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?

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All are forwards who were either high in productivity or had a experienced, veteran presence. These are both qualities we would typically mentally ascribe to leaders of a hockey team. But while these guys have been abnormally quiet on the ice, others have stepped up to fill those shoes.

Young players, inexperienced players, typically low-scoring players- they’ve seen the need and stepped up. Watching this happen, regardless of where the Stars are currently in the standings, has been amazing. So if the Stars want all their hard work to culminate in some type of measurable result instead of just our warm fuzzies, what needs to happen next?

We need to see more from our past team leaders. That means Benn and Seguin especially are due for some inspiring performances. And it doesn’t all have to be goals.

Spezza’s quick but impassioned fight in their most recent game against the Flyers helped rally the Stars and resulted in a goal from them soon after. Remember when Jamie Benn (formerly known at times as Beast Mode Benn) used to do that, too? Seeing that fire rekindled on the ice would bring back an aspect of strong leadership and team motivation that has been lacking.

The Stars have gone through stretches here and there in the last few seasons. There were times when the infamous Bennguin was the most explosive and motivational force the Stars had to employ; there was a stretch two seasons ago when Jamie Benn carried the team on his back in Seguin’s absence. Now, more guys are consistently chipping in.

Next: Dallas Stars Seeing Complete Role Reversal On Ice

But for the Stars to reach their full potential and salvage the season, it’s gotta be everybody’s game. Everybody’s gotta rope and everybody’s gotta ride.