Dallas Stars: Player Report Cards For 2017-18 Season
It’s been six weeks since the Dallas Stars wrapped up their 2017-18 season. And while the team didn’t reach their postseason goal, the players found different ways to impress or disappoint. But how should each one be graded based on their efforts?
The Dallas Stars don’t have final exams, but maybe they should.
With the month of May quickly coming to a close, it’s a stressful time for high school (and even some college) students everywhere. Final exams, projects, papers begin to consume students and block out their glimpse of the upcoming summer holidays. And it’s all for a few letter grades. But if they are prepared and plan ahead, things typically don’t turn out all that bad.
But when “finals week” came around for the Stars this season, it was clear that they hadn’t planned ahead. As a result, they flunked out.
Dallas entered the month of March with high hopes and their sights set on a playoff spot. But after a month of untimely goals against, struggles at the hands of injury, a lack of depth scoring, and a road trip from hell, the Stars lost all of that hope.
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
When the stage was biggest and everything was on the line, the Stars couldn’t answer the bell. They turned in a 4-8-4 record in the third month of the year and buried five solid months of hockey. The competitive Western Conference playoff race raged on and left Dallas on the side of the road. For all of the students out there taking final exams, take note while you still can.
While the Stars picked up a few wins to boost morale to close out the year and turned in a decent 42-32-8 record, it wasn’t enough to punch their ticket. They fell three points short of the final playoff spot and accepted yet another extended offseason.
But it wasn’t all bad. A horrifying end to the season just makes it seem that way. In fact, there were plenty of bright spots throughout the season. Many of them came from the individual efforts of certain players.
On the flip side, the efforts of some players were not up to snuff and played a part in the team’s untimely demise.
So how should each Dallas Stars player be graded for their efforts this season? We decided to grade each player that played at least one game for Dallas this season and is still a member of the organization (which levels out to 26 players). Let’s take a look at each one’s performances and decide what their final exam grade is.
The Forwards
One aspect of the Dallas Stars’ game that saw its fair share of ups and downs during the 2017-18 season was their offense.
For certain stretches of the season, the Stars’ offensive attack looked to be one of the best in the league. The top trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov provided a prolific attack while their depth forwards used both energy and effort to back the top line up.
But on other occasions, the offense struggled. The first line seemed to be the only line contributing (especially in March) and the bottom nine couldn’t keep up on the stat sheet.
Even so, the offense showed signs of progress through the 2017-18 season. And for the 15 forwards that played for Dallas this season, there was plenty of highs and lows. So let’s dig in.
Jamie Benn – A-
The captain of the Dallas Stars did not disappoint in the 2017-18 season, though some people might be convinced that he did. Benn played a complete 82-game slate and finished with 36 goals (his second highest total since becoming captain) and 79 points along with a +20. He also played a good amount of time at the center position and won his highest percentage of face-offs since 2013-14.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-8
Puck Prose
Benn may not have been the 89-point player that he was in 2015-16 (when every Stars forward went off), but he got the job done. A 10-game goal drought throughout February when the team began the infamous skid is the reason he doesn’t get an A+ or A. The team’s highest-paid player doesn’t necessarily have the time or room to hit any of the inconsistent patches he found. But besides that, the captain turned in an impressive season for the most part.
Tyler Seguin – A+
If anyone disagrees with Seguin getting an A+, I challenge you to go and find a consistent stretch of the 2017-18 season where he did not impress.
In an 82-game slate, Seguin became an entirely new hockey player. Under the leadership of Ken Hitchcock, Seguin truly grew his two-way game. Not only did he succeed yet again on offense and the power play, but he also learned how to be an effective defender and penalty killer. He took over 500 more face-offs than any season in his career and won 54.9 percent of them. And to top it all off, he hit the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career and rang up 78 points.
He turned into an all-around effective center and became a no. 1 option for the Stars in any situation. It’s hard not to argue that he was the team’s best player overall, either. So yeah, he had a pretty good 2017-18 campaign.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-21
Blackhawk Up
Alexander Radulov – A
When Radulov signed with the Stars on July 3, 2017, the expectations for him were clear. Dallas needed a top-six option on the right wing that could put up impressive numbers while also being effective in providing energy through his efforts.
Now that one season is in the books, he very well may be considered the steal of the offseason. The Stars got everything they wanted from Radulov, and then some. He played an entire 82-game season for the first time in his five-year NHL career and set all sorts of career highs. That includes goals (27), points (72), power play goals (7), power play assists (16), and average time on ice (20:08).
The 31-year-old gave Dallas an extra boost and newfound energy when on the ice. He filled in a variety of roles and was worth every penny of his $6.25 million cap hit. It’s hard to argue against his play in any way. He was simply a new kind of animal in the Stars’ barn.
Mattias Janmark – A
Remember when Mattias Janmark missed the entire 2016-17 season while recovering from osteochondritis dissecans? And remember when there was a chance he would never play professional hockey again? Haha, good times.
The 25-year-old likely surpassed all expectations in his first season back. He was a consistent staple in the top six of Hitchcock’s offense as well as a regular contributor on both the power play and penalty kill. Janmark played in all but one game and tallied a career-high in goals (19) and points (34). The -13 might look bad, but it’s hard to use that stat when comparing it to all of the great things that Janmark did. His performance also earned him a spot on the top line for Team Sweden in the World Championships, where he helped his home country to a gold medal.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-36
Oil On Whyte
He became a trusted asset on the Dallas offense and could be a regular member of the top-six going forward. Not bad for a second year forward. Oh, and he also gets the A because he overcame odds that most hockey players will never face in their entire careers.
Radek Faksa – A
The Dallas Stars may have a long stretch of bad first-round draft picks in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, but Radek Faksa is definitely not one of them.
It was another career year for the 24-year-old center. In his third season at the NHL level, he hit a new high in goals with 17 and tied his high in points with 33. But it wasn’t just Faksa’s stat sheet that impressed. It was what he did on the ice.
While centering a line with Tyler Pitlick and Antoine Roussel, Faksa helped create one of the Stars’ most consistent lines this year. Hitchcock regularly matched this line up with the opposition’s top line. That may seem crazy, but it paid off in large chunks.
Faksa played an excellent defensive and grind game and contributed heavily in both zones. He was also an effective penalty killer and just had a consistent vibe about him. He made massive strides in improving his all-around game and could very well be a future Selke Trophy finalist for the league’s best defensive forward.
The door is wide open for Faksa’s potential to continue growing and expanding. That’s worth an A any day of the week.
Devin Shore – C-
This may not seem like the correct grade for a guy that likely earned a B or so for his breakout year with the team last season. But it’s the one he’s getting.
Devin Shore didn’t entirely deserve this grade. A large part of his lack of success had to do with being put in the wrong situations and being expected to succeed.
Hitchcock consistently used Shore and had him in the lineup for all 82 games. The 23-year-old was put in multiple situations that he simply wasn’t ready for. He put up 11 goals and 32 points, which are two less and one less than he had in his rookie season. All of that comes with more ice time and a -30 rating. Those are much too glaring.
Shore still owns plenty of potential as a young skater that can play on an every night basis. But this season is likely one that he wants to learn from and forget.
More from Editorials
- Dallas Stars hockey is about to be the main attraction in Dallas this year
- Age Before Beauty: The impact of Benn’s new role on his Dallas legacy
- Dallas Stars hockey is the light at the end of the tunnel
- Dallas Stars coverage is lacking and it’s very concerning to be honest
- Sit back, relax and watch Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars draft scouts cook
Tyler Pitlick – B+
While Alexander Radulov was likely the steal of the 2017 offseason, Tyler Pitlick could be considered the biggest bargain. That’s because for $1 million, Pitlick served as one of the Stars’ best depth forwards.
Working alongside Faksa and Roussel, he was constantly relied on to shut down the opposition’s top skaters while also serving time on the PK and contributing in the offensive zone.
And for a guy that missed all of the 2016-17 season with an ACL tear, Pitlick had no trouble turning heads and impressing both the coaching staff and the Dallas Stars faithful with his speed and effort.
The 26-year-old finished the year with 14 goals and 27 points along with a respectable +9. His efforts were admirable and earned him a full-time spot in the lineup. The next two years of his three-year deal should be all the more impressive.
Jason Spezza – D+
This one isn’t entirely on him, but what happened to Jason Spezza?
The 34-year-old veteran entered the season as the expected second-line center for Dallas as he had been in his first three years with the Stars. But by the end of the year, that seemed like a far-fetched dream.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-66
Editor In Leaf
Spezza only had eight goals and 26 points in 78 games, a 24-point reduction from a 2016-17 performance that was altered by injury. He was not trusted by the coaching staff and the frustration obviously mounted as the season went along. He could never find a consistent spot in the lineup and never got his usual spark going.
I fully believe that Spezza can still be a regular contributor in the lineup even as he ages. And from his comments on exit interview day, so does he. If he’s in a Dallas uniform next year, it will take trust from the coaching staff and a willingness to put him in his usual situations so that he can find success. But it can happen.
Still, this was not a good season for the second-highest paid player on the roster.
Antoine Roussel – D+
Antoine Roussel has never been known for his scoring capabilities. Since joining the Stars in 2013, Roussel’s best moments have involved physicality, defensive effort, fighting, and getting under the skin of the opponents. On offense, the winger always seems to ring in between 25 and 29 points.
But this year, those numbers took a hit. Roussel finished the year with five goals and 17 points and didn’t score a goal after the Dec. 23 game against Nashville. That’s a pretty hefty drought.
Like Spezza, it seemed as though Roussel’s frustration started mounting when the points stopped flowing. In addition, his penalty minutes also began spiking and he closed out the year with his highest PIM total since 2014-15. He finished the season with the lowest average time on ice since his rookie season and is now an unrestricted free agent.
While he was still useful in certain defensive situations and in being a physical agitator on the ice, the Stars needed a lot more from the 28-year-old.
Brett Ritchie – C-
There wasn’t much to say about Brett Ritchie and his performance with the Dallas Stars this year. That’s definitely disappointing.
The 24-year-old had a breakout season with the Stars last season, scoring 16 goals and turning in 24 points in a reliable 78 games. There was even talk that he could be a top-six winger entering the 2017-18 season. The future looked bright.
But despite getting opportunities and being put in various situations, Ritchie could never find his similar spark. As a result, his playing time was cut and he finished with seven goals and 14 points in 71 games. His shooting percentage was down and he just couldn’t get it rolling.
The door is still open for Ritchie to build on his potential, but this year was a disappointing one. We’ll see if he thrives under Jim Montgomery come next season.
Remi Elie – B-
Though not a genuine and traditional points producer, Remi Elie did what he had to do and took advantage of his NHL opportunities this year.
He played in 72 games and put up six goals and 14 points. But he provided plenty of energy to the depth forwards and used his speed to his advantage when carrying the puck. It was a good first full season at the NHL level and Elie is gaining more experience in the Calder Cup Playoffs at the moment. He should prove to be a useful forward in the lineup next year.
Gemel Smith – B-
For 46 games and 9:26 on the ice per game, Gemel Smith did well this season.
He scored six goals and finished with 11 points along with a +5. He was a nice, young addition to the bottom six and at the age of 24, he still holds plenty of potential.
Give him a coaching staff that gives him more opportunities (like Montgomery) and we might see an entirely new side of Smith next season.
Martin Hanzal – C-
It was not an ideal first year for Martin Hanzal in the Dallas Stars organization. With multiple injuries, including a back injury that required season-ending surgery, pinning him to the press box for a majority of the season, Hanzal only skated in 38 games.
He’s not the most exciting player on offense, but he contributes in the defensive zone and can be an excellent penalty killer and depth option on the power play. Not to mention he is one of the best face-off winners in the NHL. But with five goals, 10 points, and a -14 rating, he didn’t necessarily live up to his $4.75 million cap hit. If he comes back healthy, we’ll see if he can contribute on a regular basis in 2018-19.
Jason Dickinson – C
There’s not much to see here, but there is plenty to contemplate (if that makes sense). While Dickinson played a career-high 27 games, the 22-year-old didn’t find the back of the net and only tacked on two assists. But a large part of that has to do with him only skating 8:32 per game and not being given many opportunities to contribute.
Could be play a big role down the road with Dallas? It’s possible.
Curtis McKenzie – B-
Seven games and two assists while playing 8:06 per game. Not bad at all. Plus, he’s done a great job as captain of the Texas Stars this season. He did what was asked of him when he was needed.
The Defensemen
Arguably the Dallas Stars’ biggest improvement between 2016-17 and 2017-18, the defense was something else throughout the season. While boasting a respectably low payroll, the Dallas defense finished in the top seven in goals against in the NHL.
So let’s look at how each member did.
John Klingberg – A+
No. 3 really came into his own as the no. 1 defender for the Dallas Stars this season.
Klingberg played the highest average playing time of his career (24:04) on the first pairing alongside Esa Lindell for a majority of the season. Under Ken Hitchcock and Rick Wilson, he became a more fluid two-way defender and played consistently well in both ends of the ice. Klingberg put up eight goals and 67 points and became a dominant threat in all three zones. All in all, it was his best season at the NHL level.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-7
Editor In Leaf
He hit a slight wall towards the end of the season, but that was likely due to being overused.
His first All-Star selection, a Norris contender for a majority of the season, and a career-high in points. That’s definitely worth an A+.
Esa Lindell – A-
It was a great second season for Esa Lindell. In his rookie campaign, he showed promise while also struggling at times. But this season, he was much more consistent on the top pairing.
Lindell played in 80 games and tallied career highs in goals (7) and points (27) along with an impressive +19. Hitchcock trusted him in multiple settings and he thrived under the new coaching staff. His two-way game was enhanced and he played consistent minutes each night.
Lindell continues to grow into a top-pairing NHL defenseman and is proving to be a valuable partner to John Klingberg. At the age of 23, that’s pretty dang impressive.
Dan Hamhuis – B
Otherwise known as “The Hammer”, Dan Hamhuis turned in a respectable second year with the Dallas Stars. The 35-year-old quickly became one of Hitch’s favorite defenders and earned a spot on the second pairing alongside Greg Pateryn.
Hamhuis tallied 24 points, his highest number since the 2012-13 season. But his efforts on the defensive side and his ability to provide a shutdown presence in his own zone made him a valuable asset. He did slow down a bit along with the rest of the team in the tail end of the year, but his heavy minutes on the ice showed that he can still help out in the defensive zone.
Stephen Johns – B+
If anyone took a verbal beating from Dallas Stars fans for the team’s defensive woes in 2016-17, it was Stephen Johns. As a defensive defenseman in Lindy Ruff‘s “offense first” system, Johns never really fit in. And when his skills didn’t mesh with the game plan, he struggled and fans used him as the target.
But this season, Johns turned a corner. The 25-year-old not only showed off his impressive shutdown skills and physicality, but also chipped in with a new offensive push. He finished the year with eight goals, which doubles his career high. On top of that, he also had 15 points and a +10 rating (which is much improved over his -10 from last season).
Johns showed his defensive capabilities and his ability to play a depth role on defense. The potential is through the roof.
Greg Pateryn – B+
Yep, the guy that started the season as the no. 8 defenseman on the roster ended up with a B+. Because logic.
More From Blackout Dallas: Pateryn Endured Tough Road, Earned Spot On Stars
Greg Pateryn was inserted into the lineup at the end of October and played in 73 straight games for the Dallas Stars. And though he wasn’t an offensive magnet (one goal, 13 points), his play in the defensive zone was stellar. Pateryn played heavy PK minutes through the middle of the season and served on the second pairing with Hamhuis. His physicality and size gave him an advantage in the defensive zone and earned him a full-time starting spot.
Playing in 73 straight games when his previous highest games played total was 38 obviously took a toll on Pateryn towards the home stretch of the year and he began making some mistakes. But other than that, he looked like a solid defenseman and gave Dallas more stock in claiming the win in the trade with Montreal. Pateryn should be looking at a significant payday this offseason, regardless of which team signs him.
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
Julius Honka – C
Honka didn’t get an extensive chance to play this season, so it’s tough trying to grade him. Hitchcock didn’t trust the young defender in most situations and whenever he was in the lineup, he played very little.
But when he was in the lineup (primarily playing alongside Stephen Johns), he did some good things and bad things. He was a solid puck mover but made some untimely decisions in playing with risk that caused negative results. He only had one goal and four points, which is one less point than when he played 16 games in 2016-17. And considering Honka is known for his offensive skills, this wasn’t an ideal look.
But, like so many of the young forwards, this will hopefully change under Jim Montgomery. Hopefully we’ll see the Honka we’ve seen in other settings and scenarios come next season. That is the fun Honka, after all.
Marc Methot – C
Methot didn’t play too much due to knee surgery early in the season, but had a decent first year with the Stars. He’s known solely as a defensive defenseman and lived up to those standards, using his size and grit to clog up an offensive push by the opposition and clear the puck from the zone.
Here’s to hoping that he can at least double his games played (36) come next year.
More from Editorials
- Dallas Stars hockey is about to be the main attraction in Dallas this year
- Age Before Beauty: The impact of Benn’s new role on his Dallas legacy
- Dallas Stars hockey is the light at the end of the tunnel
- Dallas Stars coverage is lacking and it’s very concerning to be honest
- Sit back, relax and watch Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars draft scouts cook
Dillon Heatherington – B
The 23-year-old was traded to the Dallas Stars from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2017 trade deadline. And it’s turned out to be yet another trade won by GM Jim Nill.
Heatherington spent the majority of his year as a top-pairing defender with the Texas Stars, but was recalled briefly in the middle of January to fill in for the injured Methot. He also played in the second-to-last game of the season against the Ducks simply for the experience.
And while he only played an average of 10:51 in each of the six games, he made his presence known in his first contests at the NHL level. He racked up one assist and 26 penalty minutes and used his big frame as an intimidating part of his defensive style of game.
The future is definitely bright for this young gun as he continues to improve in the AHL. He plays a gritty style and gives his all. You can’t doubt the guy’s effort, that’s for sure.
The Goaltenders
The Dallas Stars also saw their crease step up in a significant way after a tumultuous 2016-17 campaign. They used two goaltenders primarily, though a third one made his way into the lineup towards the tail end of the season. Let’s look at all three.
Ben Bishop – B+
For what it’s worth, Ben Bishop gave the Dallas Stars exactly what they had longed so many years for in his first season with the team. He served as an elite no. 1 goaltender in his prime that can singlehandedly win games for the team when he needs to. The only problem was that he may not have done it as often as the Stars would have liked.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-5
SenShot
That’s because injuries became a problem in the final month of the season for Bishop. He played less than 80 minutes in the final 16 games of the season. As the playoff push raged on for a failing Stars team, Bishop was forced to sit out with a sprained MCL.
When he was in the lineup, however, he posted solid numbers. He finished the year with a record of 26-17-5 along with a .916 save percentage and 2.49 goals against average. It’s not his fault that a freak accident led to a long-term injury during the most important time of the year.
But when he did play, he was a solid goaltender that brought plenty of new skills to the Dallas crease.
Kari Lehtonen – B-
You might want to give Kari Lehtonen a D or an F on this one. And if you do, I’m here to convince you otherwise.
Before Bishop’s injury troubles settled in, Lehtonen was enjoying his best season in years with the Stars. As a full-time backup, the 34-year-old was posting solid numbers with almost every outing. He was being a game changer in the Dallas backend and giving the team a chance to win each night. We even wrote about him being an ideal safety net down the stretch for whenever Bishop would have an off night.
But once Bishop left the lineup and Lehtonen was the undeniable starter, he couldn’t make the transition cleanly. That’s not to say he didn’t give it his all and even stand on his head a few times. The mixture of his unpreparedness and the Stars team in front of him giving up entirely left the entire team out to dry. The Dallas Stars fell from the playoff race on Lehtonen’s watch, and that’s not easy to forget (especially in a contract year). But a .912 save percentage and 2.56 GAA are still respectable enough for a B-.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-20
Blackhawk Up
He played extremely well as a backup, but the backup must be ready to carry the load when a crisis arises. That leaves Lehtonen’s future ultimately unclear now as he becomes a UFA.
Mike McKenna – B
I wanted to give Mike McKenna an A+ because of both the “feel good” story he gave Dallas fans towards the end of the season and for the great work he’s doing with the Texas Stars right now, but this is only grading his performance at the NHL level. And for that, he gets a plain old B.
McKenna finished the year 1-1-0 after being called up at the end of the year to fill in for Bishop. Even after being eliminated from the playoff race, Hitchcock was still determined to play Lehtonen continually to close out the season. But his hand was forced in the third-to-last game of the year when Lehtonen gave up two goals in the first 16 minutes of a game against the San Jose Sharks.
Hitch called on McKenna, and the goalie delivered beautifully. He stopped all 17 shots against and claimed his first NHL win since the 2013-14 season.
But then a few nights later, he got the start against the Anaheim Ducks and couldn’t keep the hot streak alive. McKenna gave up five goals on 33 shots as the Stars’ defense collapsed around him and ended his short NHL run on a sour note. Luckily for him, he is still leading the charge for the Texas Stars towards a berth in the Calder Cup Final.
Next: Stars Keep Improving With Success Of Young Players
It’s a long list of over 4,000 words, but hopefully it gives you a better picture of what the Dallas Stars were working with this year.