Dallas Stars Could Have Two Players Heading To NHL All-Star Game
By Josh Clark
NHL.com released their predictions for how they think each divisional roster will look for the All-Star Game. As surprising as it may seem, they have two Dallas Stars heading for Tampa Bay.
The Dallas Stars will be sending at least one representative to the 2018 NHL-All Star Game. But who will it (or they) be? That is the question.
Just a few minutes ago, NHL.com posted an article projecting how the rosters would shape out for this year’s game. The All-Star Game will once again be broken down into a 3-on-3 tournament format, with each of the four divisions putting forth a team. Each team consists of 11 players, including six forwards, three defenders, and two goaltenders.
Last week, the NHL announced the captains for each division, being Steven Stamkos (Atlantic), P.K. Subban (Central), Alexander Ovechkin (Metropolitan), and Connor McDavid (Pacific). That leaves a total of ten spots on each team.
So how many representatives will the Dallas Stars send? Considering every team will send at least one player, there is plenty of room for debate.
Dallas Stars
This is the third year that the NHL will use the 3-on-3 format. In the 2016 ASG, both Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin were selected for the game after turning in stellar performances in the first half of the year. And after an ugly first half of the 2016-17 season, Seguin turned out to be the only Star selected.
The 2018 game could have a different look, though, according to NHL.com. In their Central Division picks, they chose both Tyler Seguin and defenseman John Klingberg for the Central roster. Jamie Benn just missed the cut, but received votes to make the team as well.
Is there a chance that the Dallas Stars could send all three players to Tampa Bay at the end of January? Well, more than likely not. But it has nothing to do with whether one or two of them aren’t playing up to speed. It’s simply because of the limited number of spots and the competitiveness coming out of the Central this year.
When you consider that seven of the spots are immediately locked up, only four empty spots remain to be filled by a broad majority of the division. With that being said, there has to be some serious selectiveness.
But considering Seguin and Klingberg are projected to make the roster, that’s pretty impressive. While the Dallas Stars are having an impressive season so far at a record of 23-16-3, they sit fourth in the Central. So, in other words, they are right in the middle.
The race in the standings is tight, though. Only 11 points separate the top of the division from the bottom, so a couple of wins here and there could really shake things up.
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A Winning Habit
In terms of Seguin and Klingberg, the honor is well-deserved. Seguin is leading the charge on offense with 21 goals and 40 points in 43 games, giving him top honors in both categories. In addition, he is also leading the way with eight power play goals and is tied for first in the game-winning goals category with three.
But Seguin’s achievements include much more than just the stat sheet. No. 91 is molding into a much more effective two-way forward, has learned to be effective on the penalty kill, and has turned into a more solid defender. He is reaching new levels in his play and showing off new sides of skill and progress.
On the other hand, John Klingberg’s nomination is rather obvious. In just his third full season in the NHL, no. 3 is leading all NHL defensemen in points with 39. The next closest defender? John Carlson with 33 points. He seems to be running away with the lead in points, and that is helping start up talks about Klingberg’s legitimacy as a potential finalist for the Norris Trophy.
He continues to be a major asset on the top pairing for the Dallas blue line. He runs the first power play unit, can play on the penalty kill, eats up heavy minutes, and consistently obtains and keeps possession for the Stars offense. He is quickly becoming an elite defender and is improving his two-way game under head coach Ken Hitchcock and assistant Rick Wilson.
Next: What Are The Teams Near Dallas Doing This Week?
So could two Dallas Stars be heading to Tampa Bay on January 27? The results will be announced by the league tomorrow. But from the looks of it, the chances could be better than you might think.
Let’s see just how much Victory Green will be bound for Florida.