3. Depth Scoring Is A Necessity
There were plenty of reasons why the Dallas Stars hit the wall in March and fell out of the playoff picture as a result. Lack of trade deadline activity, injuries, inconsistent goaltending, and an overall lack in effort were all contributors to the Stars’ downfall.
Another big factor was their lack of depth scoring. After being practically nonexistent through the first 20 games of the season, the Stars’ bottom nine forwards contributed respectably through the middle portion of the year. But when the final push started, they were once again nowhere to be found.
Every successful offense fronts four skilled lines. Each one may have a different role when on the ice, but they all four conform together to make a deep and dangerous offensive group.
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When the Stars needed help in the offensive zone from players outside of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov, the help was nowhere to be found. Players like Devin Shore, Brett Ritchie, Antoine Roussel, and Jason Spezza could not give the Dallas offense the backup it needed and the production fell through as a result. Part of that may have been due to improper usage by the coaching staff, but it is still something to take into account.
At the trade deadline, the Stars’ need for a second line forward to help bolster the offense seemed to be obvious. But Nill ended up doing nothing and the team paid for it dearly.
This offseason, that void needs to be filled, specifically on the second line. The Dallas Stars have the proper tools already on their roster to build a successful bottom-six, but the second line needs work.
Whether it comes through trade or free agency, the Stars could greatly benefit from adding a player to help complete a one-two punch on offense.
Depth scoring is a must in today’s NHL. The Dallas Stars learned that lesson firsthand at the tail end of the 2017-18 season and it proved to be one of their biggest flaws. That being said, this offseason is the ideal time to fix it.