Dallas Stars: Youthful Forwards Elie, Shore Off To Excellent Start This Season
By Tom Dorsa
Speed and youthful exuberance has been the Dallas Stars’ identity for awhile, but even some guys surprise us in that regard. Devin Shore and Remi Elie are doing exactly that.
In today’s world, we as human beings are becoming increasingly and hopelessly specialized. All of us train to become and live out our lives in predetermined roles we happen to stumble upon. Nothing is a stronger example of this than sports – and by extension, the Dallas Stars.
There are the penalty killing defensemen that don’t provide a lot of offense, there are power play dynamos that are anything but weapons at even strength, and even the bottom-six wingers that do little but pump the team up. I mean, to contest to the specialized roles in hockey, there was – up until now, seemingly – a guy on every team that was skating just to fight or to smash people against the boards.
If you asked them to play a different role, they would look way out of it. The strategy is different, the on-ice responsibilities are different, and your linemates are most likely way different. It’s like asking our team of bloggers and journalists to suddenly become telemarketers. It’s basically the same job: you sit at the computer, talk on the phone, and whatnot, but the system heavily contrasts to what we experience. We wouldn’t be able to do it even if it’s essentially the same.
It’s for this reason and many others that we have to respect, admire, and appreciation the Dallas Stars’ speedy, fierce utilitymen in this young season: Devin Shore and Remi Elie. Each of them can play – and have played – a variety of roles and positions, looking gradually better at every single one. Whether it’s penalty kill, power play, bottom-six, top-six, or anything in between, Shore and Elie can answer the call.
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On Devin Shore
“To me, he is the most versatile player on the team,” Dallas Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock recently told Dallas Morning News, and boy, has Hitch used him accordingly.
Shore, with four assists in six games, a pace of 55 points in an 82 game schedule, has earned himself a role on the Stars’ electric first power play. In addition, Shore – whose rookie season last year was one of the best in franchise history – is playing penalty kill time and is usually on to defend late leads.
Shore’s fast start has quelled questions of whether the former Texas Stars standout could play effectively on the wing, with the center depth the Stars are rolling with this season of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Martin Hanzal, and Radek Faksa. The 23-year-old from Ajax, Ontario has been arguably better at the wing, as he has shown his ability to get the puck up ice despite starting 71.4% of his shifts in the defensive zone.
It’s only a matter of time until Shore pots one for himself. He has gotten a variety of offensive-zone chances, breakaway tries, and now on the top man-advantage, he’ll have a chance to show off his quick hands and heavy release.
Shore is a feisty young forward with a speedy stride and the ability to set players up from anywhere on the ice. Anything he’s gotten in hockey is something the former University of Maine stalwart has earned, and his perseverance, toughness, and infectious style of hockey has seemingly begun to rub off on the rest of the group in the Dallas Stars locker room.
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On Remi Elie
In an NHL where speed is often times the only answer, Remi Elie is a perfect depth forward. It might be because the young Cornwall, Ontario native skates like his pants are on fire. As of now, the points are not there for Elie, but he’s one of those players that can contribute in a multitude of ways and get everyone involved.
He’s constantly hustling for loose pucks, setting up screens in front of the net (one that ended in a John Klingberg goal against Detroit), and showing tenacity along the boards in all three zones. On average, the 22-year-old is playing just 9:08 per game, but making an impact on every shift he makes. His speed and poise makes him a tough matchup for the opposition.
Elie’s versatility and willingness to play any role for the Dallas Stars helps the team more than anything. His background – from American Hockey League play to that in the Ontario Hockey League – is fierce, difficult forward play. If that means blocking shots and having an active stick defensively, then he’ll do it, but if it translates more to chasing down loose pucks and grinding along the boards, Elie is ready.
Elie has earned himself a top-nine spot with his effective grit and determination, the same way he earned a promotion to the NHL just a week and a half ago. Elie has long been part of the future team plans for the Dallas Stars and his recent play is showing it. Elie, formerly of the Erie Otters, is a perfect hybrid between solid possession grinder (57.4 CF%) and speedy, relentless three-zone force.
With Devin Shore and Remi Elie backing up the big guns of Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov and crew, the Stars are in exceptional shape with their depth forwards. For all we know, Shore and Elie will soon be the Dallas Stars top-six guys needing do-it-all, multifaceted forwards behind them. Seeing their hard work and wonderful demeanor, I wouldn’t put it past them.
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Especially in today’s super-specialized hockey world, teams like the 31 in the NHL would die for two adaptable, tough, fast, young forwards like Remi Elie and Devin Shore. As the season progresses, sit back and enjoy the fine work of two future Stars staples.