Dallas Stars’ Season Makes Sense Based on their Approach
The 2016-17 season has been an unkind one to the Dallas Stars, and who do they have to blame but themselves?
The Dallas Stars’ season failures have been built on a foundation of excuses. Everything from injuries to bad luck have seemingly plagued their hopes of a postseason appearance, but it is really so much bigger than that.
Yes, the Stars have dealt with a lot of adversity when it comes to injuries and there have been some plays that could be explained by bad luck. However, to say that the entire season is a result of those two things would be a misrepresentation of the other issues that have perpetually cost Dallas points.
Best Player’s Performances
When all is said and done, the Stars’ best players have not missed nearly enough games to say it cost them the season. While supporting players, like Mattias Janmark and Ales Hemsky, certainly contribute to the team, their absence should not lead to severe losses.
Dallas has had Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza and both goaltenders healthy for the vast majority of the season. The skaters have all played in 55 games or more and a third goaltending option has yet to play for the Stars this season.
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So as much as injuries have been targeted as the main reason for Dallas’ lack of success, it is hard to argue that they were detrimental to the team. Again, the depth of forwards did take a hit with injuries; however, it is more reasonable to fault the players that actually played than the ones who did not.
None of the top players have had their best seasons. That is a fact that all of them would readily agree on in a heartbeat. Unfortunately for the Stars, their inability to perform to the very high standard they and the team sets for them, coupled with the injuries to forwards in particular, proved to be too much for Dallas to overcome.
Bad Luck
Although there have been some plays that certainly can be attributed to bad bounces, most of Dallas’ losses are their fault almost entirely. It is difficult to score against your own team and claim it as bad luck. That is simply lack of attention to the game at hand and it is something Dallas needs to improve.
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Ultimately, the bad luck excuse is poor because luck does not really matter in the NHL. If anything luck is created by hard work and dedication to the team’s system, which is ironically another area that has been of concern for Dallas this season.
Luck not something that is magically given to the most favorable teams, it belongs to those who work to achieve it. The Stars need to remember that and find their way to a place that is overloading with good luck.
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Bottom Line
What it boils down to is that the Stars’ mentality when it comes to how injuries and bad luck have influenced their season has only made their year worse. They got in their own heads early on that injuries were too much to overcome and that this year was a loss.
Although they would not openly admit it, there have been times when Dallas was noticeably not playing to win. They have had a roller coaster year in many ways, one of which being their effort. Until they figure out how to identify and change the highs and lows in that regard, they will continue to disappoint themselves and the team they represent.