Dallas Stars Defense And Goaltending Could Be Source Of Worry

For the past few seasons, the Dallas Stars’ biggest weaknesses have centered around defense and goaltending. Although both were improved to a certain extent this summer, will either be a worry factor for the team this season?

There’s always room for uncertainty. Even if you feel absolutely positive in something, there’s still a chance that it could go another way than you expect. That’s why you should always stay cautious about anything and everything.

The Dallas Stars need to stay cautious in the upcoming season, and it’s for more reasons than one.

After the season they had in 2016-17, the levels of caution (and panic) were at an all-time high for the franchise. What had happened? What went so terribly wrong? Why had a team that won the Central Division and advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2015-16 crashed and burned so quickly in the following year?

There were plenty of questions and plenty of doubt on the future. They had wasted another season with nothing to show for it, and the need for change was becoming more prevalent.

Dallas Stars

GM Jim Nill wasted no time in getting to work, and now that they are over three months into the offseason, it’s clear that this is Nill’s best summer since coming to Dallas. In the past three months, Nill seems to have made all the right decisions and upgraded every area of his team.

He upgraded the goaltending with the addition of veteran elite goalie Ben Bishop. The defense and PK gained a shutdown presence by adding Marc Methot. And the additions of Martin Hanzal and Alexander Radulov not only help the Stars scoring-wise, but also gives them a boost on both the power play and penalty kill.

There’s really no base that Nill didn’t cover with his 2017 offseason moves. But that doesn’t mean that the Dallas Stars are bound for the Stanley Cup this season. While anything is possible, it’s important to remember that a good team on paper does not always translate to a good team on the ice.

The Stars have had some glaring problems over the past few years that don’t seem to go away. Even when the Dallas Stars seem to “fix” the problems in the offseason, they continue to shine through in the following year. The two main problems that the Stars seem to have every year deal with their goaltending and defense.

And that raises the question: will these two areas continue to be a lingering problem in 2017-18?

It’s an interesting thought. At first glance, doesn’t it seem like everything is going to be okay?

On the blue line, the Stars brought in a defensive defenseman in Methot that they can pair with John Klingberg. He can play first line minutes, contribute on the PK, and plays a stay-at-home style, something that Dallas lacked greatly last season. When paired with Klingberg, his defensive mind will coexist with Klingberg’s offensive tendencies, giving the Stars a well-balanced first pairing.

More from Analysis

Dallas seems to be set with their other two pairings as well. Esa Lindell is a small two-way defender, which will compliment Stephen Johns’ big body and heavy-hitting style. And on the bottom pairing will likely be one of the Stars’ most consistent pairs last year: Dan Hamhuis and Julius Honka. The two were strong on possession and provide a solid back-end pairing.

Not to mention that Hitchcock’s coaching style will bring a new element to the defense, giving players a new outlook and strategy. The Dallas Stars defense isn’t bad, after all; they were just subjected to a bad scheme.

On the goaltending side, it’s hard to put into words just how much of an impact Bishop will have in the crease. He’s a Vezina-caliber goalie when healthy and can turn a game around with his performance. Bishop is still very much an elite goaltender and could make the Stars a top 10 goaltending unit in the league.

Kari Lehtonen will also be one of the best (or so we hope) backup goaltenders in the league. He’s given the past seven years of his career to the Dallas Stars as their starter, and while his numbers and performance don’t necessarily reflect those of an elite starter anymore, the 33-year-old could still be an extremely efficient backup, playing in 25-30 games during the season and being given plenty of time to rest and recuperate while getting ready for his next start. He could also be an excellent source of insurance should anything happen to Bishop.

Next: Top 5 Things To Watch For In Rest Of Stars Offseason

At this point, it seems like the Dallas Stars have fixed both conundrums and are ready to hit the ground running next year. It seems like both units could excel next year and be impressively consistent. But “seems” is a strong word. We still have to see it play out on the ice, starting in October.

Until then, make sure to stay a little cautious.