Dallas Stars Have Variety Of Chances At Playoff Opponent
The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are just around a month away and the Dallas Stars will participate. Who can they expect to face in the first round and can they be successful?
There are a few different events on the yearly calendar that make children and adults alike go gaga. Christmas morning, the Super Bowl, and the Fourth of July are just a few of the occasions on this list.
But one event that always keeps me on my toes, drooling with excitement, is the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. The fact that the Dallas Stars will be participants this year makes the appeal even sweeter.
In just a little over a month, the NHL regular season will close the book on another eventful and exciting campaign. The Stars’ will have successfully flown and stumbled through different parts of their 82-game slate, but done enough in the end to secure one of the top seeds in the Western Conference.
It’s nice to know that the Stars have a shot at one of the top spots in the playoff seeding. But the fact of the matter is that the race for positioning in the Central division is near a dead heat. Just a handful of points separate the top three contenders, being the Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues.
If you do not know or have forgotten since following the Stars playoff race in 2013-2014, the NHL is set to run its third year of a new playoff system since the divisional realignment.
In the past, each conference took their top eight teams, based on performance and regardless of division, and seeded them in terms that helped out the best teams (1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5).
Now, each conference takes the top three teams from each division and then the top two teams after those six as wild cards. The top performing team from each division is assigned to the two wild cards (the best team in the conference will face the worst wild card, and the top performer from the other division will play the first wild card). Then the second and third place teams in each division will face off with each other.
Where the Stars finish clearly is a big deal. Not just because of whether they take home ice advantage or not, but who they will face.
At this point in the playoff race, the Stars will more than likely finish either first, second, or third in the division. This means that they will either be playing the Central team in second or third, or they will face off with a wild card team.
So what teams does that leave the Dallas Stars at having a chance to go toe-to-toe with? After last night’s shootout win for the Blues over the Hawks, the Central now looks like this:
Chicago Blackhawks 68 GP 88 PTS
Dallas Stars 68 GP 88 PTS
St. Louis Blues 68 GP 87 PTS
Pretty clear cut, huh? No? This race will obviously come down to the wire, with neither of the three teams budging until the very last moment.
That being said, it looks like there are five possible opponents that the Stars could face in the first round. These five potential enemies are the Blackhawks, Blues, Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, and Colorado Avalanche.
We took a poll with our Twitter followers yesterday, asking which team they thought the Stars would benefit most from facing in the first round. We included all of the teams listed above (except the Blackhawks, considering before last night’s game they were the least likely opponent for the Stars to face off with). Over 150 people voted, and these are the results we got.
Blues: 11 percent
Wild: 52 percent
Predators: 17 percent
Avalanche: 20 percent
It’s clear that Minnesota holds the overwhelming majority. But either way you look at it, the Stars are definitely in store for a strenuous challenge in their first round endeavor.
Chicago Blackhawks
Stars’ season series: 2-1-0
On the bright side: The Stars have been relatively successful against the Hawks this season. This is the first time in a while that this has been the case in any given season. They have performed relatively well against them, especially on offense. If it holds up with their current scenario this coming Friday, they have strong reason to believe that they could keep the Hawks at bay.
On the less bright side: This would be the “playoff-mode” Blackhawks. That is a completely different version. That is the team that has made the Stanley Cup Finals three of the past six seasons. Those Blackhawks tend to have no mercy. It’s a gamble, but the odds of the “still-developing” Stars beating “playoff-hardened” Chicago in the postseason are slim.
St. Louis Blues
Stars’ season series: 1-1-2
On the bright side: The Blues and Stars always find a way to make sparks fly when they commingle. Dallas knows how to stand up to St. Louis and can play stern defense the majority of the time. Plus, the Blues playoff record is nothing to smile about over these past few years. While they have qualified the past four seasons, they have yet to make it past the second round.
On the less bright side: The Blues’ goaltenders give the Stars fits. Whether it is Brian Elliott or Jake Allen, the Stars are continually stymied. They can drag games out to overtime with their own defensive establishment, but overtime losses don’t mean wins, especially in the playoffs.
Minnesota Wild
Stars’ season series: 4-1-0
On the bright side: The Dallas Stars have finally figured the Wild out. Not only have the Wild seen a bit of a drop off this season, but the Stars have beaten them in four out of five contests. They have come back from crazy deficits using their triumphing offense. Games between these two are intense, but the Stars seem to understand the Wild this year. Not to mention Minnesota’s subpar playoff record.
On the less bright side: There is not much of a negative side. Yes, the Wild have more recent playoff experience. But the Stars record and performance against them this season is a prime factor in proving that they can tango with Minnesota. They are a +5 vs. the Wild and also succeed in special teams, going 4-for-13 on the PP. They definitely have a strong chance at taking the Wild down in the first round.
Nashville Predators
Stars’ season series: 2-1-0
On the bright side: The Stars have never had any true problems against the Predators in past years, and it doesn’t seem to be changing this season. Besides their most recent loss in the midst of a slump, Dallas can compete against Nashville. The offense is primarily a key factor when taking on Nashville, seeing as the Stars have scored 11 goals in three games this season against the Preds.
On the less bright side: The Predators defense can be a thorn in the Stars’ side at times. They have a certain understanding of Dallas’ offense and know how to shut them down if they catch them in the right frame of mind. Not to mention the Stars are an ugly 1 for 7 on the power play this season. But other than that, the Predators are just as inexperienced in the playoffs as the Stars, so it would be a good matchup.
Colorado Avalanche
Stars’ season series: 1-2-0
On the bright side: It’s crazy that the Avs are second choice under the Wild for most Stars fans. The Stars have struggled with Colorado for the longest time. Their most recent win in early February broke a two-year winless drought. Not so good for a Central Division rival. Sure the Stars can play strong defensively against the Avs, but they can never seem to do just enough to keep them at bay.
On the less light side: Semyon Varlamov is still on the Avalanche roster. The goaltender has been the primary cause of the Stars’ fits over the past few years. In his most recent game against Dallas, he went 42-for-43 in the crease. He has not been beaten by the Stars in years, so his presence would definitely give the Stars plenty to stumble over in the first round.
In order for the Stars to face the Predators, Wild, or Avalanche, they will need to claim the Central Division prize and finish atop the Western Conference. If they were to play the Blues or Blackhawks, a second or third place finish would be required.
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All in all, none of these opponents would present the Dallas Stars with a cakewalk. Each one has their own set of downfalls that they would offer the Stars.
But that’s what makes the playoffs a special time of year and an exclusive group to join. Each team must be prepared to face even the toughest of trials and still be able to manage. Can the Dallas Stars do that? We’ll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, they will be entirely healthy when they attempt to take on those trials.
So sit back and get cozy. 14 games remain in the Stars regular season slate, and each one will mean more than you might initially expect. In the grand scheme of things, one win or loss could be the difference between a manageable path to the Conference Finals and even Stanley Cup, or an early exit from the first round.
Next: Injury Bug Plaguing Stars At Worst Point In Season
It’s frightening to think about, but exciting at the same time. That must be why the NHL has been voted and backed as hosting the most entertaining playoffs year after year. Pain and fear accompanies thrill, and they combine for a wild ride when it’s all said and done.