At the opening of free agency this summer, the Dallas Stars didn’t go out and add a big name player. Instead, they spent the day adding depth pieces. As a result, their lineup looks well equipped for a variety of situations that may come up in the season ahead.
The Dallas Stars were one of the busier teams at the opening of this summer’s free agency frenzy. And yet, somehow, it didn’t feel like they were busy enough. At least, that’s how many Stars fans felt.
Maybe that was because fans have become so used to the idea of Dallas spending big on the first day of free agency. In the past few years, Stars general manager Jim Nill has never hesitated with pulling the trigger on a big trade or contract. The 2017 offseason turned out to be his most active and influential summer as GM by adding players like Ben Bishop, Martin Hanzal, and Alexander Radulov. Expectations like that are hard to live up to in any other offseason.
Another reason for the shock and uncertainty could be that many Dallas fans didn’t think that the Dallas Stars had done enough. They assumed that there were still holes in the roster that needed filling and Dallas had left them unplugged or looked for the cheapest possible option.
While that may seem like a viable reason, don’t forget that the Stars’ management is doing what they think is best for the organization. Now, what they think is best might not always end up being the best, of course. But they always make plans with the intent being to succeed.
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And this year, their plans didn’t include landing another big name for the lineup.
On the first day of free agency, there were a handful of rumors and hypotheses running rampant about which way the Dallas Stars would go. Would they sign James Van Riemsdyk or James Neal for their second line while adding Jonathan Bernier as their new backup goalie? What about trading for Artemi Panarin? Would Dan Hamhuis be signed to a new deal? And would John Tavares really sign with Dallas?
None of those thoughts came to fruition, though. Instead, the Stars made a handful of “under the radar” moves. These depth moves actually came in a significant bunch as Dallas signed four players to their NHL roster on day one.
“Anton Khudobin and Valeri Nichushkin are good additions, but why on earth would they bring in Roman Polak and Blake Comeau? How is there a need for either of them?”
You might have been asking yourself these questions after the first day finished up. To many, the additions Comeau and Polak seemed to be for nothing other than to take starting spots away from young prospects and further push Dallas to the cap wall (although both were relatively cheap signings).
But there was a method to Jim Nill’s planning. Instead of going for pure flashiness, he instead went with the options that would round out his roster. And now, he’s built a roster that can be flexible in a variety of different situations in the 2018-19 season.
Let’s take a look at a potential starting lineup on opening night:
Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Alexander Radulov
Mattias Janmark – Jason Spezza – Valeri Nichushkin
Blake Comeau – Radek Faksa – Tyler Pitlick
Devin Shore – Gemel Smith – Brett Ritchie
Scratches: Jason Dickinson, Remi Elie
Injured reserve: Martin Hanzal
Looks simple and logical enough, right? But with the addition of Comeau, the Stars simply have another element that they can use to spread the wealth through the lineup, if need be.
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Comeau has played on both wings throughout his NHL career, so switching from left to right wouldn’t come with a learning curve.
That being said, let’s say that (though this would probably never happen) the first line is doing all of the scoring and the bottom nine is struggling to put the puck in the back of the net. Jim Montgomery now has the opportunity to move a player like Radulov or even Benn off of the first line to spread the scoring around a little more. And in addition, a player like Comeau could either move up or push someone above him up to the top line.
The addition of Nichushkin is another noteworthy point. In 2013-14, Nichushkin played a good amount of first line minutes alongside a much younger Benn and Seguin. If Dallas needs to add size to the top line while sending more scoring into the bottom nine, a switching of Radulov and Nichushkin seems like a feasible way to go.
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Having Comeau and Nichushkin as options to shift through the lineup depending on the scenario the offense is in should pay dividends. If they need more scoring, they can shift and rebalance. If they need more size, they can mix it up while keeping the success rate intact.
Comeau and Nichushkin are both big wingers with a scoring touch and can fit in various situations.
And then you have the defensive lineup:
Miro Heiskanen – Stephen Johns
Scratches: Roman Polak
Considering he’s on a one-year deal worth $1.3 million, don’t expect Polak to be a regular starter.
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When looking at the Dallas blue line, two things stick out. One is that they are relatively young and hold plenty of promise. The other is that they are a bit small when it comes to overall size. And that’s where Polak can help out.
Polak is the fourth-tallest member of the defensive lineup above, but is also the heaviest skater at 235 pounds. That being said, he knows how to pack a punch physically. In the 2016-17 season, he averaged over three hits a game.
Last season, he finished with 131 hits in 54 games. That would have logged him fifth on the Stars’ roster, with the four players above him playing 20+ more games.
That being said, he’s a physical presence that the Stars can use at their discretion. They have a large number of puck-moving defenders that aren’t necessarily prone to playing physical, hard-nosed hockey.
If Dallas is squaring off with another smaller, more mobile team, they can stick with their usual lineup. But if they are playing a hard-hitting opponent, subbing Polak in could be their best bet when trying to win the physical battles. He’s a veteran skater that can play an abrasive style on defense.
As you can see, the Dallas Stars set themselves up for success in the coming year. It wasn’t necessarily for success from an elite starter, but instead for success in various situations.
Montgomery should have the tools to always craft an ideal lineup, regardless of the opposition. He can thank the 2018 offseason and Jim Nill for that.