Preseason hockey has returned to the American Airlines Center. Tonight, the Dallas Stars will host the St. Louis Blues to kick off preseason play. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for.
The best time of the year is almost here. Hockey season is only 15 days away, and the NHL is quickly returning to the center of attention. In addition, Dallas Stars hockey is only a mere 17 days away.
But that’s not even the best news. In addition to the regular season being around the corner, the preseason starts tonight. Yes, you read that right. A form of Dallas Stars competitive hockey begins TONIGHT at the American Airlines Center.
The Stars are set to host the St. Louis Blues at home, and there’s plenty to watch for. Sadly, the game will not be broadcasted on television and will only be available on online radio at KMOX.com. Still, the game has plenty of storylines that you will want to follow along with.
This will be the Dallas Stars’ first competitive game since Apr. 8 when they defeated the Colorado Avalanche. Following that game, the Stars entered an extra long offseason filled with excessive change. A new head coach and several new players were just a few of the moves that went down in the summer of 2017.
Now the Stars are ready to premiere their entirely new lineup and scheme. While tonight’s lineup does not look like the one we will see on opening night, there are some similarities.
Here is how Ken Hitchcock had the team lined up at morning skate today:
Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Alexander Radulov
Mattias Janmark – Devin Shore – Brett Ritchie
Antoine Roussel – Jason Dickinson – Tyler Pitlick
Nicholas Caamano – Roope Hintz – Denis Gurianov
Esa Lindell – John Klingberg
Marc Methot – Stephen Johns
Jamie Oleksiak – Julius Honka
Ben Bishop
Mike McKenna
This is a very skilled lineup for a first preseason game. Hitchcock cited giving the fans their money’s worth in an interview yesterday. Seven of the 12 forwards, five of the six defenders, and the starting goalie are almost certain locks for the opening night starting lineup.
Dallas Stars
And though you won’t be able to actually watch the game tonight, there are plenty of storylines that you will want to keep up with. Take a look at just a few of them below.
Potential mid-game line juggling
Considering this is a preseason game, the final results mean significantly less than they would in a regular season contest. With that being said, this is a time for coaches to try new things and see what works. And considering they only have six games to work with, sometimes it is best for plans to change in the middle of the game.
In tonight’s game, you could very well see some mid-game line shuffling. The Stars’ offense looks pretty set, though Hitch may try some different line combinations if one isn’t working or if he has something else in mind. In the crease, expect to see Bishop play the first two periods and for McKenna to get a chance to prove himself in the third period.
The defense is where you could very well see some juggling. The announcement of the pairings this morning brought great confusion to Stars fans. Many expected Methot to start with Klingberg, Lindell to be with Johns, and the third pairing to feature Honka with whoever the sixth man was. The pairings don’t follow that script.
Still, it’s not unlikely that we won’t eventually see Methot alongside Klingberg or Lindell beside Johns or even Honka. Hitchcock is likely getting a feel for all of the possibilities, which is the smartest thing to do. He just might stumble upon something great.
Keep an eye on the blue line tonight. Chances are you might see more than one combination.
Oil On Whyte
Mattias Janmark’s play
It’s almost been 365 days since Mattias Janmark last participated in a competitive on-ice hockey game. But Dallas Stars fans should be happy that he’s even touching the ice tonight.
During last year’s preseason, it was announced that Janmark would likely miss the entire 2016-17 season after having knee surgery. There was also a 20 percent chance that the Stars forward would never play professional hockey again.
This was a major blow to the Stars’ offensive roster. Janmark had just finished an impressive rookie campaign in 2015-16 with Dallas, scoring 15 goals and tallying 29 points. No. 13 missed the entire 2016-17 regular season, and the Stars definitely missed him.
But now he’s back. Janmark spent the past year rehabbing and trying to make a full recovery, and now it seems like he’s ready. He has told the media that everything feels good and looked terrific at training camp. Tonight, he is slotted at the left wing position on the second line, which is where he spent the majority of his rookie season.
It will be interesting to see how he reacts and plays in a competitive setting. His speed and energy will be big factors to focus on. Let’s see how he responds.
The top line’s dominance
For the first time, the Benn-Seguin-Radulov will be on display for the NHL. After the addition of Radulov this past summer, everyone has waited patiently to see how the Stars’ new top line will pan out.
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They offer an interesting mixture of speed, skill, and dominance. With that being said, they are expected to be one of the NHL’s most exciting lines this season.
Tonight will be their first time competing together in a game. So how will it turn out? Though you won’t be able to see the line in action unless you are at the game, keep a stern eye on these three. There’s a decent chance that they’ll pop up on the scoresheet at least once.
Bishop/McKenna
Both Dallas goaltenders in tonight’s game have a lot to live up to, and that’s exciting for Dallas Stars fans.
For Ben Bishop, this will be his debut game in a Dallas Stars uniform. Bishop likely has the highest expectations of any new player in a Stars uniform, so fans will be expecting a lot out of him. Though it’s only a preseason game, his performance tonight will give fans something to ponder on as we draw closer to the regular season.
For McKenna, he is trying to solidify himself as a starter at the AHL level. There is a three-goalie battle for the two spots on the Texas Stars’ roster between McKenna, Landon Bow, and Philippe Desrosiers. Though McKenna is the oldest of the three, nothing is guaranteed.
Expect both goaltenders to be zoned in and giving it their all in the time allotted to them. It should be a fun night to watch both the blue line and crease for Dallas.
Next: Three Big Questions Facing The Stars In 2017-18 Season
The first preseason game of the year is always an exciting one simply because it signifies that hockey is back. These next six games will show a lot about where the Dallas Stars are headed. This first game offers plenty of storylines for Stars fans to latch onto.
So read up on tonight’s game and get ready. Hockey season will be here before you know it.