Dallas Stars

[NoWayOut]

So as it turns out it isn't Ritchie getting the call up, instead it's Travis Morin. Interesting potential here with Morin, especially if Ruff puts him with his old Texas Stars line mates Sceviour and McKenzie. Not sure that will happen but they do have history together in Cedar Park and were a good fit. They could throw Spezza back with Benn and Sequin. Morin is a center so it all fits together nicely.

[NoWayOut]

Jamie Oleksiak was also sent down to Texas at the same time Morin was brought up. Not a demotion but a chance for him to get some more ice time. Texas has a back-to-back Friday and Saturday at home so he gets two games instead of one and still rejoins Dallas for the three game western Canada road trip.

[NoWayOut]

Just realized I hadn't posted a link to Mike Heika's weekly Stars chat. Some interesting topics came up during this week's edition. He talks about who could be on the trade block if the Stars become sellers(highly likely) , the Hemsky situation, his take on Ruff's comfort zone as a coach, and to tank or not to tank that is the question...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dal...-questions.ece

Today's lines and D pairings....

Benn - Spezza - Seguin
Roussel - Eakin - Hemsky
McKenzie - Morin - Cole
Horcoff - Fiddler - Sceviour

Goligoski - Klingberg
Jokipakka - Daley
Benn - Demers

Not much comment-able about those lines, Spezza back to the top line was a no-brainer given the circumstances. Kind of surprised Ruff didn't completely reunite the McKenzie-Morin-Sceviour line, but in Heika's writeup he did say Lindy wouldn't rule out putting them together at points during the game. I like the idea just from the standpoint of their chemistry together last season in Cedar Park. Yeah it's a different animal in the NHL, but that familiarity could make a morsel of success that much more attainable. We'll see though as they will get a short run here while Garbutthead serves his time.

Other than that, it's good to see Klinger getting bumped back up. And I find it odd that they say Lehtonen is nursing a lower body injury, with him you instantly think groin, yet they continue to work him. Hmm, odd thinking that. As Lektrix said in the thread in the injury forum it's sounds a bit....phony. Not sure that's as far as I would go, but if he truly is injured why not rest him fully given his fragility? Lots of curious decisions in Big D this season and that would be exhibit......X, or Y even, maybe, damn sure it wouldn't be exhibit A, we're long past that.

[NoWayOut]

Make of this what you will, it's fully open for individual interpretation, or, no interpretation whatsoever, as it pleases you. Since arriving in Cedar Park, Anders Lindback is 3-1-0, 1.48 GAA and .950 Sv%. Rynnas and Campbell haven't produced anything like those numbers with the same Texas Stars team. I don't know if it says more about the state of the Dallas Stars, Texas Stars, Anders Lindback, Jussi Rynnas, Jack Campbell, or the whole damn lot. Just an interesting tidbit I've seen floating about the internet.

Goalies....go figure.

[NoWayOut]

Looks like Ruff will roll with the same lines from yesterday's practice, so nothing new there. Biggest thing might be Klingberg back up to first pair D with gimpy Goli.

And speaking of the wounded Mike Heika had an update on Nichushkin. He had surgery back on Nov. 18 and had been staying in Jersey for rehab. He's now back in Dallas and attending team meetings and the like. Here's a key quote from the article.....

“He fought so hard through camp, and you never saw him smile,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said of Nichushkin’s battle with hip and groin soreness that forced him out of practices, scrimmages and games. “You see a smile on his face today, he feels good, the pain is gone. But he still has a road to recovery. He seems to be a happy young man now, which is a good thing.”

For reference, Klingberg had the same procedure done and was four months before he could skate and six months before he was 100%. That was Klinger, so it's just a ballpark figure for Val. But so far the signs are encouraging....and we can use all the good news we can get here in the land of the misfit toys.....I mean Stars-ville....or something like that.

[NoWayOut]

Tyler Seguin: You pay for the whole seat but you only need the edge(if that much) when he's on the ice. Wow that one-timer of his is absolute death for goalies.

[NoWayOut]

Gotta love the tenacity to get in front and just keep banging away for those second and third chances tonight. Pays off for Spezza. Keep this up guys I want to talk about positive shit tonight, not the negative.

[NoWayOut]

Curtis McKenzie finally finds himself a dance partner. I kind of chuckle, kind of cringe, when it comes to him and wanting to fight so badly. It's good to have a player with grit and willingness to drop the gloves. The only problem is he wants to fight so bad he loses the context and I fear will hurt himself in terms of ice time down the road by not picking his spots properly. But in this case it was a good call, getting Tootoo after he ran Klinger into the boards early on.

Ugh, Hemsky. I can't recall anybody who has more trouble getting pucks settled to shoot. Had an absolutely golden opportunity there for the taking but the puck bounces, he can't settle it and whiffs. If he isn't dealing with bouncing pucks he's blowing tires on the windup.

Daley on that opening power play showed a bit of the brain farts. You don't walk the puck slowly across the blue line dragging defenders with you only to dish it to your teammate who's surrounded along the boards.

Eakin showing some deke and dangle on a couple of shots. Man was he ever close on those two shots. Really growing to like him as a second line center, even though he's really in his element on that third line.

Kari looking good so far. Seems more settled and like the old Kari. Too soon to get too worked up, they have demonstrated on lack of finish, but man so far I like what I'm seeing. More good Stars than bad Stars, so far.

[NoWayOut]

Guess I shouldn't been so quick to compliment. Man that's another way too soft goal. C'mon guys get it together...

[NoWayOut]

If your going to screen Kari block the damn puck at least, please!

[NoWayOut]

Now that's more like it guys! Get the Devils D looking like you do, puck staring, and take advantage of it. Well that's one step down the road to redemption Mr. Daley.....miles to go though.

[NoWayOut]

You were just out-hustled and scored on by Shawn Horcoff.....have a nice night New Jersey....

[NoWayOut]

That's how you do it. Now just don't whither in the first place and things will be much better. I love the fact they didn't totally fold the tents after the tying goal. Now just come out in the third with your foot buried to the floor and don't let up. Just keep the loud pedal pinned to the floorboard and you've got this one. Safe is death.

Klingberg showing both sides of his game. That gorgeous toe-drag and those beautiful outlet passes, and then having a good look at that Gelinas goal and not getting the block, of course Roussel had and equally good look as well and whiffed on the block too. Love, love, love this kid's game, but he's showing those rookie moments. Ah man once he gets more experience he's gonna be a dandy little top four D-man.

Ales so close with that last chance in the period, ah man, just shoot it a heartbeat sooner and I think he has it. He's had good looks and plenty of hustle, but once again he's totally snakebitten on timing or little things like bouncing pucks.

[NoWayOut]

Sorry for treating this thread like a twitter feed. I'm on twitter but it's not my thing, it's nothing but a glorified newsfeed to me. As you've no doubt learned over the years, I'm not a 140, or whatever, character communicator.

Shakespeare once said brevity is the soul of wit. Well if that's the case, I'm both witless and soulless, because brief I am not.

[NoWayOut]

C'mon guys keep this up. Just what I was talking about, foot on the gas, damn the brakes! Play it like the closing laps of a NASCAR race and your coming from behind to take the checkered flag!!!