The Dallas Stars wasted no time when it came to moving on from their season. Next year will be about accountability and trust, without excuse. It’s a big promise for the team to make, especially after the ending of their most recent season.
The Dallas Stars ended 2016-17 with a 34-37-11 record, which greatly disappointed just about every party involved. It was an emotionally draining season, especially for the players. Their bad luck with injury was too overpowering for any real momentum to get going.
A need to justify every disappointing loss is over. Now, it’ll just be a waiting game to see what kind of work the team is going to put in during the offseason. General Manager Jim Nill wasted no time on his end, announcing that head coach Lindy Ruff will not return for the upcoming season.
The news was not a shock but it still stung quite a bit. Without Ruff, will the Stars be the same? Now, all of the questions as to whether or not Ruff had any responsibility for the season will be answered.
Dallas Stars
On a personal note, any coach to fill the spot would be justifiable, but there is not room in Dallas for Ken Hitchcock. Perhaps a coach with more AHL experience would be more beneficial for the Stars’ young roster.
A period of respite is much needed. Even Tyler Seguin began to slip in recent games. Of course, he was able to ice a 4-3 shootout victory in the team’s final game, but there was evidence that Seguin was a wavering from his usual spunk. It was announced that his Achilles tendon had been bothering him, which somewhat explains his recent deviation from his game.
Next year, will be different, hopefully.
Stars captain Jamie Benn addressed the level of discomfort that the team felt in the season. The hockey players took the season personally and promised to return stronger in the next. Stars fans find comfort in Benn’s promise but in reality, there is nothing that will prove if anything will improve.
The next 23 weeks off will be crucial for the team. Of course, rest and recovery are huge for the players, but they do not have much room to goof around if they truly want to turn things around. It’s really about is willing to use 2016-17 as motivation.
There’s hope, that’s for sure. The Dallas Stars have great potential next season; however, if nobody is willing to step up their game, nothing is going to get better. Too many factors go into a successful season.
Namely, here’s a few:
- Injury
- Coaching or Management Staff
- Attitude
- Age or NHL experience
- Environment
- Confidence
- NHL Regulations and Bylaws
- Team chemistry
The list could go on for a while, honestly. Any way it’s looked at, the team is an intricate being. Promising that the team will return stronger than ever is a disservice to not only the fans but to themselves, too.
Next: Exit Interview Day Helps Stars Close Out 2016-17 Season
Of course, a strong return is not discouraged. As the playoff season is underway for the remaining NHL teams, it’s time to learn from past mistakes and turn them into chances to turn things around. The team deserves to be better, they work too hard to not be. Things are too difficult to predict at this point, but a little positivity goes a long way.