Dallas Stars: Taking A Look At Their Opposition’s Schedules
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars are off until Saturday night. Between now and then, the teams near them in the standings have a bit of action on their plates. What do their schedules look like and how could it potentially affect the Stars?
A week off can be a blessing in disguise, especially for a team like the Dallas Stars.
But it can also be a time of great anxiety. The thought of not knowing what is going to happen in the league across the week you are sitting can cause some serious stress, especially when the standings are tightly locked.
That’s what the Stars are dealing with right now, and there is reason to be worried. Dallas played their last game on Saturday afternoon and dominated the Oilers 5-1. The win bumped them up to a 23-16-3 record and 51 points on the season, sending them into the bye week on an ultimately happy note.
But then the uncertainty settles in. With the Dallas Stars not playing again until this coming Saturday, they will have to sit and play the waiting game while other teams around them complete their schedules.
Dallas Stars
That doesn’t seem like an entirely awful thing to do at first glance. But when you take a look at the standings, the Stars being “sentenced” to a week-long break could have a negative effect on the team.
That’s because the Stars are in a bit of a tight spot in the standings right now. While there are only six points separating Dallas from the top of the Central Division, only five points separate them fro fourth-to-last in the Western Conference. There are essentially eight teams around Dallas that they could jockey for position with.
As a team sitting in the first wild card spot right now, the margin for error is still very small. The Stars are in for a week of watching and waiting anxiously. On top of that, it might not be easy returning from a week-long break with the same firepower they had going into it.
While the Dallas Stars sit this week out, the teams around them in the standings have a chance to get ahead and put together a bit of a run. Let’s take a quick look at what each team is going up against this week and how it could affect the standings.
Winnipeg Jets
Games: 3 (1/9, 1/12, 1/13)
Opponents: Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild
Winnipeg Jets
Analysis: The Jets currently sit in first place in the Central Division with 57 points. They are six points ahead of Dallas and have only played 43 games. The three games this week could potentially help them to a 12-point cushion (depending on how the Stars fare against Colorado on Saturday) as they prepare for their own bye week which starts after Saturday.
But there is a silver lining for the Stars in the Jets’ schedule. That silver lining has to do with Winnipeg’s opposition. The Jets play two different Central Division opponents over the next three games, and both happen to be teams that are just behind Dallas in the playoff race.
If Winnipeg beats both teams, they gain a sizable advantage over Dallas but help fend off the teams behind the Stars. If they lose to both, the race becomes tighter behind the Stars but gives them a good shot at first place in the division. Either way, the Dallas Stars will get a good opportunity.
Following these three games, the Jets will get six days off, just like Dallas.
St. Louis Blues
Games: 1 (1/9)
Opponents: Florida Panthers
St. Louis Blues
Analysis: The Blues will undergo their own bye week starting on Wednesday morning. Their only remaining game is tonight against the Florida Panthers, but the results could have a sizable impact on the Stars in the standings.
That’s because St. Louis is only four points ahead of the Stars and sit in second place in the division. But Dallas has two games in hand, meaning they could potentially tie the Blues up in the standings. And if St. Louis loses to Florida, that could open the door for Dallas to come out of their bye week and make a run at second place (or at least a spot in the top three).
Tonight’s game will be huge for the Blues, giving them the chance to either pad their current lead or enter the bye week with plenty of worry.
Nashville Predators
Games: 1 (1/9)
Opponents: Edmonton Oilers
Analysis: The Predators have one more game before their bye week kicks in as well. Nashville has only played 41 games this season and will enter their week off with a game in hand on Dallas. But if they lose to the Oilers, it could really help jumpstart the Stars towards the top three.
Nashville Predators
The Predators are three points ahead of Dallas in the standings, so two wins could completely change the landscape. And while the Stars would be behind in the standings, they could still use the motivation against Nashville if they see a chance to fight for the top three.
Colorado Avalanche
Games: 1 (1/13)
Opponents: Dallas Stars
Analysis: The Avalanche are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now. They have won five in a row and entered their bye week this past Saturday on a 7-2 thumping of the Minnesota Wild.
With this recent surge, they now sit in the second wild card spot just four points behind the Stars. The catch is that Colorado also has two games in hand and could potentially tie Dallas in the standings.
Considering these two teams play each other when they come out of their bye weeks, this game could end up being a huge loss for either club. It will be interesting to see who keeps their hot streak going come Saturday night. But one thing is for sure: we can’t doubt Colorado this year.
Minnesota Wild
Games: 4 (1/9, 1/10, 1/13, 1/14)
Opponents: Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks
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Analysis: Minnesota has four more games separating them from their bye week. This means that when they enter the week off, they will have 46 games under their belt. They currently sit just outside the wild card with 47 points.
This is a perfect opportunity for Minnesota to create a lead and get into the postseason picture before break. It is also a chance for them to pin themselves in the back of the race before letting other teams take a swing.
The Wild are in the middle of the hunt right now and have to make a run in one way or another. The standings won’t slow down for them when teams come out of their bye weeks, so you can bet that Minnesota will try and run the table this week to build up a sizable lead.
Anaheim Ducks
Games: 1 (1/13)
Opponents: Los Angeles Kings
Analysis: Sitting four points behind Dallas in the standings is the Anaheim Ducks. Both teams have played 43 games and both are trying to stay alive in the wild card race. The Ducks lost two games just before the break, and that ended up taking them out of the picture altogether. It will be up to them to bounce back when their schedule starts back up on Saturday. Either way, Dallas still controls their own fate against Anaheim.
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Chicago Blackhawks
Games: 4 (1/9, 1/10, 1/12, 1/14)
Opponents: Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets, Detroit Red Wings
Analysis: The Blackhawks, like the Predators, are behind a majority of the other teams in the standings in terms of games played. They only have 41 logged this season, meaning they have two games in hand on Dallas. But the Stars own a five-point lead over Chicago, meaning that they will always own some sort of advantage over the Hawks up until their bye week ends.
The Blackhawks are a curious case this season and seem as though they could finish this four-game stretch 0-4-0 just as easily as they could 4-0-0. So keep your eyes peeled. The Hawks are trying to break the 50-point barrier and get back into the playoff picture for the first time in a few weeks. Chicago will start up their own bye week following their game on Sunday afternoon against Detroit.
Calgary Flames
Games: 4 (1/9, 1/11, 1/12, 1/14)
Opponents: Minnesota Wild, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes
Yes, there are eight teams near Dallas in the standings. But don’t worry, the Flames are the last one.
Calgary sits in the same position as Chicago, with 41 games played and 46 points accumulated. They are just a few away from the Stars, though Dallas will always own an advantage over the next few days.
The Flames have not been in the playoff picture in a few weeks as well, but have won their last three and look like they are trying to make a push. They have a tough slate over the next few days and will look to make the most of every bit of it before starting their own break.
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There’s a lot to watch out for as this week closes out. Plenty of teams around the Dallas Stars in the standings could either make a push and create pressure on the Stars or fall out completely and give Dallas a chance to jump ahead.
Either way, the Stars will need to be ready to hit the ground running on Saturday night when the playoff push continues.