Dallas Stars Cannot Take Vegas Golden Knights Lightly
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars open their regular season on Friday against the league’s newest team. But Vegas will not be an easy team to take down by any means. That being said, the Stars need to keep their guns up and be ready for a fight.
It’s hard being the new kid in a given situation. And for anyone that has ever been a new kid, you know what I’m talking about.
Whether you are the new kid on the block, at school, or on the team, it can be difficult to adapt. You might meet some obstacles, some people might not accept you, and sometimes you might not fit in at first.
It’s probably difficult being the new team in the NHL, too. The last time a new team entered the NHL was the 2000 season when the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild came along. The Wild were created in response to Minnesota losing their original franchise to Dallas, but we’ll save that tale for another day.
These two teams probably underwent a bit of a growing period upon entering the NHL. It can be difficult for a new franchise to acclimate to the league and develop a fan base and following behind them.
Dallas Stars
Come to think of it, the Dallas Stars probably experienced somewhat of a gap in their first year. After transferring to Big D from Minnesota in the 1993 season, Dallas likely had to spend some time developing a dedicated following. Luckily, they were building a powerhouse team at the time and won their first Stanley Cup after just six seasons in North Texas.
And now the league has yet another new team. The Vegas Golden Knights are set to play the first game of their season on Friday night, officially kicking off their franchise. Their first game just happens to be against the Dallas Stars.
When the announcement was made this past summer that the two teams would meet up, aspirations were high.
“The Stars playing against a mediocre-at-best team on opening night at home? That’s an easy win.”
Fans talked about the extreme likelihood of Dallas blowing Vegas out of the water.
They came up with this theory for two reasons. One is the fact that the Dallas Stars received an extensive upgrade this past summer. After finishing with their second worst record in franchise history in 2016-17, they were in need of a makeover.
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Stars GM Jim Nill wasted no time in getting to work and upgrading his roster. He added top-tier talent at all three positions, giving the Stars a completely different look. Now Dallas looks to be in store for a promising rebound and a potentially deep playoff run. The Stars are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever before. That being said, they look as though they will be tough to beat.
On the other hand, Vegas didn’t look too threatening at the beginning of the offseason. Barring a few young rookie signings during the 2016-17 season, the Golden Knights waited to stack up their roster via the Expansion Draft.
But following the draft, Vegas only looked okay. In fact, there was a lingering question as to why they didn’t look better. Knights’ GM George McPhee talked about how instead of using a “win-now” mentality, he planned on building his team for the future.
That helps Dallas out, right? It almost seems like we have a tale of two cities on our hands for opening night. On one hand, the Dallas Stars are looking to get off on a high note and make a strong push. On the other hand, Vegas is simply looking to make a step in the right direction as this season plays out.
So it should be an easy win for the Stars, right? Well, not so much.
The fact of the matter is that Vegas is still a dangerous team. Their starting lineup features players like James Neal, Jonathan Marchessault, Jason Garrison, Marc-Andre Fleury, and yes, even Cody Eakin.
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Though it may not seem like much when compared to the Stars’ arsenal, it doesn’t really matter. Vegas will bring their A-game to Dallas. It’s their first game in franchise history, so the game carries even more significance. They will want a win just as much, if not more than the Stars do.
This team may not have found the level of chemistry that the majority of the Stars’ team has, but they can still be dangerous.
The biggest problem will be if Dallas takes them lightly. The Knights want to prove that they belong in the NHL, and this is their first opportunity to do so.
Vegas went 3-3-1 in preseason play, including a 9-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in their first game. Yes, you read that right: nine goals. And while it may only be the preseason, it shows that the Knights aren’t ready to fold over.
If Dallas sits back and lets Vegas get a foot in the door, they could make the Stars pay dearly. The Dallas Stars have a chance to take control of their opening game and spoil the Knights’ hype, but it’s only if they play a focused game.
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Their lineup may not seem dangerous, but they are still an NHL team with NHL-caliber players. It might seem like an easy win, but Vegas will come in with a chip on their shoulder. They want to prove their worth, and that all starts with the first impression on Oct. 6.
Both teams have something to prove which makes the game even more enticing. The question is: which teams wants it more?