Five Things To Watch For In Dallas Stars Training Camp
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars training camp begins Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. and ends Sunday after the 10:00 a.m. intra-squad scrimmage finishes up. Training camp will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center and is open to the general public. From Monday, September 22nd on, the Dallas Stars are officially back in action, starting with a preseason game against the St. Louis Blues that night.
But before the first preseason game arrives, an interesting weekend lays ahead. With contract negotiations still not settled, spots up for grabs, and multiple players fighting for a roster spot, many different factors will be in play regarding the Stars season ahead.
Here are five main keys to watch for this weekend:
1. The backup goaltender position battle:
The Dallas Stars truly planned ahead in the past offseason by signing two experienced goaltenders to compete for the backup spot. Anders Lindback and Jussi Rynnas will battle along with Texas Stars goalie Jack Campbell for the substitute position, and all have their share of strengths and weaknesses.
Anders Lindback left the Tampa Bay Lightning and signed with the Dallas Stars this past offseason. He is coming off of a season where he played backup for the Lightning and posted a .891 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average. Due to Ben Bishop’s wrist injury, Lindback started for the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs, and his numbers came out as a .881 save percentage and a 3.91 goals against average. The Lightning were swept in the first round, and Lindback was pulled in the middle of Game 4 for the rest of the series.
Jussi Rynnas has played in multiple leagues for multiple teams. His numbers last season were great when he played in Liiga for Kärpät. He posted a .939 save percentage and a 1.51 goals against average. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs for two games and posted a .825 save percentage and a 4.25 goals against average.
Jack Campbell has been waiting for his chance since he joined the Texas Stars in the 2011-2012 season after being drafted by the Stars in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft in the first round, eleventh overall. Injuries have plagued his ability to start consistently over the past few seasons, but with a save percentage of .915 and a goals against average of 2.42, his numbers are reliable. But with his one NHL appearance ending in a .872 save percentage and 6.00 goals against average, he may not be ready for the NHL just yet.
For a more in-depth look at the goalie battle, click here.
2. Brenden Dillon and Cody Eakin will be absent:
Brenden Dillon and Cody Eakin have yet to sign new contracts with the Dallas Stars organization, and the season opener is growing nearer.
With training camp here, neither player will be present and will not get to work out with the new team. With the pressure rising, new players will fill their spots and could challenge for the starting position.
For a much more descriptive and in-depth article regarding this situation, click here.
3. The two open defense spots:
With Brenden Dillon not on the camp roster (for the full roster, click here), two defensive voids open up that will be filled during camp. But many names come into play. Patrik Nemeth, John Klingberg, Jyrki Jokipakka, Jamie Oleksiak, Kevin Connauton, Cameron Gaunce, Julius Honka, and Maxime Fortunus.
Nemeth, Oleksiak, Connauton, and Gaunce have the best chance at grabbing the positions because of their experience with the Dallas Stars team in the past, but that is still four names for two positions. Look for plenty of competition between the ranks and especially throughout the scrimmage on Sunday.
4. How will Rich Peverley do?
Rich Peverley took the offseason as a time to recoup his strength and recover from his heart accident and procedure back in March. He is on the roster and is scheduled to play and perform at training camp, though he will most likely refrain from full speed activity.
His performance at camp will be a substantial factor in his upcoming decision regarding his NHL future.
5. Who’s in the lineup?
The Dallas Stars have an abundance of forwards on their roster, and some veterans may not see as much time as they were looking for.
Some players that may see limited time include Vernon Fiddler, Patrick Eaves, Colton Sceviour, Erik Cole, and Shawn Horcoff. These possible fourth liners might share time with the rookies and lose their position. These players will need to perform to their best ability in order to snag a starting spot.
These are a few key things to watch for this coming weekend. What questions do you have?
Will you be at training camp? I will be and I hope to see and meet some of you there!
Comments and questions below, and as always, thanks for reading!
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