As the teams in the Central Division get stronger, so do their fan bases. With that comes a new level of home ice advantage. The Dallas Stars and their fans will have to find a way to keep up with that growth come next year.
Home-ice advantage has been good to the Dallas Stars over the past few years. Whether you believe it exists or not, it’s hard to argue that something hasn’t been boosting the Stars’ efforts at the American Airlines Center.
In the past three seasons, Dallas owns a 76-36-11 record when playing at the AAC. That’s pretty darn impressive. It can be chopped up to a few different things, with one of them being home-ice advantage. That advantage comes with plenty of factors, including lack of travel and the comfort of home.
But it also has a lot to do with the fans. And for the past three seasons, the Dallas Stars have experienced a consistent flow of Victory Green at their games.
Since the 2015-16 season, the Stars’ attendance numbers have been consistent. Dallas has ended each season either 15th or 16th in fans in attendance and ranged between 15th and 20th in percentage of their building filled when compared to the NHL, according to ESPN.com.
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Those are good numbers for a team that has missed the postseason in two of the past three years. It’s even more impressive to see it coming from a non-traditional hockey market. The Stars have built a dedicated fan base over the past few seasons and it’s beginning to show.
“It seems that every time you look up, it’s a full building,” said former head coach Ken Hitchcock about the Stars’ relationship with their fans on New Year’s Eve. “They are helping us a lot because they are really into it. I think the players appreciate the support and it works in a good way because the players are feeding off of their energy.”
But the Dallas Stars have a long way to go if they are going to keep up with the rest of the Central Division. That’s because of what the other six teams have been doing over the past few years.
On Monday night, the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets competed in game six of their Western Conference semifinal matchup. The Predators ended up winning on the road (so is home-ice advantage really a thing after all?) and forced a game seven showdown on Thursday night in Nashville in front of a presumably sold out crowd at Bridgestone Arena.
And if there’s anything these two Central Division teams have made themselves known for in both the regular season and postseason, it’s their in-arena atmospheres.
The Predators have boasted their incredible decibel levels for the past few seasons. They reach upwards of 100+ (which gets them close to the equivalent of the sound of thunder) at various games and make their presence known to the opposing team.
And if you have watched a Winnipeg Jets home playoff game this year, you’ve probably noticed the incredible sea of white in the stands. It’s not just the Winnipeg Whiteout that stands out, though. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic has been reporting NHL hockey for more than 20 years and is currently covering the Preds-Jets series. When asked about whether Winnipeg or Nashville has the louder building, he said, “No question. Right here in Winnipeg.”
We’re going to trust the longtime hockey scribe on this one. Jets fans are always tuned into the game, react to every little detail, and give their team the maximum level of support.
We asked @PierreVLeBrun the most important question of all... which arena was louder? 🤔 #JayAndDan pic.twitter.com/pyCiLB7BzB
— JayOnSC (@JayOnSC) May 2, 2018
But it just goes to show that both teams are well-respected for the noise their fans can conjure up at home games. Home-ice advantage is alive and well for these two Central teams and it makes a difference.
The same can be said for the other divisional teams as well. The Chicago Blackhawks almost always present a packed house with a raucous and established crowd. The Madhouse on Madison, as the United Center is so conveniently nicknamed, always gives the Hawks an extra boost and makes it difficult on visiting squads to get into the game and tune out the spectators.
Blackhawk Up
The Minnesota Wild are always known for making things rough on their opponents as well. They average 19,000 fans per game night and always find a way to crank up the volume. The Wild own a passionate fanbase in the “State of Hockey” and always put the opposition in a tight spot with their noise and energy.
The same can be said about Colorado and St. Louis as well.
The point is that the Central Division owns some of the most passionate fanbases in all of the NHL. They are loud, rowdy, organized, and threatening. Each arena presents a great challenge to the opposition and makes it difficult to get out with two points (or an important playoff victory, for that matter).
You can be assured that Bridgestone Arena will be bumping on Thursday as the Predators look to return to the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row. And if it’s anything like what we’ve seen from Winnipeg fans this entire series, you will definitely want to tune in and see what happens.
As the Central Division gets stronger in levels of competition and skill, so do its fanbases. With that being said, the Dallas Stars need the most out of their fans going forward. Things have recently taken an uptick at the AAC in terms of attendance, participation, and engagement. That’s good news, but things have to keep growing, even with the unimpressive recent results.
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It looks like the Stars have a challenging road ahead in the Central Division, at least for the next few years. They have to find a way to stay stride for stride with the rest of the competition. This is a good step in making that a reality. So stay the course, Stars fans.