The month of May typically isn’t exciting for non-playoff teams. But for the Dallas Stars, May 2018 comes with plenty of action and storylines to keep up with.
Welcome to the month of May, Dallas Stars fans.
The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is in full swing, and each of the four remaining series is putting on a show of its own. Every series is either tied at 1-1 or boasts a 2-1 advantage. All eight remaining teams are buckling down as their series shift around in an attempt to advance.
And while they fight for playoff supremacy, the Stars are sitting at home, watching it all unfold. They’ve been in this position since April 9 when they hosted exit interview day in Frisco and packed up their things for a long summer ahead.
Enduring extra long summers is becoming a bit too common of an occurrence for the Stars. After falling three points short of the playoffs this year, Dallas is now on the outside of the postseason for the third time in four years.
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
That brings a hefty dose of frustration and uncertainty, but also gives them more time to contemplate everything… again.
And that’s where the month of May comes into play. The painful reality settled in throughout the month of April and come June, the Stanley Cup Final will be underway and the Stars will be gearing up for the draft and free agency along with the other 28 teams not competing for the Cup.
So May is where things happen for the Dallas Stars. And in the coming month, there’s a lot going on that involves the Stars. Here is a helpful reminder to give you the lowdown on all that could go down in the next 31 days.
1. The World Championships
It was officially announced on Tuesday morning that the Dallas Stars would send five players to the IIHF World Championships this year. The tournament will take place from May 4-20 this year in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark.
Both Julius Honka and Miro Heiskanen will compete with Team Finland, John Klingberg and Mattias Janmark will play for Team Sweden, and Radek Faksa will play for the Czech Republic. Sweden starts pool play off against Belarus while Finland plays Korea and the Czech Republic plays Slovakia.
There will be plenty of action over the 16-day span as there always is, and there could very well be a gold medal at the end of a Stars player’s path. Last season, Klingberg won gold with the Swedes and they will look to defend their title for a second time around.
You have five Dallas Stars and three countries to choose from, so take your pick.
Blackhawk Up
2. The Calder Cup Playoffs rage on for Texas Stars
On Wednesday night, the Texas Stars will kick off the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. After defeating the Ontario Reign 3-1 in their first round series, the Stars advanced and will now go up against the Tucson Roadrunners, who won the Pacific Division in the regular season.
Texas is on a roll over their past few games. They have won two in a row, thanks to the red-hot play of Mike McKenna in net.
Each series from here on out is a best-of-seven format and gives the Stars options. With new talent such as 2017 second round pick Jason Robertson likely joining the team at some point in the series, look for Texas to put up a strong fight. Will they end up adding a second Calder Cup to the trophy case?
3. The coaching search is still ongoing
It’s May 1, 2018, and the Dallas Stars still need a new head coach. That’s perfectly okay, though.
What GM Jim Nill has done since Ken Hitchcock retired on April 13 is be patient, and that is paying off. Nill is surveying every possible option on the market because he knows the weight that this decision carries. There is a good chance that this decision could determine his job status over the next few years.
And that’s why he is taking into account NHL, AHL, and even college level coaches. He is comprising a large list and will begin to narrow it once he can start making calls. This should by no means be a rushed decision and Dallas should single out and hire the best candidate possible.
Sean Shapiro tweeted out earlier that Nill was still in the ongoing search process and that no new developments had been made.
Spoke with Jim Nill yesterday on coaching search: "No real update. It's been a pretty good cross-reference of different experiences. Still status quo and going through the process."
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) May 1, 2018
Nill also pointed out that as long as nothing comes up that forces them to make a quick decision, they will continue ahead with their slow game plan and being patient in an attempt to get the best coach possible. May could very well be hiring time, or at the very least a time for new developments and updates, so stay tuned.
4. New contracts
The Dallas Stars have a handful of free agents, both restricted and unrestricted, to deal with this offseason. And with that being said, don’t be surprised if new contract announcements begin popping up over the next month.
Names like Mattias Janmark, Devin Shore, and Stephen Johns could very well be receiving new deals, whether they be bridge contracts or long-term extensions.
But there are plenty of names to look out for that Dallas may want to lock down early before taking on the offseason madness.
Next: Comparing Each Of Nill's Five Stars Squads
The month of May gives the Stars a lot of time to think, but it also gives them a lot of time to act and get ahead in preparation for next year. So keep your eyes wide open as the next 31 days roll on. Oh, and enjoy some playoff hockey while you still can.