Dallas Stars: Coming To Terms With Accepting Reality

Another game came and went last night as the Dallas Stars dropped a 5-1 decision to the San Jose Sharks. Amidst some impressive wins, it’s still clear that the Stars are in serious trouble.

As I sat in section 115 of the SAP Center on Sunday night in a sea of teal, black, and white, something became extremely prevalent to me: the Dallas Stars are a mess.

After the first period, it looked as though things would be alright. The Stars were outplaying the Sharks on the road and Remi Elie had just scored his first goal. It was only a 2-1 deficit and Dallas had a knack lately for playing well when behind. It seemed as though they would find a way to oust one of the best teams in the West and slowly seep back into the long playoff hunt.

But then, as if in a horrible and unimaginable nightmare, everything went downhill. And when I say everything, I mean everything. Goal horn, after goal horn, after goal horn sounded and “SHAAAAARRRRRKKKSSS GOAL” repeatedly blared over the loud speaker. Just like that, the Stars were in a 5-1 hole and looked hopelessly depleted.

Sitting in the midst of a crowd of people cheering with a blank stare on your face and utter confusion in your brain is not the most flattering position to be in, just in case you were wondering. Where did the 2015-16 Dallas Stars go? Are they coming back soon? What went so horribly wrong this season? All great questions with no direct answers.

Dallas Stars

It’s just been that kind of a year for the Dallas Stars. The kind of year that you just want to forget entirely. One where when someone asks you ten years down the road, “Do you remember the 2016-17 Dallas Stars?” you say something like, “I don’t think the Stars played that season.” Something along those lines.

One year ago today, the Dallas Stars sat at a record of 42-20-9. They had 93 points and sat first in the Central Division and Western Conference. With 11 games to go in the season, they had their sights set on the Stanley Cup.

Fast forward one year and it’s an entirely different story. The Stars are sitting on a 27-31-10 record with 64 points. Even if they finished the season on an undefeated 14-0-0 run, they would close the season out at 92 points, one short of where they were at this point in last season.

They sit in twelfth place in the Western Conference, just two spots from the bottom. While it is just about impossible for them to fall into last place (poor Colorado), they could fall into thirteenth with the way they are currently playing.

What a far drop off it has been. In a span of three seasons, it seems as though the Dallas Stars went from zeroes to heroes and back to zeroes. The only problem is that this season has been the most disappointing of them all.

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The obvious part is that the Stars have a lot of things wrong with them. A failed goaltending tandem, a young defensive group that is largely ineffective and rarely consistent, and an offense that is nowhere near what it used to be. The more difficult part is trying to fix it.

That comes in the offseason, of course. With the trade deadline gone and the Stars selling hard, they are obviously planning ahead for 2017-18. But it’s going to take more than that.

But for now, it’s time to face the facts: this season is done for. After the final 14 games, it will be no more Dallas Stars hockey until next October. The Stars are 13 points out of the final playoff spot with 28 possible points left on the table. Even if they won out through the rest of the season, it still may not prove to be enough considering the way the teams above them are playing. But if you still want to hold on to that sliver of hope, more power to you.