While the dream of the Dallas Stars making their much awaited return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs came to an end Sunday night, there are still a number of things the team can look forward to down the road. Yes, even the potential of being a better team next season.
Fan Appreciation Night was an example of just how great this Dallas Stars club can be. While that play was lost for the vast majority of March, it’s a good reminder of where this team could potentially go.
Of course, nothing is set in stone. They’ll have bumps along the way and obstacles to overcome, but don’t get it wrong, the Dallas Stars are still trending up (no matter how surprising it may seem).
Free Agency
Although it’s a little while away, Dallas’ elimination from playoff contention means they can start figuring out what they’re wanting to do moving forward. A few notable players have free agency pending, including but not limited to Antoine Roussel, Kari Lehtonen and the defensive pairing of Greg Pateryn and Dan Hamhuis.
More from Analysis
- Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
- Taking a look at the teams the Dallas Stars will be playing in the preseason
- Should the Dallas Stars revisit signing Patrick Kane this season?
- Realistic regular season stats for Dallas Stars Roope Hintz
- Realistic regular season stats for Dallas Stars Joe Pavelski
Those players have been staples in the Stars’ locker room for a while now, so it’ll be interesting to see where they all end up. Regardless, Jim Nill has his work cut out for him.
Whether that’s working on a new deal with Tyler Seguin or figuring out how much money they’ll have in cap space depending on the players that depart, it’s a step toward the future.
Rebranding Dallas Stars Hockey
Jim Nill and Tom Gaglardi will have to determine just what they want to do with the team they have. This could mean they end up trading away pieces that have spent a good deal of time in Big D; it could also mean restructuring to better fit Dallas Stars hockey.
Going into re-build mode for the second time in the past decade isn’t an option. It would be a shame to waste the talents of a roster like this on another rebuild.
Really, it’s about rebranding Stars hockey so everyone is on the same page. Right now, Ken Hitchcock is slotted to be the man behind the bench for next season; however, it wouldn’t be the worst decision to move in a different direction. Nill has his plate full, and none of it will be easy.
Moving Forward
This season was a disappointment to say the least, but the Stars are in a good spot. They didn’t miss the playoffs by a large margin at all — heck, they just got mathematically eliminated with three games left. They aren’t far off from where they want to, and should, be.
Next: Dallas Stars Have More to Play For Than Just Pride
It’s just about getting the pieces to fall in the right places. Now is the time to get ducks in a row so that next season, the Stars come out guns blazing.