.

****WARNING****

Doe-eyed gushing, and mild loss of objectivity ahead.....

Oh my, my, my, what a deke and what a SHOT! Every time Klingberg gets the puck I'm leaning forward just waiting for what's coming next. It never ceases to amaze me what he's able to do at this point in his career and at this age. And he's got plenty of time before he hits his prime to develop even more. Say what you will about Newy's time in the General Manager's chair, his scouting staff did a helluva good job, great job even, finding late round gems like Klingberg. A little something else to fantasize about, still a couple of years down the road yet, but both Klingberg and Honka anchoring one each of the top 2 pairs. Get some bodies in there that can play defense and yikes. Still a long way to go for Honka yet, only 19 after all, especially with his defensive play, but some encouraging signs early on in his first pro season.

All right that concludes today's trip to ga-ga land. We will now resume regular broadcasting.....

- Ales Hemsky does in fact have pulse. Not much, but hell he doubled his season total in 20 minutes. Long way to go to erase the stench from his production so far but redemption of any degree has to start somewhere.

- I did like the addition of Roussel to Spezza's line. His drive to the net and general intensity does help to make life easier for Spezza and Hemsky. You still have to keep expectations for Roussel reasonable, not sure he's a true second line winger but he's a better fit then anybody else has so far. I would like to see a kid like McKenzie get a bit of a run in that spot too. He did have a short go of it earlier but he's still finding his way in the NHL and probably needs a bit more time to click in that role. McKenzie brings a lot of the same qualities as Roussel aside from the agitator aspects, but I think he has more offensive upside the Roussel.

- Eakin continues to impress centering Benn and Seguin. It's not going to be his spot beyond this season as I would expect once Val returns Seguin moves inside. And with Spezza locked up now for the next four he's going to be the #2. Still Eakin makes a damn nice #3 and with wingers like Garbutt and Roussel they can even bring some scoring punch off that third line. Nice option to have if your Dallas.

- Like I mentioned earlier, and won't rehash too much, at different times you still saw the same flaws come out. One that has been more noticeable over the last two games is the Stars are getting owned on faceoffs. Their tied for 19th with the Panthers at 48.8%. They had been improving in that area and it had been a focus coming into the season, but they have struggled in the last two and maybe in other recent games, but it caught my eye the last couple of nights.

[NoWayOut]

Interesting series of tweets from the blog, Defending Big D. Tonight marks the third anniversary of Tom Gaglardi taking over as owner of the Stars. Here's the lineup and D pairings from that night....

Eriksson - Ribeiro - Benn
Morrow - Ott - Ryder
Nystrom - Fiddler - Dvorak
Vincour - Wandell - Petersen

Souray - Robidas
Grossman - Daley
Fistric - Larsen

Lehtonen

Scratches- Dowell, Pardy, Barch


Interesting to note how many are gone. All of five are left in Dallas just three years later, and who's to say how much longer Daley may be here. Or Goli, who wasn't listed but was part of the team. Fidds is still a serviceable, good even, fourth line center who can still step up to third line duties if need be. Benn and Lehts, well they speak for themselves. Just a neat little glimpse at where the Stars were and how far they've come in spite of plenty of work left to do in just three short years.

[NoWayOut]

I spied with my little eye something else on my twitter feed that is far less positive. The Texas Stars, and Jack Campbell, got absolutely shelled tonight. 7-1 loss on home ice in Cedar Park to the San Antonio Rampage. That's five straight for the defending Calder Cup Champs. And Campbell hasn't been able to seize the first chair lately. Tonight with Rynnas out it should have been his night to shine but instead it was yet another clunker.

For the season Campbell is 2-4-2, 3.47/.896. Those are not the numbers we all expected and he's done 'Jack' to give Dallas any reason to look at him as a callup at any point in the foreseeable future. Wow, such a disappointment tonight, but not done yet even if wolves can be seen on the far horizon. Rynnas hasn't been stellar(4-1-2, 2.59/.914) but his numbers are looking Vezina quality next to Campbell's.

There's a lot more moving parts that play a role in the fates of an AHL team, just look at who Texas has lost to Dallas. Nemeth, Oleksiak, Jokipakka, and McKenzie are the biggest losses, all key figures from last season. Also losing head coach Willie Desjardins to Vancouver hurt. Still Campbell shouldn't be this bad surely. I'm beginning to see what Eric Daoust was saying a short time back. A few bad starts are hardly reason to panic, but this start has to be sounding some warning bells.

Anyway. Seeing that also reminded me I've gotten so hung up on participating in the forums that I've neglected the prospects page. I'll have to work on that this weekend.

[NoWayOut]

Scanning through the twitter feeds and it looks like very few changes for tonight.

Benn - Eakin - Seguin
Roussel - Spezza - Hemsky
Moen - Fiddler - Eaves
Cole - Horcoff - McKenzie

Goligoski - Klingberg
Daley - Demers
Jokipakka - Oleksiak

Lehtonen

McKenzie draws back in replacing Sceviour, that's the only change up front. Jordie Benn sits once again, thank the Lord and Lindy.

Speaking of defense it will be interesting to see what happens to Oleksiak's ice time tonight. Since the win in Phoenix, the Big Rig has been seeing 8 minutes or 11 minutes on alternating nights. Last time out he had his second lowest TOI at 8:30. His lowest was the loss in Chicago at 8:22. Keeping with that pattern tonight he should top 11 minutes. He has picked up his game since the beginning of the season but he still shows too much inconsistency. It's the same old same old, he's a young D, just 21, and was a project when he entered the league. He does show promise and if they can get him on track he could be a really good defenseman but he's still a work in progress.

I know you guys have seen the news we've all been waiting for. It's about time Lindy. I just hope if Klingberg does have a night where he doesn't rack up a point on the power play that Lindy won't freak out and pull him off the top unit. Ruff's lack of patience is the only thing that worries me about the move, because from a talent standpoint Klingberg is a natural fit. As Brandon Worley at Defending Big D said, they keep giving the kid more and more responsibility and he takes it all on with a smile on his face. He's in his element.

Funny how the Garbutt injury has in a way been a blessing in disguise. With him going down that opened the door for Eakin to move up with Benn and Sequin, and they seem to really be clicking. Roussel looked pretty good with Spezza and Hemmer as well and may have earned himself a long run with those two. Kind of feel for Garbs though. Hopefully he can click with Fidds the same way he did with Eakin. It would be nice if McKenzie can find his game, then the Stars could hook up Fidds, Garbs, and McKenzie as a poor man's Roussel-Eakin-Garbutt.

[Bomm Bastic]

Hey NWO, what's your opinion on Oleksiak's value in a dynasty, G/A league where Gs and As are double for dmen?? I now own both Klingberg and Oleksiak.

Is it worth owning both in this league?

[NoWayOut]

Hey NWO, what's your opinion on Oleksiak's value in a dynasty, G/A league where Gs and As are double for dmen?? I now own both Klingberg and Oleksiak.

Is it worth owning both in this league?

It's hard to say with him. He reeks of boom or bust and right now I don't think anybody really has a good read on which way he'll go. His biggest hurdle at the moment is between the ears. He has moments where he's locked in and he's where he needs to be defensively and then the very next shift he doesn't look like he could find his own ass with a map and a compass. Offensively I think he tops out in the low to mid-30's points wise, and may in his career year push for 40 based on what we've seen so far. He could develop further offensively but I'm not sold that he will, but he is in a good environment to do it.

Depending on your league's rules regarding farm players and what not I would hold him for another season or two and see how his development goes.

[larrylintz]

I know you guys have seen the news we've all been waiting for. It's about time Lindy. .

You assumed wrong. What happened?

[NoWayOut]

You assumed wrong. What happened?

Klingberg is now the lone D on PP1!