Dallas Stars News: Calder Cup Playoffs And Head Coach Rumblings
It’s only May 1 and the Dallas Stars are already finding ways to work their name into the spotlight. Get caught up with all of the big news and happenings going on in the Stars’ world right now.
The month of May is the only full month in the hockey calendar year where there is a decisive split between the 31 teams in the league. From October to mid-April, all 31 teams are competing. From mid-June to September, all 31 teams are making changes and preparing for next year.
But in May, there is an obvious split. While eight teams (that eventually become four and then two) continue to battle it out for the Stanley Cup, the other 23 or so are taking care of various in-house tasks. That could include hiring new general managers, presidents, or head coaches. There are a variety of tasks when it comes to each team.
For the Dallas Stars, those tasks have been glaring and obvious since the season ended in catastrophic fashion on April 7. The Stars not only now have holes to fill behind their bench and in their lineup, but they also have to keep up with the rest of the organization. That includes the Texas Stars.
And though it’s only May 1, there is plenty of Stars news to cover. So let’s dive in for a minute.
More from Blackout Dallas
- Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
- Grushnikov and Stankoven lead Dallas Stars to 6-3 win over Columbus
- Dallas Stars prospects look to wrap up tournament with a win
- Burn the tapes: Dallas Stars prospects lose 5-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs
- Dallas Stars look to continue success today against the Maple Leafs
Texas Stars advancing to second round
The Texas Stars are moving on to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate has taken a big step forward after missing the postseason last year and now has their eyes set on a second Calder Cup in five years.
They defeated the Ontario Reign in a 3-1 first round series and will now face the Tucson Roadrunners, who won the Pacific Division. The Stars placed second in the division this season.
If anyone has a good chance at the Calder Cup right now, it’s Texas. They were the first team to advance out of the first round and received outstanding goaltending from Mike McKenna. Their offense capitalized at the right times and gave the Stars a relatively painless ticket to round two.
The Stars and Roadrunners will kick off their round two series on Wednesday night in Tucson. Game two will take place on Friday before the series shifts back to Cedar Park for games three and four on Monday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 9. If necessary, game five will take place in Cedar Park on Friday, May 11 before heading back to Tucson for a potential game six and seven on Sunday, May 13 and Monday, May 14.
Make sure to keep up with the Stars as they continue their impressive and exciting postseason run.
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“Jim Montgomery to Dallas” rumors gaining traction
The Dallas Stars are currently searching for a new head coach, and Jim Nill is not counting any options out this time around. Nill is currently casting a wide net over the coaching hemisphere and examining options from all sorts of leagues and teams. He will not confirm or deny any names on the list, but there are a few likely candidates that have been proposed by the media and fans.
One of those candidates is University of Denver head coach Jim Montgomery. He’s been with Denver for five seasons now and owns a tremendous 125-57-26 record along with one NCAA Championship and two Frozen Four appearances.
And as of just recently, the rumors are starting to pick up on Twitter that Montgomery is a “strong possibility” for the Stars’ vacant coaching job.
None of this has been confirmed by official sources yet, and we know the negative results that can come with believing rumors. But it is a popular topic on Twitter over the past day or two and could very well lead to something,
Earlier this morning, Sean Shapiro of The Athletic tweeted that he had talked to Nill on Monday and Nill had confirmed that there was “no real update” and they were “still status quo and going through the process.”
To add onto that, he also reported this:
Nill also said he's not rushing through coaching and is headed to worlds later this week. He said "if something happens where we'll have to make a decision quick then we'll make that decision. But I'm being patient and letting the coaching search take care of itself."
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) May 1, 2018
We cannot forget that Nill likes playing things close to the chest and is no stranger to working in the shadows. So take both reports with a grain of salt and decide which one you want to believe. Oh, and keep an eye out for further updates.
Mike Heika joining DallasStars.com
It’s a good day in the Dallas Stars media world. After more than 18 years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Stars as a beat writer, Mike Heika announced today that he will be joining DallasStars.com as a Senior Staff Writer on May 14.
More from Dallas Stars News
- Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
- Grushnikov and Stankoven lead Dallas Stars to 6-3 win over Columbus
- Dallas Stars prospects look to wrap up tournament with a win
- Burn the tapes: Dallas Stars prospects lose 5-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs
- Dallas Stars look to continue success today against the Maple Leafs
Heika has been a prime name in covering the Stars for many years now and is gearing up for a new opportunity. With the DMN switching to a paywall and subscription service, many people are abandoning it for reading elsewhere, including on DallasStars.com. Adding Heika there will not only give him and his provoking and entertaining stories more exposure, but it will also give him a chance to interact with the readers and fans more consistently.
This is a big move for the Stars’ media coverage as they continue to adapt to the new media world. For me personally, Mike has always been a source of encouragement and advice in my four years of covering the team. Whether it’s at a morning skate or at the game, he’s always ready to strike up a conversation and give as many tips as possible.
He’s a valuable asset to the Dallas Stars world and is always ready to pitch in with an interesting idea or take on any subject. From all of us at Blackout Dallas, congratulations to you, Mike!
Next: Comparing Each Of Jim Nill's Five Stars Squads
That’s about all that has happened and is happening in the Dallas Stars world at this very moment. But stay tuned as an exciting month of May gets underway for the team.