Alex Goligoski Receiving Long Overdue Leadership Role

Now that the dust of the offseason seems to have finally settled, it looks as though we will finally get our first look at the Dallas Stars’ proposed 2015-2016 lineup.

After a disappointing 2014-2015 season that followed a surprisingly exciting 2013-2014 season, the Stars entered the 2015 offseason with changes on the brain. On June 27th, they traded away a seventh round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for veteran goaltender Antti Niemi. The Stars crease was a sign of weakness the entire season, with the average save percentage for the year resting at .881 among four different goalies.

As July 1st rolled around, the Stars stayed in their corner, remaining quiet for the first time in years. This was expected, as Jim Nill noted to the media in a conference call that the Stars would be staying quiet unless the perfect trade came along.

On July 10th, it seems as though that trade showed up. The Dallas Stars once again made blockbuster headlines in an offseason, trading with the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks, who were tight on cap space, ended up dealing veteran and experienced forward Patrick Sharp along with promising defensive prospect Stephen Johns to the Stars. In return, they received young and pesky forward Ryan Garbutt and longtime Dallas Star defenseman Trevor Daley.

The loss of Daley was severe to an extent. First off, he was the longest tenured Dallas Star overall. Without him, the oldest Star on the team now is captain Jamie Benn. Daley was a fan favorite and is going to be sorely missed. Not only that, but he was also the veteran leader of a growing Stars defensive squad. The Stars were able to fill the veteran hole by signing Johnny Oduya, but the fact that he is new to the team gives way to the fact that he still needs to get acquainted to things.

So who will be the new leader of the Stars defense now that Daley is gone? There is no better option than Alex Goligoski.

The soon to be 30-year old defenseman is entering his sixth season as a member of the Dallas Stars. He began his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007-2008, and even won a Stanley Cup in 2009. He was traded to the Stars on February 21, 2011 in exchange for James Neal and Matt Niskanen. Some people called it the worst trade the Stars have ever made, but the fact of the matter is that the Penguins have neither player on their team anymore. The Stars still have Goligoski producing on a consistent basis year after year.

Alex Goligoski is not the entire mirror image of Trevor Daley. Instead of being a high-powered offensive machine like Daley, Goligoski is more of a focused defenseman. But even with his focus on defense, he still finds a way to put 35+ points on the board each season. Not only that, but Goligoski has proven his determination to help the team. For the majority of last season, Alex Goligoski was shaken up with a nagging injury. But in the end, he played 81 of the 82 regular season games.

Goligoski has never truly had a leadership role. With the Penguins, he remained as a young rookie surrounded by veteran defenders. When he joined the Stars, Daley and Stephane Robidas were already in the mix. A lot of different defenders moved in and out of the organization over the first few years he was here, but now there is finally the opportunity for him to make his mark. He has the experience, he has the tenure with the team, and he has the skills.

Goligoski understands what it means to be a leader, as he helped many rookies along the way this past season. His skill mixed with leadership is exactly what the Stars could use. There is an assistant captain spot open, and Goligoski will more than likely end up getting it. GM Jim Nill has shown that he likes to spread his captaincies around the lineup, with one in the top two forwards lines, one in the bottom two lines, and one on defense.

Alex Goligoski has one year left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent. So he will need to prove his ethic this year in order for the Stars to re-sign him. But with the new leadership role he will shift into, that should not be a problem.

Next: Dallas Stars To Be On NBCSN Three Times This Season

More from Blackout Dallas

Home/Dallas Stars News