Dallas Stars: Everyone's Gotta Rope, Everyone's Gotta Ride

Will the real Dallas Stars please stand up? With marked improvements, the Stars are still missing a few shades needed to comprise true victory green.

The Dallas Stars have had a few key things on their checklist these last few months. One: Survive injuries and setbacks without falling completely to the bottom of the barrel. For the most part, check.

Two: Work on creating a formidable defense that cooperates and plays a physical and integrative game. Check.

Three: Test out goaltending strategies to prevent goalkeeping from holding the Stars back from winning games. Check.

Four: Progress in the efforts of playing a complete 60 minutes, looking like the same team (mostly) throughout. Check.

Five: Use all these completed goals to drive to the top of the standings and create an unstoppable team. Well, that one’s still mostly in the air.

With all the intangible accomplishments the Stars have achieved and have continued to work towards this season, what is still holding them back from greatness?

Let’s work with a hypothetical. Strange as it may seem, it fits. Here goes.

Imagine that aliens were to touch down (I think tornado terminology should also apply to aliens, don’t you?) at the AAC during a Dallas Stars game.

These aliens know nothing of our alphabet (namely, what the letter ‘C’ on a jersey might signify). If we had a classic “take me to your leader” situation on our hands, what leadership qualities throughout the duration of a game would distinguish for these poor lost souls the captain of this hockey team?

Yes, I know, it’s a little out there. But we get it, right? As someone not privy to what goes on inside the Stars’ locker room, not much of the expected leadership quality is reflected on the ice. If we had to identify players that have led the Stars recently, who would be your picks?

Perhaps Jason Spezza, when he dropped the gloves for the first time since 2009 against the Flyers last Saturday in an attempt to emotionally drive his teammates to victory?

What about Devin Shore, who on the Stars’ last roadtrip, was the dominating offensive force? Maybe Antti Niemi, who had 3 saves break into the NHL’s top 10 saves of the week last week, including one into the number one spot.

Basically, I just took the long way around saying that leadership is as leadership does. All of the guys I’ve mentioned, and probably the ones who came to your mind too, have exhibited some behavior that has helped lead the team in some way.

Now think about who we might have looked to as ironclad leaders in seasons past. Jamie Benn, obviously, and Tyler Seguin. Probably still Jason Spezza, and before his departure, Vernon Fiddler. We have the obvious reason that Jamie Benn is the Stars’ captain. But other than the fact that all of these players have worn the ‘A’ at some point or another, what have they had in common?