There are a handful of Dallas Stars that have entered the lineup over the past few games. Their presence is helping pave the way for the Stars’ future.
The Dallas Stars made a number of deals prior to the deadline last Wednesday. They saw Patrick Eaves, Jordie Benn, Johnny Oduya and Lauri Korpikoski depart the organization in exchange for young players and draft picks.
All of those changes in addition to the injury to Antoine Roussel that will keep him out of the line-up for the remainder of the regular season and Ales Hemsky‘s return have caused a series of changes in the Stars line-up. These alterations to the roster have given the chance to new players to play and familiarize themselves with the organization.
While it might seem like they have given up on this season, assimilating players to the team will be beneficial later on down the line.
Ales Hemsky’s Return
Although he is a veteran forward for the Stars, it was good to see Ales Hemsky return to the line-up recently. The 33 year old right wing was sidelined for the vast majority of this season with a hip injury that he sustained at the World Cup.
Hemsky played in one game prior to his return last week and it was particularly important being that his contract is expiring this upcoming offseason. While he may not re-sign with the Stars, not being able to participate in a contract year is detrimental to players’ confidence.
However, it also is not like Hemsky’s play in his time as a Star has been incredible. He has been plagued with inconsistency and injuries over his three years in Dallas, which has made his showing difficult to judge. Hopefully his play in the final games of the regular season will allow Jim Nill to determine his future in North Texas.
Remi Elie’s NHL Debut
In light of Roussel’s injury, young Dallas Stars forward Remi Elie made his NHL debut last night with the Stars in their narrow 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers. The 2013 second round draft pick has spent the last two years playing for the Texas Stars, earning 42 points.
Although Elie did not pick up any points in his debut for the team, he did contribute to a winning effort. He played 15:29 of the game for a total of 22 shifts and ended the night with two shots on goal. While putting the puck in the net would have made his first game as a Dallas Star all that much better, Elie’s performance was impressive.
Head coach Lindy Ruff had this to say about the 21 year old’s debut:
Lindy Ruff on Remi Elie: "I thought he played excellent. Had a couple tips, was hard on the puck. He played a good game for us." https://t.co/hlgpBsBaLl
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 5, 2017
In addition to his offensive efforts, Elie was given the opportunity to play for the Stars’ penalty kill. While that would seem like a logical fit considering he was filling in for penalty killing staple Roussel, most rookies do not play on special teams in their debuts.
The fact that Ruff trusted him enough to throw him out there speaks volumes to the trust he has in the kid and makes it seem like Elie might have the potential to make his stay in Dallas more permanent.
Next: Jordie Benn's Best Moments as a Star
Moving Forward
While the present season has been underwhelming regardless of how you cut it, Dallas can be excited about the future. If anything the remaining games will give the Stars a better road map to follow in regards to next year, including whether Hemsky remains on the team and if Elie becomes an NHL regular.