Dallas Stars Don’t Even Know What They Have in Radek Faksa

Young center Radek Faksa is perhaps the most complete player on the Dallas Stars roster. Sadly, there’s a chance that the coaching staff and the front office do not see that.

Have you watched the Dallas Stars play recently? If you answered yes to this question, then it is without question you have noticed the dynamic, complete play of two-way center Radek Faksa. The National Hockey League’s third star for the past week has lit the hockey world on fire with his streaky scoring touch and his ability to play in all situations.

Faksa had fended off a rough childhood, several injuries, and talk of the former first-rounder being a bust to become an impact player for the Stars. He kills penalties, plays second-unit power play time, and can succeed from a possession metric standpoint with just about anybody around him. His 53.7 Fenwick percentage (unblocked shot attempts) and his 52.2 Corsi For percentage (all shot attempts) are both top-ten marks on in the Dallas locker room.

But, the Dallas Stars seemingly don’t know what exactly they have in the Czech forward. His hat trick against the Vegas Golden Knights, his place at third on the Stars roster in goal-scoring, and his season +11 rating are all customary and bland to them. It’s as though this is expected out of Faksa, and there are few things he can do that can propel him over his teammates.

This, for lack of a better and more professional way to describe a frustrating scenario as a fan of the club, sucks. Faksa has clearly played his way to more ice time, right? No, not according to Ken Hitchcock, who has deployed Faksa for just 12:55 per game on average this season. About two minutes of that comes in special teams situations, also – Faksa is getting close to no chance to strut his stuff at even strength and is still doing his thing.

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Instead, Faksa plays second fiddle to Martin Hanzal, who has but three points to his name as a Star. He rests behind Devin Shore, who has vaulted up in the Stars lineup as opposed to his spot as fourth-line center last season, but also has just seven five-on-five points this season. Faksa has 16 points this season and zero of them have come on the man-advantage. Nine even-strength goals, six assists at five-on-five, and a shorthanded tally. He is quite literally perfect.

But, don’t tell the Stars front office or coaching staff that. Clearly, Hanzal – used throughout his career as a defense-first center with stealthy point-production – on a three-year deal at $4.75 million per season provides more bang for their buck. I mean, we’re accustomed to the Stars’ agonizing prospect evaluation, but to choose Hanzal over Faksa in that role is about as bad of a decision as Jim Nill has made in his Dallas tenure (looking at you, Kris Russell).

I fear that the Dallas Stars don’t even know what they have in Faksa, as if he’s just another center on a team with a myriad of them. This is part of what irritates us fans about Hitchcock’s “old school” approach to coaching; he is so worried about specified roles and matches that he’s oblivious to hot streaks and a player’s natural progression of skill.

It’s the same issue is that of Jamie Oleksiak vs Julius Honka and the people of Dallas. They want so badly for Oleksiak to be good, that they won’t play a guy that has proven he is. Radek Faksa is a stellar forward with skills that are ever-evolving; hopefully his talent will increase his ice time to levels that beat out the Shore and Hanzal types.

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One last thing. Radek Faksa has started the highest percentage of shifts in the defensive zone amongst all Dallas Stars with at least five games played, 70.3%. At the same time, Faksa leads the team in on-ice goals for per 60 minutes (GF/60) at 3.8 goals. He’s magical.