Dallas Stars Being Led By Young Guns So Far In Preseason

Everyone knows that hockey superstars typically don’t play more than two or three games throughout the preseason. For the Dallas Stars, this scenario gives young players a chance to step up and shine. They have answered the bell so far.

It’s tough to make progress in a given situation without proper leadership. Whatever the problem is, it can easily be solved when there is a leader at the helm of the team.

But when that leader is absent from the equation, confusion is typically imminent. Unless of course there is a confident member that is prepared to step into the leader role.

The Dallas Stars are lucky enough to have these kinds of players on their roster.

It’s been a tough last few weeks for the Stars in terms of injuries. Since September 9th, Dallas has lost Tyler Seguin, Radek Faksa, Ales Hemsky, and Cody Eakin to different ailments. Some are short term while others are long term. And there are some that have no definite timetable for return.

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Not to mention that Jamie Benn is also recovering from offseason surgery.

From this list above, it’s clear that the Dallas Stars are missing some of their most influential leaders. Even though it is the preseason, the Stars still need a leader if they want to win.

Luckily, there are two young guys stepping into the spotlight. These two are Mattias Janmark and Radek Faksa.

Multiple rookies and young players have been making strides through the first two games, but Janmark and Faksa have carried the load.

Sadly, both have also been dealing with injuries. It was reported today by Stars Inside Edge that Mattias Janmark did not practice with the team and was spotted on crutches in the locker room after practice. There’s no update yet on the specifics, but the fact that he is on crutches is not promising.

Faksa, on the other hand, did not play in the first game due to lingering concussion-like symptoms acquired from a hit in the World Cup of Hockey.

But in the one game that each has played, they put up powerful numbers and helped lead the team on the offensive attack.

Janmark played in the first game of the preseason on Monday against the St. Louis Blues. He tallied one assist in the 3-1 win, along with finishing 50 percent in the face-off dot and skating 15:51 at even strength, 2:23 on the power play, and 1:01 on the penalty kill.

Faksa only played in Wednesday night’s game, which turned out to be a 4-2 loss for the Stars at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche. But Faksa was on fire on offense, scoring both of the Stars’ goals within 3:23 of each other in the second period. His first goal came on a wicked wrist shot just seven seconds into the middle frame.

Next: Stars Learn Some Timeless Lessons In Colorado

Both of these players are entering their second season of play with the Dallas Stars after phenomenal rookie performances. These preseason showings are only furthering the assumption that the two young guys are in for another special season in Big D.

That is as long as injuries don’t weigh them down. That question, sadly, has yet to be answered.

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