Dallas Stars: Five Questions The Team Must Face In 2018 Offseason
The 2018 offseason brings a lot of uncertainty with it for the Dallas Stars. Which questions do they need to answer in order to set them on the best path before October?
There’s not much left to say at this point. The Dallas Stars missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second year in a row and that’s a problem.
After “winning” the 2017 offseason to make up for a horrific 2016-17 season, the Stars were expected to have a bounce back year. And from late November to early March, they looked like a bounce back team.
But they fell victim to their own internal issues. Injuries played a small role, but so did a lack of depth scoring and a failure to make moves at the trade deadline. All of these (and a few others) contributed to the Stars royally collapsing in March and falling from the playoff race entirely.
42-32-8 and 92 points isn’t the worst record in the world and it is a lot better than the 79 points they turned in last season. And yet, it wasn’t enough and could have been a lot better had it not been for the eight-game losing skid in the final month of the season. But, the past is the past and there is no sense in dwelling on it. All they can do now is look to the future.
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Now they have another long offseason to mull over just what went wrong. This is the eighth time in ten seasons that Dallas has extra time to think things over. Though it’s frustrating that it’s becoming a yearly occurrence, it does offer the team a golden opportunity to get a leg up on preparing to bounce back next season.
In order to bounce back, a team must first step back and examine the grand scheme. That includes looking at the lineup, examining pending free agents, and deciding what changes need to be applied to the organization before October arrives.
The Dallas Stars have a lot to take in and process before the actual “offseason” begins, let alone the regular season. Something went wrong yet again and held Dallas back from a chance at competing for the Cup. Their window is slowly shrinking and a big shakeup is necessary to get the Stars back on track.
But what questions are the Stars mulling over? Chances are that there are a good number of them. Non-playoff teams always have more questions than answers.
Which questions will have the biggest influence on Dallas going into next season? And which ones could end up being the most difficult to answer?
Let’s take a look at some of the top questions facing the Dallas Stars as they prepare for another important offseason.
Does Greg Pateryn Or Dan Hamhuis Get A New Deal?
The Dallas Stars don’t have a significant crop of unrestricted free agents going on the block this offseason. But with the ones that are up for new deals, there are some tough decisions that must be made.
One of those tough decisions comes on the blue line with defensemen Dan Hamhuis and Greg Pateryn. They are the two UFA defenders in search of a new contract this offseason.
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The big question centers around which one the Stars sign back to a new deal. Both expressed their enjoyment with playing in Dallas and said they would like to come back before the season ended, but will it happen?
The Stars likely only have space in their cap (and in their defensive depth chart) to bring back one piece of one of their most consistent defensive pairings in 2017-18. There is also a chance that Dallas re-signs neither defender and trusts internal solutions instead. That’s likely to spark some significant debate over the next two months.
Hamhuis, 35, and Pateryn, 27, bring two relatively different skillsets to the blue line, which is what ultimately helped make them an effective pairing. While Hamhuis brings a balanced two way effort, Pateryn uses his physicality and provides a shutdown presence in the defensive end.
Both gave the Dallas Stars a helpful edge this season and aided in bringing the Stars’ GAA down significantly. Whether it was at even strength or on the penalty kill, both filled a necessary role and arguably earned a new contract.
Pateryn and Hamhuis will likely be some of the pricier defenders on the free agency market this offseason. With that being said, which one will be a Dallas Star going into 2018-19? Will they choose the veteran to help lead a young defense or the former “seventh man” that proved himself to be a legitimate NHL starter this past year? Or will they pass on both and stick to their farm system?
Only time will tell. We will look into each player’s situation as the summer goes on, but it’s definitely something to start thinking about.
What Kind Of Coach Will The Stars Hire?
For the second straight offseason, the Dallas Stars will need to find a new head coach to man the ship.
After the Ken Hitchcock 2.0 experiment proved to be a momentary fix that turned back into a gaping wound, Hitch decided to retire entirely from coaching NHL hockey last week. And now GM Jim Nill has a big decision to make regarding his new coach.
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This big question revolves around what kind of bench boss the Dallas Stars need. The decision that Nill makes could not only affect the Stars’ future success, but also the job status of Nill. That’s why it is such a crucial question.
Will the Stars go after an experienced NHL coach to be their newest leader? Nill has shown extensive trust in hiring older NHL vets to fill the coaching void since becoming GM. Will he once again pluck one from the coaching carousel to lead Dallas back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season?
Or will he go with a younger option? This could be the perfect opportunity for young coaches in the AHL and even further down the totem pole to grab an opportunity in the big leagues. Some names that have surfaced as potential candidates include Sheldon Keefe, Jim Montgomery, and even Todd Nelson.
The Dallas Stars need a coach that will trust the roster and use all of its assets to the greatest of their abilities. This could also be a chance for the team to establish themselves with a young and confident leader that could lead the franchise to success for many years to come. This year seems like a great time to find that caliber of coach.
So who is going to be the guy?
How Will The Stars Address Their Depth Scoring Needs?
One of the biggest killers to the Stars’ playoff hopes this past season was their lack of depth scoring. It stuck out like a sore thumb in the first 20 games of the season, subdued itself a little bit through the middle portion of the year, but returned in full force in the final month.
As a result, the Stars’ top line couldn’t keep the offense afloat and the Stars stopped scoring at a consistent pace. When the offense stalled, so did the rest of the team. As a result, Dallas swiftly fell from the top of the standings in the Western Conference and outside the playoff picture.
Among a few things that need tweaking or adjustments this offseason, the necessity for depth scoring is prevalent. So where will the Dallas Stars get it?
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There is a chance that Dallas simply tries to have a bounce back year with the talent they already have and see if it can get the job done under a new head coach. And a new coach that trusts his offensive lineup more could be all that they need.
But there is also a chance that the Stars look for ways to improve their depth scoring through trades or free agency.
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft will be hosted in Dallas this season. With that comes an extra bit of excitement (and possibly pressure) for when the Stars use their picks.
There could be a chance, however, that they don’t spend all of their picks. With the need for more depth scorers (primarily on the second line), it wouldn’t be surprising to see Nill working on draft day to send some picks and/or prospects to one team for an established and veteran second-line player.
If that doesn’t happen, there is always the chance that he will find one on the market to sign on July 1.
There are a lot of ways that Nill could go when trying to find more help in the offensive ranks, and that will be a large question that looms over the franchise up until the peak of offseason action in late June. But regardless of what happens, it is still obvious that the Dallas Stars need help scoring.
Who Starts On Defense For Dallas Next Season?
The Dallas Stars defense turned out to be a surprisingly strong point in the 2017-18 season. After turning in the second-worst goals against average in 2016-17, Hitchcock helped restore balance to an ailing unit and even turned them into an effective group.
The Stars were in the top ten in best GAA this year and quickly established chemistry between their group. Each pairing had its strengths and was used in the proper situations, which led to ultimate success.
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And now, they will have to fill some voids.
With John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, Marc Methot, and Stephen Johns all being likely returners to the Dallas Stars roster, there is a significant debate to be had going into the offseason. Next year, Julius Honka, Dillon Heatherington, and Miro Heiskanen all have an argument to be playing NHL hockey next season.
Honka was pinned back as the healthy scratch for a majority of last season but still has NHL experience under his belt and has proven that he can play consistently at the top level.
Heatherington got his first big chance this season in a slew of injuries for Dallas and he took it. He played well for a brief rookie stint and could very well be a regular NHL player next year.
But if those two earn starting spots, what happens to Miro Heiskanen? After all, the 2017 first-round pick played exceptionally well in Finland this season (at the ripe old age of 18). Nill confirmed that Heiskanen would be brought over to America next year, but has yet to say which league he will start in. Will he put together a terrific training camp and earn a spot in Dallas? Or will he start in Cedar Park and work his way up?
And what about Pateryn and Hamhuis? Will either one sign a new contract with Dallas this summer?
Only time will tell, but the Stars need answers regarding how their defense will shape up next year. There is also a chance that Nill finds another option on the free agent market and brings that player in.
There are a lot of moving pieces on the blue line, that’s for sure.
Who Will Be In The Crease For Dallas Next Year?
Which goaltender will serve as the next backup for the Dallas Stars?
As the regular season came to a close, a possibility that became more and more relevant was the idea that Kari Lehtonen may not be back next year. After serving nine loyal seasons as a goaltender for the Stars, it seems as though his time may have come to an end.
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And while nothing is confirmed yet, Dallas needs to properly solve their issues in the crease this summer. Whether that means bringing back Lehtonen on a small, short-term deal or going and finding a goaltender on the market, something has to be done.
But what should the Stars look for if they are seeking outside help? Dallas has two goaltenders in Colton Point and Jake Oettinger who are currently playing through their college careers. Both goaltenders could potentially be the “goalie of the future” for the Stars, and neither is that far off from professional play (probably starting off at the AHL level).
With that being said, going out and signing a young backup goaltender potentially for a long term seems like a waste. If the Stars are going to get a young but proven backup on the market, they need it to be on a short-term basis.
So why not sign Kari Lehtonen to a short-term contract and let him retire as the new wave of goaltenders comes in? Well, that’s a question that could come into play.
But if Dallas is trying to move on from Lehtonen, they will need to find a goalie who can not only compliment Ben Bishop, but also do it for just a few years. That may be more difficult to find than you think.
Next: Maybe Next Year: Why Stars Are In Potentially Scary Position
These are just a few of the questions facing the Dallas Stars this offseason. Not only will these questions affect how the Stars get along in the 2018-19 season, but could also affect the long-term future of the franchise.
No pressure, though.