Dallas Stars: Looking Ahead To February 2016 Schedule
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars are embarking on another month-long excursion with a packed February 2016 schedule. Taking a closer look at it, there could be some serious pitfalls that break the Stars postseason chances.
The All-Star Break officially ended yesterday and the Dallas Stars are returning to the practice facilities to prepare for a strong end-of-season surge.
As the new year of 2016 rolled in, it was clear that the Dallas Stars were not ready for the turn. After a largely successful early campaign from October – December 2015, the Stars were atop the league with 59 points. The team was averaging 19.66 points per month and was on track for around 122 points.
January all but shattered those hopes and the Dallas Stars are now barely hanging on in the Central Division race. After sneaking past Calgary with a 2-1 win to cap off the month, the Stars had a January record of 3-6-2. None of their January play has been decent in the past, but this month was quite the shock based on the Stars early success in the year.
February 2016 is now here and has a chance to be something seriously special. Or it could be a complete and utter disaster that results in the Stars collapsing even further down the standings. It all depends on how quickly they can turn their despair from January into greatness in February.
Here is a look at all of the Dallas Stars’ opponents in the upcoming month:
Winnipeg Jets (3 games: 2 away, 1 home), Colorado Avalanche (1 game: away), Chicago Blackhawks (2 games: 1 home, 1 away), Minnesota Wild (1 game: away), Washington Capitals (1 game: home), Nashville Predators (1 game: away), St. Louis Blues (1 game: away), Arizona Coyotes (1 game: away), Boston Bruins (1 game: home), New York Rangers (1 game: home), Detroit Red Wings (1 game: home)
Let’s break that down and take a closer look at just why this month is the most difficult month out of the Stars entire schedule.
For starters, the Dallas Stars will be playing at least one game against every club in the Central Division. It is getting close to the time where the divisional points are becoming more and more critical, and the last thing the Stars can do is squander them away. The Stars are currently 8-4-1 in division play this year, which is very impressive compared to their record in previous years. But anything can happen.
The Stars will also feel the playoff heat coming on strong in the coming month. Nine of their 11 opponents this coming month are currently holding a playoff position, including the Washington Capitals who also hold the top spot in the NHL all while playing the least amount of games. Nothing will be easy this month.
The Dallas Stars will be home cooking each one of the four Saturdays in the month, facing off against elite opponents on each of the four days (6th – Chicago, 13th – Washington, 20th – Boston, 27th – New York). Make sure to get yourself out to see a game!
The Stars will play eight games on the road this month and six at home. They will only have to face one back-to-back challenge, though both games are against Central Division teams.
Not to mention that the trade deadline is on the way in the schedule. It is scheduled for February 29th on the calendar, and plenty of names are still flaring around. Depending on where the Dallas Stars stand as the day draws near, GM Jim Nill may be looking for a way to stack the roster. Not to mention that this year there are plenty of elite names being floated around (Steven Stamkos, Dustin Byfuglien, Jonathan Drouin, etc.).
The Stars will play their first game of the season against the Arizona Coyotes this month. They will also look to stay undefeated against the Jets and Blackhawks, along with searching for their first win of the year against the Avalanche.
More stars: Stars Still Standing Tall In Central Division At All-Star Break
The biggest matchup of the month will probably be on the 13th when the Stars welcome the Washington Capitals to the American Airlines Center. Two of the best teams in the league duking it out one last time, at least for this regular season.
Lastly, only 11 points separate the Dallas Stars from the final wild card spot in the West. Things are a little tighter than they may seem, and there is still a whole month following February to make the race even more intense. Give it time, people. Things are definitely going to get interesting.
Next: Stars Keys To A Solid And Successful February
February is officially here, and I hope you are all excited for another month of action-packed hockey with the Dallas Stars. Every night counts at this point in the year, and the Stars will need to be on top of their game to succeed this month. Buckle up, everyone. It’s go time.