Dallas Stars Defense: What It Looks Like Now
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars defense underwent some significant changes this offseason. Will they end up making the blue line weaker, stronger, or will it even out?
Defense wins championships. Whether it was in youth league basketball or high school football, chances are you have heard this phrase before. It may be a tad cliche at this point, but it is one hundred percent true in the sporting world.
The NHL is a perfect example of this. Take the past three Stanley Cup champions for example. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Los Angeles Kings all three boast strong defensive cores. Though not so much with the Penguins, the Blackhawks and Kings are both defensive-centered clubs. Names like Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Drew Doughty, and Jake Muzzin stand out on each team.
But what is it that makes defense so special? Why is it the key to winning championships and not offense? Well to be honest, shutdown defense is a necessity. A high powered offense is simply a valuable add-on.
Look at it like this. If your offense is slow and only produces on a semi-consistent basis, you could be in trouble. Unless of course you have a strong defensive group. If your offense can only put up one goal a game but your defense and goaltending can shut out the opponent, you still get the win.
Meanwhile, if you have a threatening offense that can put up four goals a game but your defense is like that of swiss cheese and allows five goals a game, you take the loss. The 2014-15 Dallas Stars would be a perfect example of this misfortune.
So in the end, defense is basically the most important aspect of the game of hockey. It’s where the most effort should be focused, at least. The Dallas Stars learned this same lesson just this past season, especially in the postseason.
Once the Stars advanced to the second round, they met a St. Louis Blues team that thrived on defense and in net. With the Dallas offense meeting their match in the St. Louis net in Brian Elliott, it was up to the Stars defense to stop the Blues offense. As you know, things did not go over too well. The Stars survived to seven games, but took a humiliating beating at home in game seven to finish their year.
Defense is the most important part of a successful hockey team. The Dallas Stars have tried to find ways around that over the past few years, but in the end it remains consistent.
That being said, the Stars need to put together a legitimate defense with little to no flaws involved. At this point, it looks as though there will be no more changing on the Dallas blue line. So is the new defense strong enough to put up a fight to the Stanley Cup?
The Dallas Stars significantly changed up their defensive lineup this offseason, if you did not already know. Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, and Kris Russell have all moved on to new opportunities. Meanwhile, Nill was able to reach out and sign free agent defenseman Dan Hamhuis. The veteran just finished up a six-year stint with the Vancouver Canucks.
So going into next season, the Stars’ blue line should look something like this.
Dan Hamhuis – John Klingberg
Extras: Esa Lindell, Jamie Oleksiak
The Dallas Stars will more than likely carry eight defensemen, at least to start the year. These names will be the eight names on the roster.
There are a few similarities in the lineups from this past season and the season to come. Klingberg returns as the young superstar to help lead the top pairing, while Oduya and Johns should more than likely return to the shutdown pairing they combined to create back at the end of last year.
Benn returns as well, though he did not have as significant a role as he could have throughout the last two months in the season.
The biggest question is in regards to whether this lineup will be quote-on-quote “better” than last year’s and if it can contend for a Stanley Cup.
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One of the most influential changes made to the Dallas blue line was their addition of size and physicality. They cut ties with Demers (6-1, 200 lb.), Goligoski (5-11, 185 lb.), and Russell (5-10, 170 lb.) and replaced them with Lindell (6-3, 215 lb.) and Hamhuis (6-1, 209 lb.). Not to mention they still have Johns (6-4, 225 lb.), Oleksiak (6-7, 260 lb.), and Nemeth (6-3, 230 lb.).
In other words, the Dallas Stars have converted from a small, quick defensive scheme to a strong, punishing one. Expect a lot more hitting, physicality, and roughing up along the boards next year in the Stars’ zone.
All in all, the Dallas Stars defensive lineup has plenty of potential to be better than it was last year. It would be very difficult for a skilled lineup like this to fall below the performance from last season, when the Stars allowed 2.78 goals per game (which is just a tad high). So in the end, it looks as though this lineup will be just as good, if not better for Dallas.
Next: Stars Offense: What It Looks Like Right Now
With a solid amount of returning players and some veteran leadership added into the mix, this Stars defense could do plenty of damage. All we have to do is wait until October to make a final call on it.