Fansided

Dallas Stars Are Lucky They Aren’t Chicago Blackhawks

By Josh Clark |

The Chicago Blackhawks ended Wednesday night on a high note as they came back in exceptional fashion to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals.

This marks the third time in the last six seasons that the Hawks have made the Cup Final, and they have won one of the last two.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars have made the playoffs in just one of the last seven seasons. Besides the playoff appearance in 2013-2014 and Jamie Benn winning the Art Ross Trophy, what is there noteworthy to talk about in regards to the Stars regular seasons over the past seven years?

Even though the Dallas Stars have lacked the success that the Blackhawks have achieved over the past few years, there are still some upsides. Can you imagine that? Here are a few reasons why the Stars have it better than the Western Conference Champions:

Management is everything

The Dallas Stars brought Jim Nill into the picture as their new GM just before the 2013 offseason, and change was his main mission. Through just the 2013 and 2014 offseason, Nill put on a show and landed some top talent that helped put together an exceptional lineup. Though he didn’t specifically address the defense and goaltending issues, he found a way to build the best offense in the Western Conference.

At the end of the 2014-2015 season, the Stars have just under $16,000,000 free in cap space, which means they have plenty of breathing room come July 1st. If they want to make some moves, they most definitely will be able to.

The Blackhawks, on the other hand, have some issues. After signing Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to separate $10.5 million per year contracts last year, their cap tightened. Even with the new cap for the upcoming season projected around $71 million which is about $2 million higher, they will still have some issues. The problem is the Hawks have too many all stars signed and not enough money to give.

This will force the Hawks to unload some talent in the upcoming offseason. Whether it’s by means of trade or allowing the unrestricted free agents to walk, something will need to happen if they want to stay within the boundaries.

Score one for Dallas! But then again, the Stars aren’t competing for a Stanley Cup right now…

Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-10
Blackhawks News: It took Connor Bedard no time to be noticable
Blackhawks News: It took Connor Bedard no time to be noticable /

Da Windy City

  • The Chicago Blackhawks made a great announcement on FridayDa Windy City
  • After 15 seasons with the NY Islanders, Josh Bailey will wear another NHL sweaterEyes On Isles
  • Connor Bedard is finally off in Chicago Blackhawks training campDa Windy City
  • There is only one right move for the Chicago Blackhawks captaincyPuck Prose
  • Blackhawks News: Bedard's media tour, black jerseys are back, and moreDa Windy City

    • True fandom 

    If the Chicago Blackhawks are brought up in a conversation, one thing that may come to mind is the bandwagoning fans. There’s a picture that has circulated for a little while now with two separate images. One is of a few Blackhawks fans with a hefty amount of empty seats encircling them in the United Center. It’s labeled “Blackhawks Fan Base 2007.” Below it, there’s an image of the Blackhawks 2013 Stanley Cup Parade that overflowed in the Chicago streets for miles. It’s labeled “Blackhawks Fan Base 2015.” Though they still have dedicated fans intermixed, it’s clear that there is a good amount of “fans” there simply because the team consistently does well.

    The Dallas Stars have struggled in their attendance numbers over the past few seasons. Even though they have struggled, they still see a good amount of sales per game. In 2014-2015, the Stars averaged a 96.3% attendance, while Chicago sat at 110.4%. At least it’s nice to know that if you meet a person on the street in a Stars shirt, there is a guarantee that you will be able to talk with them about all things Stars, while it’s a gamble with the Blackhawks.

    The sacredness is sacred

    The Blackhawks are now in their seventh straight playoff appearance, and have won a Cup in two of them. That means four of them ended in disappointment.

    The Dallas Stars are in the hunt for putting together back-to-back playoff appearances since 2008. But that’s not an altogether horrible thing.

    With consistent attendance, the sacredness takes a toll. The emotion, the passion, it all has it’s own place. But if you experience it year after year, it can lose it’s enjoyment. A playoff atmosphere, especially in hockey, is quite the rare experience. The Stars have something good to work with in regards to their disappointments. They give their fans something to look forward to with a playoff berth. While Stars fans would bounce off the walls when they clench a playoff spot, the Hawks are at the point where it’s assumed.

    So when you look at a few alternate scenarios, things aren’t as bad. Right?

    Well, while a Stanley Cup would be nicer than having sacredness in the playoffs, it’s nice to look at the upsides. It’s about all we have left to do before the offseason strikes and everything becomes jumbled once again.

    Next: Blackout Dallas Picks The Stanley Cup Final: VOTE

    More from Blackout Dallas

    Home / Dallas Stars News