Dallas Stars: Best and Worst Case Scenarios for 2018-19
Sports fans tend to operate on one of two settings: this team is going to go all the way and win the championship or this team is the absolute worst and everyone should be traded or fired. Dallas Stars fans are no different.
Being a fan is a mix of extreme emotions, so let’s take a look at the best, worst, and most realistic ways this season can play out for the Dallas Stars.
Best Scenario
Tyler Seguin could sign a reasonable contract in the next few weeks, and the upcoming extensions for Mattias Janmark and Gemel Smith as well are low-cost, high-term-length deals. The team could land Erik Karlsson on a great deal because he believes in the team.
Jamie Benn could have another Art Ross quality year while John Klingberg improves on last year’s production. Martin Hanzal and Jason Spezza could both have bounceback seasons where they fight for the second-line center spot and the Stars score like it’s 2015-16 all over again.
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Obviously in this scenario, the Stars take the top seed in the Central, blast their way through the playoffs, and capture their second cup.
Worst Scenario
Valeri Nichushkin is a disappointment to everyone who wanted him to come back. Miro Heiskanen doesn’t live up to expectations. Jim Montgomery is an utter failure as coach and Jim Nill loses his job in the process, bringing the trio of Jims down to just one lone Jim standing.
Everyone has a down year. The special teams get even worse. Injuries ravage the line-up.
The Stars miss the playoffs once again and Tyler Seguin walks away just like John Tavares did.
Most Realistic Scenario
It can be fun to dream about everything going right and it’s even fun in its own twisted way to consider how everything can go horribly wrong, but neither scenario is the most likely here.
It goes without saying that only one team is going to win in any given season, but over half the league gets to make it to the playoffs. For the Stars, that’s a huge improvement to start with. If they could find their footing this year and at least get to the post-season, it would be a welcome relief for fans.
Montgomery probably won’t be universally loved in his first year and he’s bound to make decisions that fans won’t like, but this could be the first year of a long run with the Stars for the new coach and the Stars could desperately use some coaching stability.
It’s great to imagine a year in which Benn, Seguin, and Klingberg clean up in Vegas and take home the Art Ross, Rocket Richard, and Norris Trophies. It’s also not particularly realistic, but some improved recognition at the NHL Awards would be a nice change of pace. If all three could put together fantastic seasons and everyone else can pull it together enough to back them up, this is a team that can make the playoffs.
Nichushkin and Heiskanen probably aren’t going to come in and have seasons that will have everyone around the league talking, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have decent seasons that help elevate the team and give a hopeful glimpse at the next couple of years.
None of the free agent signings so far are likely to radically improve the team, but if Blake Comeau can provide at least double-digit goals while Anton Khudobin works as a serviceable back-up and Roman Polak isn’t a defensive liability, they’re good signings.
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Jim Nill might have a trick or two up his sleeve or he might not, but the most realistic option for this season is making the playoffs, probably in a wild card spot, and maybe winning a round or two. If the Stars can pull that off, fans can breathe a small sigh of relief before looking to the next season.