Dallas Stars Should Approach 2017-18 Season with Caution
The Dallas Stars are currently in the process of making sure that the 2017-18 season will be a fun one. But with all the recent moves, they have to make sure that they do not “fly too close to the sun” with their expectations.
The Dallas Stars have made strides toward becoming a better, more well-rounded hockey team over the last few weeks. Dallas has the third overall pick in this year’s draft, they signed goaltender Ben Bishop to a long-term deal and they hired a new head coach in Ken Hitchcock.
Most recently they earned Anaheim’s first round draft pick because they made it to the Western Conference Finals. While those events are exciting and certainly have the potential to change the organization for the better, the Stars should still be cautious when moving forward.
Expectations and Disappointment
Last season Dallas headed in to the season with the greatest of expectations, only to fail rather miserably. While that is unlikely to happen two seasons in a row, the Stars need to avoid setting the bar too high.
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With having changed as much as Dallas has in the weeks since elimination from the playoffs, there is a chance things will not click immediately. That could make for a tough start of the season that deflates the team and then results in another underwhelming performance.
Ultimately the team should go into the new season with the goal of playing their best and communicating with Hitchcock and Bishop as best they can. Even if things go wrong, communication is key to solving their problems to at least some degree.
Redefining Stars Hockey
With a new coaching staff and goaltender the essence of Dallas Stars hockey is in for a few alterations. Hitchcock’s style of play is much more defensive than the fast-paced offensive minded Stars hockey we have all grown accustomed to.
The stark difference between the two could lead to some conflict between the players and their new bench boss, which could translate negatively to the ice. However, that conflict will hopefully resolve itself sooner rather than later.
Of course there is the possibility that the Stars’ issues could be solved in training camp or the two styles of play could mesh together rather flawlessly. If that is the case the new definition of Stars hockey would be rewritten organically and there could be great success with a hybrid of offense and defense.
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Although it is impossible to know exactly how the recent changes the Stars have made will impact the upcoming 2017-18 season, they will alter Dallas’ season either way. Whether that will be positive or negative is something we’ll have to wait and see.