Dallas Stars Defense Now Being Led By Johnny Oduya

Losing a dedicated veteran is never easy, and the Dallas Stars are once again feeling that on the blue line. But luckily, there is a silver lining and capable replacement in this situation.

Veteran hockey players are like classic cars. While they aren’t as fast or well-oiled as some of the younger players, they are still fun to watch and can prove to be extremely valuable in situations the rookies may not be ready for.

That’s exactly what the Dallas Stars blue line has been looking for in the past few seasons. They’ve been on a bit of a roller coaster ride between average defensive club and utter tire fire since the beginning of the 2008-2009 season.

In their search for consistency, they have tried linking a number of worthy veterans to the blue line that can serve as experienced leaders for the long run. They have used a few different names, but none have gotten the Stars defense to where it needs to be in order to contend for a Stanley Cup.

Longtime Star Trevor Daley tried being that leader for a year and a half after the departure of Stephane Robidas, but could not get the defense rolling. The Dallas defense suffered in 14-15 and was the sole reason the Stars ended up missing the playoffs. Daley was a dedicated defenseman for the Stras, but was traded away this past offseason. That gave way to Alex Goligoski.

Goligoski, unlike Daley, was able to bolster the defensive core to an acceptable level. With the firepower on the offensive side combining with relatively solid goaltending, the Dallas Stars claimed the title of Central Division champions for the first time since the realignment and finished with 50 wins and 109 points. These numbers gave them the best record in the Western Conference.

Alex Goligoski played a large role in transforming the Dallas defense. His leadership and experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs mixed with his tenure with the Stars made him an invaluable piece.

And now he’s gone as well. Along with three other starting defensemen, Goligoski was set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Dallas attempted to negotiate and try to keep him around, but in the end the price was simply too high for the Stars’ liking.

After the Stars sent Goligoski’s negotiating rights to the Arizona Coyotes in a trade this past Thursday, talks began to stir about the future of the other three defensemen. Were they preparing to be shipped out as well? Would any of them end up being retained?

From Jim Nill’s quotes on the matter, things are not sounding too promising for the return of any of the remaining three.

“I’ve been talking to them, going through the process,” Nill told Stars Inside Edge. “A lot of them want to see what is out there on July 1. Our team is getting better. The cap is part of the equation, so I’ve got to make things fit within the cap. If there is a fit for us, great. If not, then they have a right to go see what is out on the market.”

That does not sound too determined. With that being said, the Dallas Stars could be looking to a newer member of the defense to become the veteran leader. That member is Johnny Oduya.

Oduya signed with Dallas in July of 2015 through free agency after winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in June. With the Hawks’ cap crisis settling in after the Cup run, he was one of the many valuable players that Chicago was forced to part ways with.

The Stars lured him in with Stanley Cup aspirations, and after one season it is pretty clear that he picked the right club. Oduya had a wonderful first season with the Stars, scoring four goals and tallying 21 points. He also finished with a +8 on-ice rating in 20:23 average ice time.

Oduya spent the majority of the season on the second defensive pairing, matching up with Jason Demers at first and finishing the year with rookie Stephen Johns. He and Johns put together an effective assault together, and look as though they will be the only pairing set in stone for next season.

Though Oduya is only a second year Star, he will need to step into the leader role, which he should be able to do rather easily. He is going on 35 years old and has two Stanley Cups on his resume. He is the oldest member of a primarily youthful defensive lineup for Dallas, and will need to teach and share with the younger players who will be exposed to plenty of NHL play next season.

Now the possibility of signing a free agent veteran or trading for an experienced defender is not out of the question. If the Dallas Stars follow through and drop the three other UFA defensemen, they will be opening up a plethora of cap space, some of which they will be able to use on a potentially new acquisition.

Whatever they end up doing, it is likely that Oduya will remain the oldest and most experienced member going into next season. Who knows, he may even see an alternate captain letter coming his way in the near future. He did a great job this season in helping Johns adapt quickly to the speed and competitiveness of the NHL, and the two formed a shutdown pairing.

Since joining the Dallas Stars as general manager, Jim Nill seems to have a good system going with his captains and alternates. With Jamie Benn holding onto the role of captain and not letting up anytime soon, Nill typically assigns one alternate to a third or fourth line forward and the other to a member of the defense.

must read: Jim Nill Finally Has A Shot At GM Of The Year

In the past, there have been combinations such as F Ray Whitney and D Stephane Robidas, F Shawn Horcoff and D Trevor Daley, F Vernon Fiddler and D Trevor Daley, and most recently F Vernon Fiddler and D Alex Goligoski. If he sticks to the same system, it seems as though Oduya or Klingberg would get the A.

But by the looks of it right now, Johnny Oduya is going to be forced to step into a bigger role as the leader of the defense. Back in December, I got a chance to talk to him about his first few months with the team.

“I felt very fortunate to be given the opportunity and in the circumstance to join a team like this that’s very good,” Oduya said. “For us, we just need to keep going. There are things we want to improve on, and it’s the same for me. I think I could get more comfortable with player situations and we can move forward as a team.”

Next: Johnny Oduya Impresses In First Season With Stars

Something tells me he should have no trouble taking up the leadership role and turning the defense into an efficient machine, picking up where Goligoski left off and moving forward.