Dallas Stars Player Power Rankings For Month of March

Dillon Heatherington is lining up a job as the Stars’ seventh defenseman come 2018-19, and that’s all that can be asked of him. He didn’t compete in a single March game, but spent some time with them as a recalled, reserve defender always ready to go.

Heatherington is physical and moves pretty well for a 6’4″ blueliner. The lefty has scored three goals and 14 assists in 52 games with the AHL’s Texas Stars this season.

Martin Hanzal seems like such a great dude that placing him at 26th kinda hurts. Unfortunately for Hanzal and the Dallas Stars, the Czech’s season is over after back surgery and zero April games. Hanzal posted five goals, five assists, and a 47.6 Corsi For percentage in his first of three seasons as a Star.

Hanzal is a microcosm of what has ailed the Stars this season. A big-bodied, highly unnecessary forward to sign in free agency, he was highly ineffective even when healthy, then completely fell apart and underwent a back procedure late into the season. But, head coach Ken Hitchcock likes him.

Mike McKenna is a hockey goaltender who has not played in a hockey game in two weeks. Normally that sounds awful, but McKenna is an AHL journeyman making NHL cash traveling with the club and backing Kari Lehtonen up. He gets to sit on an NHL bench and watch the Dallas Stars play, so even if he doesn’t play, he’s living our dreams.

What Roope Hintz did off the ice is more important than what he did on, as the rookie forward was recalled on emergency conditions twice in March, but didn’t suit up to play a game. Haha, you know this already because the Dallas Stars will never, ever use NHL-ready prospects.

Hintz is tearing it up as the second-line center for the AHL’s Texas Stars this season, however. With 19 goals and 14 assists, Hintz is showing why his short NHL cup of coffee won’t be the last you see of him.

On Friday, the Stars sent Curtis McKenzie back to his role as the AHL team’s captain, but not after the gritty forward continued to make his case for a full-time NHL spot. He assisted on a Stars goal and posted a 56.3 CF% in three March games with Dallas after a banged-up group of forwards forced the Stars to recall the vet.

McKenzie is having a strong season in the AHL, but no player necessarily wants to be a career minor-leaguer. I’m pulling for the All-Star to make the big club again come 2018-19.

The whole Gemel Smith situation with the Dallas Stars infuriates me. Smith is an effective fourth-line center when he gets to play, but only seven March games and an average of 9:16 per match did Smith suit up in. For example, Brett Ritchie has just two more goals than Smith in 25 more games and 331 more minutes on the ice.

Smith is an undersized forward whose overall physicality isn’t the best, but scratching him in favor of Ritchie, Remi Elie, or even McKenzie is absurd. The great part about this is that the season is nearly over and nothing matters.

If free agent defensemen Greg Pateryn and Dan Hamhuis have to leave in the 2018 offseason for Julius Honka to get consistent playing time, then I will purchase their plane tickets, pack their bags, and act as an agent to get them a new deal. Honka went scoreless in eight March games, playing just over 100 minutes total.

Before the season began, I was pumped for Honka’s potential as a Calder Trophy candidate with a top-four defensive presence. Now, I’m just looking forward to 2018-19, where he can actually play and impose his immense skill. I didn’t account for Ken Hitchcock sitting him for not being willing to block shots with his eyeballs.