Dallas Stars Can Learn From Their Past To Close Out 2017-18 Season

Though they had an awful 2016-17 season, the Dallas Stars still found a way to piece together one incredible win. Since that win, the Stars have proven that they know how to convert short-term success into the long-term.

The 2016-17 season was an absolute tire fire for the Dallas Stars. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. So why am I bringing it up in the midst of a successful 2017-18 season for the Stars? Well, because it’s important.

After an incredibly promising run in 2015-16 that saw the Stars claim the Central Division title and fall one win short of the Western Conference Finals, Dallas was expected to do big things in 2016-17. There were even talks of Stanley Cup contention. That’s how great the team was playing.

When the 2016-17 season came along, though, it was clear that those expectations were much too lofty. The Stars floundered in the early part of their season, tried to play catch up around the halfway point, but ended up falling significantly short of the postseason.

Dallas ended the season with a humbling 34-37-11 record. It marked one of the worst finishes in franchise history and left Stars fans searching for answers.

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But even in the rubble and disappointment, there were still a few bright spots. Plenty of young rookies developed and learned new roles, Adam Cracknell scored his first career hat trick, and the Stars’ problems were clearly highlighted in preparation for an offseason of change.

There was also that game on Feb. 18 (which just happens to be one year ago today). If you can’t think back that far, here’s a quick summary.

The Dallas Stars took on the Tampa Bay Lightning at the American Airlines Center. With a record of 22-27-10, the Stars were seven points out of the final wild card spot and looked to be all but buried in the playoff race. But there was still hope considering this game was the first of a five-game set at the AAC, where the Stars had played well all season.

It was also the late Dave Strader’s first game back in the broadcasting booth for the first time since being diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in the previous summer. He would commentate all five games in the homestand and give Dallas some much-needed hope.

The Stars started the game off in a 2-0 hole and it looked as though their three-game losing streak was set to continue. But behind Antoine Roussel’s first career hat trick and Jamie Benn scoring a goal in overtime (to give the Stars their first OT win of the year after 10 tries), Dallas pulled off the 4-3 win.

It was a storybook ending. All of the Stars’ best moments of last season all seemed to be compiled into this one game. The Lightning tried to pin the Stars on multiple occasions, but Dallas kept squirming their way back into contention. There were too many great factors in that one game to come away shorthanded. They just wouldn’t give up, and that’s what carried them to victory.

Now look at where they are. The Dallas Stars are one of the best teams in the NHL with a record of 34-20-4. They are charging towards the top of the Central Division standings and look like a dangerous playoff team. Their offense is charged up, their defense is as good as its been in a decade, and the goaltending tandem is working like a charm.

Dallas Stars

Sure, this may be a product of the impressive summer that GM Jim Nill crafted. But I like to think that a part of Feb. 18, 2017 followed the Dallas Stars into this season.

Though Dallas didn’t qualify for the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the game against Tampa Bay helped give them a boost. The team finished the year on a 12-10-1 note starting on Feb. 18. Though that isn’t the most impressive, it definitely was when you consider the struggles of last year’s squad. They fought tooth and nail each night after that game, but just ran out of gas and focus when it mattered most.

This year, however, they wasted little time getting into the race. The season started on an average note, but Dallas had caught fire and found their element by Thanksgiving. They bought into Ken Hitchcock’s system and everything started rolling. The Stars are now one of the hottest teams in the league over the past two months and are proving that they can run with any team.

But there’s just something about a win like the one against the Lightning that gives a team something new. It was an emotional rollercoaster that gave them something they hadn’t had in a long time: hope.

And from there, the Stars were able to build. They had motivation, energy, and determination for the first time in a while. These were all carried into the offseason and were implemented into the 2017-18 season.

It just goes to show that the Dallas Stars know how to use motivation in the midst of crisis and translate it into the long-term.

Take game 82 of the 2014-15 season for example. The Stars had already been eliminated from playoff contention and were simply playing for bragging rights. But Jamie Benn made the night a historical one when he became the first Star in franchise history to win the Art Ross Trophy.

The offseason ensued immediately after, but what happened in the following season? The Stars won the Central Division and made an impressive playoff run. These little moments seem to give Dallas some much-needed determination and energy.

And hopefully this one year anniversary of one of the most emotional and thrilling games in Dallas Stars history will play a role in how the Stars finish this year. On Friday night, the Stars turned an odd game into a crucial win over the St. Louis Blues. After months of chasing and closing the gap, they also finally claimed third place in the Central Division. It was a long road, but it just goes to show the Stars’ level of determination this year.

Friday night’s win was a big one to say the least. Will it be the next installment in the line of motivational tactics for the Stars? One thing is for sure: they know how to capitalize on it in a lasting fashion.

Next: What The Stars Need And Don't Need At Trade Deadline

Dallas is in San Jose tonight as they kick off a three-game California road trip against the Sharks. The playoff race is still very much on, and every two points is still crucial. After all, the climb is still going on.

One year ago today was a lot of fun. Will the present yield even more exciting results? That’s up to the Stars.

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