Dallas Stars Report Cards: Alex Goligoski

The Dallas Stars had a wonderful 2015-2016 season, we know that. But how did each player specifically perform? Blackout Dallas has dove into this question over the past few weeks by writing up a report card for each player.

The Dallas Stars hit the gas pedal at the beginning of the 2015-2016 regular season and did not stop until they hit the wall that is game seven in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But it was still a very successful season, including a Central Division title and a first place finish in the Western Conference.

2014-2015 was a gloomy effort by the Stars, and that’s putting it lightly. One of their chief problems was their lack of defensive support during the season. After missing out on the playoffs by seven points, the front office was committed to improving the defense in the offseason.

Though the defense underwent some changes, one of the players that stayed consistent and committed through both years was Alex Goligoski. The veteran defensemen once again helped lead the charge as the Dallas Stars turned their misfortunes around on the blue line and transformed into a playoff-caliber team.

The blue line vet

Alex Goligoski was traded to the Dallas Stars in February of 2011 in exchange for James Neal and Matt Niskanen. Seen as an almost ludicrous trade at the time, the Stars brought in the small-size defenseman in hopes of rounding out the defense.

Five years later and the Stars are still getting production out of Goligoski, while Neal and Niskanen have both moved on to different clubs. Meanwhile, Goligoski has been an efficient puck-mover in the Dallas defense for the past half decade, and has even earned the alternate captain “A” over the past two years.

Regular season recap

The Dallas Stars boasted a decent balance on the blue line between offensive defensemen, defensive defensemen, and two-way defensemen this year for the first time in a while. As a result, they were able to get their goals against average down a significant bit and contest with the top teams of the league.

Alex Goligoski was one of the top leaders of this group, playing on the top pairing with John Klingberg for the majority of the season. Playing a complete 82-game slate, Goligoski scored five goals and tallied 32 assists along with an impressive +21 on-ice rating in 23:50 average ice time.

With longtime chemistry budding between he and Klingberg, the two performed greatly both on the power play and even strength, scoring a 53.1 percent on the Corsi scale in terms of possession. In other words, the duo held possession more often than not when on the ice.

Playoff recap

After an impressive playoff performance in 2014 with the Stars, Goligoski picked up where he left off and had another spectacular showing this past year. He competed in all 13 games and scored four goals along with tallying three assists. He did, however, put up a rather ugly -6 on-ice rating. He did all of this in 23:14 average ice time.

While Goligoski did provide a strong offensive boost in the postseason, his dedication to the defensive side of things did seem to slip a little.

Contract situation

Alex Goligoski’s contract expires this offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 30-year old signed a four-year extension with a $4.6 million cap hit with the Stars in the midst of the 2011-2012 season.

Now with the season over and free agency almost open, the Dallas Stars have a few decisions they must make in regards to Goligoski and a few other defensemen’s futures.

The opinion section

It’s funny how as Dallas Stars fans, everyone is united, yet there are still obvious ways to divide the bunch. One of these ways is by setting an offseason dilemma in front of them and asking for opinions.

This coming offseason, the Stars have a few decisions to make regarding the futures of Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, Kris Russell, and Jordie Benn. Those decisions will not be easy, and there are plenty of perspectives from fans weighing in.

While it is pretty clear only one of the first three names mentioned above will re-sign with Dallas, the identity of said defenseman is still a mystery.

To be honest, I think Goligoski is an excellent choice to re-sign. People will be quick to bring up the fact that he turned the puck over a decent amount this past year, but they are forgetting all the good he does for the team. His chemistry with Klingberg is improving with each passing year and together the two create an almost unstoppable offensive defender pair.

He posted his highest +/- rating of his career this past season. He eats up minutes like no other defender the Stars have. His possession numbers are among the highest of any Dallas player, and he handles the puck well in the offensive zone.

must read: Dallas Stars' Report Cards

Sure signing Russell or Demers would not be a bad idea either, but Goligoski is an excellent choice for a new contract. The only problem is he will probably drive the highest price on the open market, meaning the Dallas Stars will have to take an extra step or two to secure him.

Bottom line

Stars fans will continue to be split on the free agent defensemen situation until it is all set in stone in a month or so. From there, two-thirds of the group will have to settle while one-third will be modestly cheering.

Alex Goligoski is an impressive candidate for a new deal, and has proven himself to be of great value in his time in Dallas. Given the situation, it seems as though he has just as good a chance at leaving as he does returning. Everything is up in the air, and everyone will just have to wait, speculate, and maybe pray a little bit until the final decision is announced.

Next: Stars Staying Quiet This Offseason Could Be Best Option

But Goligoski could be a Dallas Star for the remainder of his career, but it all depends on how the free agent pieces work out and which d-man general manager Jim Nill has at the top of his wish list.