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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.