"Players either add or subtract value in proportion to their cap hit, and either add or subtract on-ice value in proportion to their minutes. The point is to end up with a surplus. Everything else is just smoke and mirrors."
This really sums up everything that's bothered me about the moves they've been making for the past year. Some of these deals will look better next year and beyond with the cap rising, but they're burning years of an affordable Cup-contending core, and I'm not sure how they support that core better with the Rantanen, Oettinger, Johnston, and Lindell extensions starting this year, and Robertson (fingers crossed) and Harley's extensions kicking in next year. Not that any of these are necessarily bad contracts, but the surplus value is vanishing faster than it's being added by Benn's contract coming off the books and the rising cap.
This is still a good team and will be for several years, but I think they're solidly in the "fight for home ice" tier of playoff teams rather that "fight for division/conference title" now and the path to getting back to that next tier this year or next is hard to see with the roster largely locked in for the next few seasons. There are plenty of bright spots beyond that with Bichsel getting called up full time and them somehow drafting Schmidt this year, though that's not quite the same as Harley, Johnston, Bourque, and Stankoven being on the cusp a couple years ago. And there are also always unforeseen opportunities that will arise over the course of a season. But the Stars have less flexibility to pounce on those than ever between contracts with NMCs and lack of draft capital.
I don't mean to come off overly doomer, because I really do think this is still a good team that will comfortably make the playoffs, but for the first time in a few years I'm less excited about the future than the past.
I love Nill but Zito should have won GMoYR. That FLA core is locked in until 2030. They're going to be a dynasty, especially if Bob holds up to average level goaltending. Just amazing work. What a model franchise. Florida, Vegas and Dallas are the 3 best run franchises in the NHL right now IMO.
Yeah he's really building something up in Montreal. We'll see how Montembeault does as he grows into a full time starter. They're an exciting young team.
What got me kinda pumped about Gulutzan was his scheme talk. It seems obvious and basic as a coach, but I don't think I've ever seen a coach, in any sport, in recent memory say they plan to work to their roster's strengths. They all have a set scheme they want to force their players to play whether they have the skills to play that way or not, but none of them are Herb Brooks that get to select the ideal roster for their ideal system. You saw this with the man-to-man ring-around-the-rosey nonsense in the Dallas D Zone all year. They didn't have players that could skate well enough to play that way so more often than not they just ran into each other. So if Gulutzan actually does what he says in doing a deep roster dive to develop something new and player specific, that's awesome. Even better if it's different line to line.
I like Fox, always have. Good on the dots, big, doesn't take shit like the rest of the betas on this roster and sticks up for teammates. You absolutely need players like that on a roster and without him Dallas only had Bischel to fill that need. He is also a product of Dallas' utilitarian development philosophy. That being, even though you're drafted as a scoring power forward you're gonna start in the show as a grinder. If you don't immediately score there, then all you're gonna be is a grinder for the rest of your tenure with Dallas and we'll make sure it's long enough to ruin your game for anyone else. There's some assumptions as to his role as a center and maybe they're true. However, just because he's always played center doesn't mean that's where he'll slot in on the 4th line. It could still be Back, and probably should be as I think he's more athletic at this stage of the game. If he was scratched by DeBoer, well... he did the same to Lundkvist so take that for what it's worth.
That brings me to the rhetoric behind "natural" positions. It doesn't really mean anything to me. All that term means is that's the position that player played coming up in their career. Let's be honest, though. It doesn't matter. These guys are pros. It's probably better to think of positions in terms of forwards and defense. The caveat being that it would be more difficult for a player that has predominantly played wing to draw in at center because of the faceoff focus. However, there's nothing that prevents a center from playing wing and excelling. They know those positions. The only difference is where their responsibility on the ice is. Center should be the most athletic and/or fast, but priority to the former over the latter. They HAVE to play slot to slot and be the first forward back on D. That's not to say wingers shouldn't be responsible on the backcheck, but they're more likely to be coming from behind the opponents net. Dallas had a big problem overplaying other player's positions on the cycle and not resetting back to their actual area of responsibility when they had the chance.
I actually think in the past that Benn's game was more like Benn's game when he would line up next to Faksa. He just inherently became more physical because that aspect never left Faksa's game like it did Benn's. What got Benn the C wasn't his dangles, it was his pressing point, making the D man F all the way off, taking the puck and then driving down to score. Then he'd take care of anyone that had a problem with that after the fact. He just doesn't do any of that anymore.
I'd really like to see this:
Robo - Hintz - Rantanen
Steel - Wyatt - Bourque
Blackwell - Dutch - Sequin
Benn - Back - Faksa
Blackwell is kind of the oddball, but he has the speed to keep up with Dutch and a better forecheck than Marchment had, but with worse hands. Though, if he doesn't try to pull a Benn and become Timmy Toe-drag at the blueline that's fine. Be open and in front of the net. Let Dutch and Seguin do the heavy playmaking on that line like they always have.
A 4th line that can own the dots in the d-zone and the occasional o-zone opportunity, big, especially if Back puts on muscle in the offseason like rookies tend to do. That's a nice line I don't think many teams are going to like playing against.
If Hollywood is to be believed, he selected everyone on his team. I'm not old enough to know if that actually happened, but my comment is a Miracle reference.
The Faksa signing points to Dallas having a traditional rock-eater 4th line. Good luck to whichever AHLer gets 30 games next to those guys as the 13th Fwd. The question is if it means that the team will turn the 3rd line into the Misc. line and stack the top 6. Duchene as a lefty makes me think he'll have to be given a hard look as the other LW. Assuming Seguin is good to go, that makes a 3rd line Bourque, Benn and Steel. It has potential, but it depends on which Jamie shows up this season.
Good luck to whichever AHLer gets 30 games next to those guys as the 13th Fwd.
Exactly. What do you do if, during training camp, you have 2 or 3 AHL label guys that plays much better than Faksa and even Blackwell? This would not be surprising at all.
Right now, I don't see a Cup contending team. I even see a wild card team that will fight for the third spot in the central. I expect tough opposition from (in no order) Colorado, Winnipeg, Minnesota and Utah.
We got kicked out in 5 games with a roster that included Granlund, Dadonov, Marchment. That production has not been replaced, even in the aggregate.
And we do have the same D Corps, with no place to go for Bichsel except on the third pair. He will not jump over Miro, Harley, Lindell soon.
We have a good young core and a pretty much older one. Nothing in the middle.
It's kind of frightening when you compare the age group of Florida with ours.
That Faksa signing just made my jaw drop on the floor. Even the Blackwell one. Does Dallas have any Pro Scouting guys?
How about going after something different with potential upside, young...And cheap. Blumel, Pelletier, Tomasino, Zac Jones (even if he is a LD) comes to mind.
Call me pessimistic, but PO yeah, SC contender hell no.
My objection to the current defensive systems (acknowledging that many teams play this way), is that any system that has the D both in the same corner, or chasing opponents to the blue line in a man to man, and is relying on a forward to cover the slot/net front is by definition using the least capable and least trained players on the ice to do so -forwards!
Yes. I've brought this up a few times and I think Luddy even mentioned it on the last DLLS podcast. Basic Dman responsibility - crease and out to your side, dots and back. That's it. Hand off coverage responsibility to your partner when the puck goes behind the net. Center is always the third Dman in the slot. Winger collapses down to aid the defender on his side, center can provide the extra guy in a 2v2 battle or shoot out to the point in the event the puck squirts back to the other team's dman, then reset positions on the fly as it makes sense.
Yep, the man to man approach in the D zone was mostly a train wreck. And it just wears players down over the course of a game, season, series. Gulutzan had a great preso on this at a coaching conference. Having dmen chasing forwards out to the blue line is insanity, but it’s good offensive strategy if you can draw the big guys out from in front of their net.
Absolutely, and you saw Bischel and Harley get burned by this a couple times. As soon as they charged the puck carrier at the top of the circles it got passed behind them to a wide open guy on the door step. Their D was clinically taken apart by Edmonton largely because of this.
Very skeptical of the Gulutzan hiring. The signing of Faksa feels like the forward version of Lyubushkin deal last off-season. Bringing in another center, especially a 4th liner at 2m/AAV when we need wingers? I don't mind bringing back Blackwell. Not signing Blumel for 875k to me is baffling. He would have added speed and a shot to the 3rd line.
It is surprising that we lost only 3 points in the standings model with the subtractions to the roster. Certainly we are not a better team without Granlund, Marchment and Dadonov. So glad Ceci is gone. That contract he got from LA is a laugher.
So what do you think the defense looks like? Lindell with Miro? Harley plays with Nils and Lyubushkin rotating as the 4 @ 16-17min each night? Bisch gets 14? I really don't see any way to improve given our cap space plus what's left via trade or FA.
Just my opinion but I don't think Blumel liked what his opportunity would have been with Dallas and knew he had a better opportunity at a regular role (possibly top 6 role) with a worse team, don't think he really viewed the Stars as an option
Very true. But I feel like this was a year for Dallas to push back. I'm not even Blumel's biggest fan. But he won me over, and I just don't see the current fourth line as some juggernaut they can't tinker with. I really think Blumel was worth a shot on the fourth line, and I wish Dallas had the same faith. Again, you're totally right. But just...guh.
I am not sure he will get such a better chance in Boston. They did sign and now have a bunch of bottom six forwards. And these forwards have more NHL experience as well as the contracts that goes with it.
He's an AHL forward. I think that's about it. He's akin to Travis Morin, Curtis McKenzie and L'Esperance in that sense. Dowling too, but he surprisingly has carved out a decent NHL career.
Yeah I felt bad for the guy after they signed a bunch of spares to fill in bottom 6 roles basically pushing him back into 13-14th forward territory. Just my personal opinion but I feel like he's shown enough to get a shot.
I wouldn't do it every outing, but Hintz-Faksa-Rantanen is a nice defensive zone break out trio.
Swap Faksa in transition with Robertson, Johnston, Duchene, or Seguin, as the tail gunner of the Roope-Moose?
Lyubuskin on the quick shift had a fire season roaming the backend, not sure why we abandoned that for relentlessly Ceci-ing opponents in the playoffs. Especially when Ceci fits the same mold as Lyubuskin to start, if in a slightly quicker package.
Figured that out in season with Illya, then went and tripped over the lesson plan with Ceci in the playoffs.
Is it sad that I'm already wondering what the TDL looks like in the RHD market? Maybe it was the strategy for the defense to play just to clear the zone, but you noticed it more with certain players on the ice than others. Living to fight another day is great on the PK, but is not a 5v5 strategy.
I get that Miro and Harley is a top 5 D-pair, but I feel like it should only be broken out for special occasions. The trick is finding someone who can partner with Harley since Miro seems to be able to play with anyone. Lindell to the right side could seemingly fix this problem. I know we gave Suter tons of flak for refusing to do so, why does Esa get a pass.
I don't think Esa gets, or even needs a pass, for not playing them right side.
Only instance I recall the coaching staff even trying him on the right side was with Lundkvist.
If anything I think it points towards the bull-headedness of Deboers defensive system that ran 5 D, stubbornly locked into Petro as a security blanket for Bichsel in the playoffs, and mistakenly thought Ceci was an every game shut down guy.
Granted Bichsel & Petro had the numbers, but a 3rd pair clean up crew putting up good possession numbers doesn't win a series.
It helps you not lose, but parody is at such a high level among the top end teams that you can't afford to play it safe and try not to lose in the playoffs. You need to find the exploits to undercut your opponents strategies and not just hedge your bets on a minimally used pairing.
Hopefully Bichsel gets a nice work out this season up and down the lineup, and on & off his natural side. Heck, I wouldn't mind a game or two experimenting with him at wing to see how he crashes and clears the net front on the offensive side.
Yes, your Ceci comment touches on something that appears to be ingrained into the DNA of the organization. Much like they do with forwards, they absolutely love getting offensive Dmen and making them play a shut down role, often to their detriment. They tried it with Daley, then got Goligoski and did it to him essentially ending the offensive upside they got him for, and they've done it to both Lindell and Miro. The latter duo has faired better adapting their game. I know it's hard to think of Lindell as offensive minded, but that's what he was before coming to the NHL.
His exterior shot is nothing to write home about, but get Esa inside the hash marks, and that wrister of his is still a missle.
I wouldn't mind if we got weird with the defensive core and experiment by playing guys at wing for a game or two in season. An odd-ball insurance policy for testing out the likes of Kyrou, Krys, Taylor, or Capobianco. (Who knows, maybe Esa rounds out the 1st line maffia perfectly.)
This is basically the every line needs a checker argument, but I like the Faksa add under a certain circumstance.
Graham pre-empted the 4 line attack that Pete brought, so here's what I'd like to see, especially if we get a more active attack from defenders off the rush.
Hintz-Rantanen
Robertson-Johnston
Duchene-Seguin
Benn-Bourque
If that's my core of 4 line attacking forwards on the fly, I should be able to keep the best offensive group out all times. Especially if that's group I'm using to see alternating extended shifts from.
Use Steel, Faksa, Blackwell, & Back as PK specialist and Neutral/D-Zone start peices.
Quicker shifts to run through forward pairs in transition and to get zone start guys off ice, on the attack.
I guess it's less every line needs a checker, & more every line should be considered a two man set (and in defensive situations a checker is a useful addition).
Reading this article and the comments....Dallas Stars fandom has officially reached Dallas Cowboys level. Everyone knows better; everyone has more answers, every comment critical.
Congratulations Stars! You know you've made it when letting a 14th forward walk gets this kind of attention.
The gm canned a coach that had 3 very successful seasons in a row. Things are close so this is when you get people buzzing. Rag the cowboys all you want, but most teams would kill for that kind of fanbase.
"Players either add or subtract value in proportion to their cap hit, and either add or subtract on-ice value in proportion to their minutes. The point is to end up with a surplus. Everything else is just smoke and mirrors."
This really sums up everything that's bothered me about the moves they've been making for the past year. Some of these deals will look better next year and beyond with the cap rising, but they're burning years of an affordable Cup-contending core, and I'm not sure how they support that core better with the Rantanen, Oettinger, Johnston, and Lindell extensions starting this year, and Robertson (fingers crossed) and Harley's extensions kicking in next year. Not that any of these are necessarily bad contracts, but the surplus value is vanishing faster than it's being added by Benn's contract coming off the books and the rising cap.
This is still a good team and will be for several years, but I think they're solidly in the "fight for home ice" tier of playoff teams rather that "fight for division/conference title" now and the path to getting back to that next tier this year or next is hard to see with the roster largely locked in for the next few seasons. There are plenty of bright spots beyond that with Bichsel getting called up full time and them somehow drafting Schmidt this year, though that's not quite the same as Harley, Johnston, Bourque, and Stankoven being on the cusp a couple years ago. And there are also always unforeseen opportunities that will arise over the course of a season. But the Stars have less flexibility to pounce on those than ever between contracts with NMCs and lack of draft capital.
I don't mean to come off overly doomer, because I really do think this is still a good team that will comfortably make the playoffs, but for the first time in a few years I'm less excited about the future than the past.
I am also much less excited for next season, especially when it feels like Florida will even been stronger next year with Marchand locked up.
I love Nill but Zito should have won GMoYR. That FLA core is locked in until 2030. They're going to be a dynasty, especially if Bob holds up to average level goaltending. Just amazing work. What a model franchise. Florida, Vegas and Dallas are the 3 best run franchises in the NHL right now IMO.
And Montreal. Those latest moves by Hughes are elite GM moves.
Yeah he's really building something up in Montreal. We'll see how Montembeault does as he grows into a full time starter. They're an exciting young team.
What got me kinda pumped about Gulutzan was his scheme talk. It seems obvious and basic as a coach, but I don't think I've ever seen a coach, in any sport, in recent memory say they plan to work to their roster's strengths. They all have a set scheme they want to force their players to play whether they have the skills to play that way or not, but none of them are Herb Brooks that get to select the ideal roster for their ideal system. You saw this with the man-to-man ring-around-the-rosey nonsense in the Dallas D Zone all year. They didn't have players that could skate well enough to play that way so more often than not they just ran into each other. So if Gulutzan actually does what he says in doing a deep roster dive to develop something new and player specific, that's awesome. Even better if it's different line to line.
I like Fox, always have. Good on the dots, big, doesn't take shit like the rest of the betas on this roster and sticks up for teammates. You absolutely need players like that on a roster and without him Dallas only had Bischel to fill that need. He is also a product of Dallas' utilitarian development philosophy. That being, even though you're drafted as a scoring power forward you're gonna start in the show as a grinder. If you don't immediately score there, then all you're gonna be is a grinder for the rest of your tenure with Dallas and we'll make sure it's long enough to ruin your game for anyone else. There's some assumptions as to his role as a center and maybe they're true. However, just because he's always played center doesn't mean that's where he'll slot in on the 4th line. It could still be Back, and probably should be as I think he's more athletic at this stage of the game. If he was scratched by DeBoer, well... he did the same to Lundkvist so take that for what it's worth.
That brings me to the rhetoric behind "natural" positions. It doesn't really mean anything to me. All that term means is that's the position that player played coming up in their career. Let's be honest, though. It doesn't matter. These guys are pros. It's probably better to think of positions in terms of forwards and defense. The caveat being that it would be more difficult for a player that has predominantly played wing to draw in at center because of the faceoff focus. However, there's nothing that prevents a center from playing wing and excelling. They know those positions. The only difference is where their responsibility on the ice is. Center should be the most athletic and/or fast, but priority to the former over the latter. They HAVE to play slot to slot and be the first forward back on D. That's not to say wingers shouldn't be responsible on the backcheck, but they're more likely to be coming from behind the opponents net. Dallas had a big problem overplaying other player's positions on the cycle and not resetting back to their actual area of responsibility when they had the chance.
I actually think in the past that Benn's game was more like Benn's game when he would line up next to Faksa. He just inherently became more physical because that aspect never left Faksa's game like it did Benn's. What got Benn the C wasn't his dangles, it was his pressing point, making the D man F all the way off, taking the puck and then driving down to score. Then he'd take care of anyone that had a problem with that after the fact. He just doesn't do any of that anymore.
I'd really like to see this:
Robo - Hintz - Rantanen
Steel - Wyatt - Bourque
Blackwell - Dutch - Sequin
Benn - Back - Faksa
Blackwell is kind of the oddball, but he has the speed to keep up with Dutch and a better forecheck than Marchment had, but with worse hands. Though, if he doesn't try to pull a Benn and become Timmy Toe-drag at the blueline that's fine. Be open and in front of the net. Let Dutch and Seguin do the heavy playmaking on that line like they always have.
A 4th line that can own the dots in the d-zone and the occasional o-zone opportunity, big, especially if Back puts on muscle in the offseason like rookies tend to do. That's a nice line I don't think many teams are going to like playing against.
To be fair, even Herb Brooks didn't get to be Herb Brooks.
If Hollywood is to be believed, he selected everyone on his team. I'm not old enough to know if that actually happened, but my comment is a Miracle reference.
I prefer Slap Shot or even Goon as a better theatrical movie reference than Miracle, but your point here is mostly valid.
The Faksa signing points to Dallas having a traditional rock-eater 4th line. Good luck to whichever AHLer gets 30 games next to those guys as the 13th Fwd. The question is if it means that the team will turn the 3rd line into the Misc. line and stack the top 6. Duchene as a lefty makes me think he'll have to be given a hard look as the other LW. Assuming Seguin is good to go, that makes a 3rd line Bourque, Benn and Steel. It has potential, but it depends on which Jamie shows up this season.
Great point. It really locks in the identity of the fourth line rather than have it be its own organic thing.
Good luck to whichever AHLer gets 30 games next to those guys as the 13th Fwd.
Exactly. What do you do if, during training camp, you have 2 or 3 AHL label guys that plays much better than Faksa and even Blackwell? This would not be surprising at all.
Right now, I don't see a Cup contending team. I even see a wild card team that will fight for the third spot in the central. I expect tough opposition from (in no order) Colorado, Winnipeg, Minnesota and Utah.
We got kicked out in 5 games with a roster that included Granlund, Dadonov, Marchment. That production has not been replaced, even in the aggregate.
And we do have the same D Corps, with no place to go for Bichsel except on the third pair. He will not jump over Miro, Harley, Lindell soon.
We have a good young core and a pretty much older one. Nothing in the middle.
It's kind of frightening when you compare the age group of Florida with ours.
That Faksa signing just made my jaw drop on the floor. Even the Blackwell one. Does Dallas have any Pro Scouting guys?
How about going after something different with potential upside, young...And cheap. Blumel, Pelletier, Tomasino, Zac Jones (even if he is a LD) comes to mind.
Call me pessimistic, but PO yeah, SC contender hell no.
Honestly when I heard Faksa was coming back I thought it was as a coach.
My objection to the current defensive systems (acknowledging that many teams play this way), is that any system that has the D both in the same corner, or chasing opponents to the blue line in a man to man, and is relying on a forward to cover the slot/net front is by definition using the least capable and least trained players on the ice to do so -forwards!
Yes. I've brought this up a few times and I think Luddy even mentioned it on the last DLLS podcast. Basic Dman responsibility - crease and out to your side, dots and back. That's it. Hand off coverage responsibility to your partner when the puck goes behind the net. Center is always the third Dman in the slot. Winger collapses down to aid the defender on his side, center can provide the extra guy in a 2v2 battle or shoot out to the point in the event the puck squirts back to the other team's dman, then reset positions on the fly as it makes sense.
Yep, the man to man approach in the D zone was mostly a train wreck. And it just wears players down over the course of a game, season, series. Gulutzan had a great preso on this at a coaching conference. Having dmen chasing forwards out to the blue line is insanity, but it’s good offensive strategy if you can draw the big guys out from in front of their net.
Absolutely, and you saw Bischel and Harley get burned by this a couple times. As soon as they charged the puck carrier at the top of the circles it got passed behind them to a wide open guy on the door step. Their D was clinically taken apart by Edmonton largely because of this.
I watched yesterday (old) Gulutzan presentation about defensive systems. He told that "you can't trust forwards" for defensive coverage.
I'm sure that Stars will have at least one of the D rooted in front of the net next year. But very interesting to see what they will implement.
Very skeptical of the Gulutzan hiring. The signing of Faksa feels like the forward version of Lyubushkin deal last off-season. Bringing in another center, especially a 4th liner at 2m/AAV when we need wingers? I don't mind bringing back Blackwell. Not signing Blumel for 875k to me is baffling. He would have added speed and a shot to the 3rd line.
It is surprising that we lost only 3 points in the standings model with the subtractions to the roster. Certainly we are not a better team without Granlund, Marchment and Dadonov. So glad Ceci is gone. That contract he got from LA is a laugher.
So what do you think the defense looks like? Lindell with Miro? Harley plays with Nils and Lyubushkin rotating as the 4 @ 16-17min each night? Bisch gets 14? I really don't see any way to improve given our cap space plus what's left via trade or FA.
Gulutzan and Co have their work cut out for them.
Just my opinion but I don't think Blumel liked what his opportunity would have been with Dallas and knew he had a better opportunity at a regular role (possibly top 6 role) with a worse team, don't think he really viewed the Stars as an option
Very true. But I feel like this was a year for Dallas to push back. I'm not even Blumel's biggest fan. But he won me over, and I just don't see the current fourth line as some juggernaut they can't tinker with. I really think Blumel was worth a shot on the fourth line, and I wish Dallas had the same faith. Again, you're totally right. But just...guh.
I am not sure he will get such a better chance in Boston. They did sign and now have a bunch of bottom six forwards. And these forwards have more NHL experience as well as the contracts that goes with it.
yeah that part wasn't great for him but I also wouldn't have guessed a team was going to sign that many Bottom 6 guys
He's an AHL forward. I think that's about it. He's akin to Travis Morin, Curtis McKenzie and L'Esperance in that sense. Dowling too, but he surprisingly has carved out a decent NHL career.
Yeah I felt bad for the guy after they signed a bunch of spares to fill in bottom 6 roles basically pushing him back into 13-14th forward territory. Just my personal opinion but I feel like he's shown enough to get a shot.
I wouldn't do it every outing, but Hintz-Faksa-Rantanen is a nice defensive zone break out trio.
Swap Faksa in transition with Robertson, Johnston, Duchene, or Seguin, as the tail gunner of the Roope-Moose?
Lyubuskin on the quick shift had a fire season roaming the backend, not sure why we abandoned that for relentlessly Ceci-ing opponents in the playoffs. Especially when Ceci fits the same mold as Lyubuskin to start, if in a slightly quicker package.
Figured that out in season with Illya, then went and tripped over the lesson plan with Ceci in the playoffs.
Complete Madness.
Is it sad that I'm already wondering what the TDL looks like in the RHD market? Maybe it was the strategy for the defense to play just to clear the zone, but you noticed it more with certain players on the ice than others. Living to fight another day is great on the PK, but is not a 5v5 strategy.
I get that Miro and Harley is a top 5 D-pair, but I feel like it should only be broken out for special occasions. The trick is finding someone who can partner with Harley since Miro seems to be able to play with anyone. Lindell to the right side could seemingly fix this problem. I know we gave Suter tons of flak for refusing to do so, why does Esa get a pass.
I don't think Esa gets, or even needs a pass, for not playing them right side.
Only instance I recall the coaching staff even trying him on the right side was with Lundkvist.
If anything I think it points towards the bull-headedness of Deboers defensive system that ran 5 D, stubbornly locked into Petro as a security blanket for Bichsel in the playoffs, and mistakenly thought Ceci was an every game shut down guy.
[🎶LA, L-L-LA, L-LA, L-LA, LA, LA. Everyone knows it's Cody.🎶]
Granted Bichsel & Petro had the numbers, but a 3rd pair clean up crew putting up good possession numbers doesn't win a series.
It helps you not lose, but parody is at such a high level among the top end teams that you can't afford to play it safe and try not to lose in the playoffs. You need to find the exploits to undercut your opponents strategies and not just hedge your bets on a minimally used pairing.
Hopefully Bichsel gets a nice work out this season up and down the lineup, and on & off his natural side. Heck, I wouldn't mind a game or two experimenting with him at wing to see how he crashes and clears the net front on the offensive side.
(Now hit that Seth Rollins walk out track)
[🎶BURNS IT DOWN!!!🎶]
Yes, your Ceci comment touches on something that appears to be ingrained into the DNA of the organization. Much like they do with forwards, they absolutely love getting offensive Dmen and making them play a shut down role, often to their detriment. They tried it with Daley, then got Goligoski and did it to him essentially ending the offensive upside they got him for, and they've done it to both Lindell and Miro. The latter duo has faired better adapting their game. I know it's hard to think of Lindell as offensive minded, but that's what he was before coming to the NHL.
His exterior shot is nothing to write home about, but get Esa inside the hash marks, and that wrister of his is still a missle.
I wouldn't mind if we got weird with the defensive core and experiment by playing guys at wing for a game or two in season. An odd-ball insurance policy for testing out the likes of Kyrou, Krys, Taylor, or Capobianco. (Who knows, maybe Esa rounds out the 1st line maffia perfectly.)
This is basically the every line needs a checker argument, but I like the Faksa add under a certain circumstance.
Graham pre-empted the 4 line attack that Pete brought, so here's what I'd like to see, especially if we get a more active attack from defenders off the rush.
Hintz-Rantanen
Robertson-Johnston
Duchene-Seguin
Benn-Bourque
If that's my core of 4 line attacking forwards on the fly, I should be able to keep the best offensive group out all times. Especially if that's group I'm using to see alternating extended shifts from.
Use Steel, Faksa, Blackwell, & Back as PK specialist and Neutral/D-Zone start peices.
Quicker shifts to run through forward pairs in transition and to get zone start guys off ice, on the attack.
I guess it's less every line needs a checker, & more every line should be considered a two man set (and in defensive situations a checker is a useful addition).
Reading this article and the comments....Dallas Stars fandom has officially reached Dallas Cowboys level. Everyone knows better; everyone has more answers, every comment critical.
Congratulations Stars! You know you've made it when letting a 14th forward walk gets this kind of attention.
Maybe it's because I don't care or follow the Cowboys, but I don't understand this comment. Fans are wrong, therefore, the team is right??
Is that the gist?
All opinions are welcome! That's just what they are my man. Go Stars!
The gm canned a coach that had 3 very successful seasons in a row. Things are close so this is when you get people buzzing. Rag the cowboys all you want, but most teams would kill for that kind of fanbase.