Dallas Stars: Five Things They Must Do To Get In Stanley Cup Playoffs

1. The Power Play Woes Have To Go

When another team is giving you an easier chance at a goal for two or four minutes, why not take it? The Dallas Stars seem to have a reasoning for not taking advantage of it. Or maybe they are just in a funk. Either way, something needs to be done in the upcoming month if this team wants to qualify for and compete in the postseason.

At one point this season, the Stars had one of the most successful power plays in the league. Through the first 15 games of the season, Dallas owned the best PP unit across the NHL. In the middle of January, they still sat in a good spot with the 11th best power play.

Now, however, things are different. The Dallas Stars currently own the 21st best power play in the NHL with a 19.1 percent success rate. An ideal PP success rate in today’s NHL is usually at least 20 percent, so it’s clear that the Stars have slipped.

Dallas Stars

To give you a quick comparison, Dallas owned a 22.1 percent success rate on the power play in the 2015-16 season (when the Stars finished in first place in both the Central Division and the Western Conference).

The month of February seems to have significantly contributed to their PP downfall. In the 12 games throughout last month, Dallas capitalized on just six of their 37 power play opportunities (16.2 percent). That’s good enough for 26th in the league.

Now, let’s be honest: a subpar power play isn’t necessarily a primary determinant in whether a team makes the playoffs or not. But it does carry some significance. For example, Dallas went 0/4 on the PP in their game against Anaheim one week ago. The Stars lost that game 2-0. What if the Stars could have capitalized on their power play opportunities? Does that game end differently?

It’s an important strength for any hockey team to have, especially a team in the playoff race.

And right now, something isn’t working for the Stars. Whether they are in a funk or there is something wrong internally, the patience of head coach Ken Hitchcock is starting to simmer out. Hitchcock talked after the Calgary game about his desire for his team’s PP unit to reignite their energy, but also promised that he would make big changes if this inconsistent stretch lasted much longer.

Over the next month, the Stars will go up against some of the stingiest penalty kill units in the league. It will be a great test to see if they can turn a corner and put this rough patch behind them. Converting on the power play can be the sole difference between winning and losing a game.

After all, when a team commits a penalty, the only sensible option is to make them pay for it, right?