While Dallas awaits Chris Tanev's status, let's talk (very briefly) about Lian Bichsel

Oh boy. Fun, but mostly anxious, times.

Chris Tanev might play in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between Dallas and Edmonton. He also might not. Because of that, Lian Bichsel has been told to be ready per Sean Shapiro.

Is he? This question misses the point. At this point, Bichsel is not potentially coming in to be the player Dallas drafted; he’s coming in because the Stars are injured and don’t have better options.

I realize I tend to be Pro Play the Kids, by default, and to a fault. It’s a blindspot and I try to respect its limits. But I don’t believe this is a problem of bias. I just don’t believe Petrovic and Pouliot were better defenders than Bichsel, by any measure, in Cedar Park this season. If you’re somebody that judges things by gut than it’s probably not a coincidence that Texas really cratered in the regular season once Bichsel went back to Sweden.

Ultimately, my analysis comes down this: what can Bichsel give you, that Petrovic and Pouliot (or Nils Lundkvist for that matter) cannot? A lot. That’s why, below, I’ve compiled five of what I consider the most illustrative pieces of how I see Bichsel, and why I think he’s a unique player who won’t falter because of his achievement gap. For me, his strengths are similar in a dissimilar way to Tanev in that his success is about the details; not whether he can produce or break a play wide open. Because of that, I expect him to look totally fine. I also don’t think there’s any universe where Bichsel isn’t the first man up if he’s still in the AHL when Dallas’ injuries hit.

Of course, the biggest story is whether Dallas can answer back a team that feels like they’re creeping up on the Stars. As I wrote at D Magazine, Edmonton has been building their case even with Tanev. Without him, is Dallas doomed? I don’t think so, but I also believe that Game 5 is perfect for a move to bring Bichsel in. Sure, it’s not an ideal situation, but it’s a situation they can control. With last change, Pete DeBoer can keep Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl away from him, should he draw in.

Some of these are paid, so you can always just skip this BS prospect talk and read Robert Tiffin’s (really good) latest.

(Obligatory) Hold on to your butts!