Dallas Stars’ 2017-18 Standings Position Will Be Insignificant
Where in the standings the 2017-18 Dallas Stars fall will ultimately not be as important as one might think. As long as they make the playoffs, that is.
The Dallas Stars have had a rather complicated relationship with the Western Conference standings over the course of the last few years. They’ve experienced just about every kind of fate come early April and have seen the insignificant implications of numbers in the post season.
With that said, it’s important to realize that where the Stars end up at the end of 2017-18 standings-wise is not as big of a deal as you might think, since there are benefits to each.
Top spot: Intimidation
If the upcoming season goes anything like it did in 2015-16, the Dallas Stars could find themselves atop the Central Division. Although it has lately been a less-than-desirable place to be – considering teams who’ve ended up there have been eliminated from the playoffs rather early – it comes with a confidence and intimidates other teams.
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Adding a banner to your building is an event. It’s noticeable. It also proves that the team has accomplished something, which means they’re more likely to do it again. With that logic, it makes sense that the Stars could potentially benefit from finishing atop their division yet again.
There’s also the obvious benefit of having home ice advantage, which, if you ask the Nashville Predators, can be a big difference-maker.
Bottom spot: Dark horse
With the current set-up of the postseason match-ups in the NHL, there really are no bad places to be. However, if Dallas were to end the year in a Wild Card spot or in the third spot in the Central Division, they could benefit from being dark horses.
Of course the teams they face initially will have a decent understanding of Dallas overall, but the playoffs provide the perfect platform to really step it up. The Stars might be considered inexperienced in the playoffs, which could lead to the opposition viewing them as easier to beat.
This would provide an excellent platform for the Stars to turn up the volume on their game and pull out all the stops. If the other team isn’t prepared for that, it could make Dallas a dark horse team that knocks out a front-runner.
Next: Dallas Stars are set up for success in Central Division
Bottom line
Ultimately the Dallas Stars’ season positioning will fluctuate throughout the season. Each place they potentially end up in has its advantages and disadvantages, so it’s really just about making the best of each situation and using their skill to finally make a statement in the playoffs.