Dallas Stars Mailbag: Offseason Moves, Jim Montgomery, Central Division
The NHL offseason has hit its annual “dog days of summer” skid. And though the regular season is a little less than two months away, there are a lot of questions surrounding the Dallas Stars. Let’s answer some of them below.
After finishing up their arbitration dilemma with Gemel Smith on Aug. 3, the Dallas Stars hit a bit of a wall. It wasn’t necessarily a wall dealing with production or action, but instead with their newsfeed.
The month of August is never a friendly one to the NHL or its fans. After the regular season fills up most of October through April and the Stanley Cup Playoffs keep hockey fans entertained from April to June, the draft and free agency take up a four to six week slate following the Stanley Cup Final.
But after it all runs its course, the month of August arrives and brings a road block with it. Little to no NHL news comes up throughout the month as fans anxiously count down the days until training camp and the preseason. That’s still about four weeks away, though, so there’s still plenty of time to sit and watch the clock.
Instead of spending time counting down the days, though, many fans take this time to preview and break down the season ahead. Stars fans are no different.
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The Dallas Stars have a lot to look forward to and certain expectations awaiting them in the 2018-19 season. And when Oct. 4 rolls around and the puck drops on game one of their season, they have to be ready to answer the bell.
So, what all is on this list for Stars fans to contemplate? We asked for some “dog days of summer” questions from our followers on Twitter and Facebook for this mailbag and got some pretty solid ones.
If you submitted one, check for an answer below! And if you didn’t, read up and expand your knowledge. It’s only beneficial at this point. We will be having another call for mailbag questions in the near future, so if you missed out on this one, be on the lookout for the next call!
Let’s get down to business.
Question #1: Is Nill done making preseason moves? (submitted by @Dauer53)
Answer: This is a good one because there’s never really any point in counting Jim Nill out on making offseason moves.
In 2015, he added Stephen Johns, Patrick Sharp, and Johnny Oduya almost two weeks after the first day of free agency. In 2017, he signed Alexander Radulov on July 3.
Now, this is a bit of a different story since we’re in the middle of August and the Dallas Stars don’t have any real voids left to fill. Their starting roster for opening night seems pretty set in stone and they sound confident about the moves they have already made.
At this point, I’d say there’s a pretty good chance that he’s done and the Stars will enter game one of the regular season with the roster they have now. But with all of the rumors and drama still swirling around players like Erik Karlsson, there’s always a chance that Nill is looking for a way to swing a deal if it means improving his team.
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Pucks and Pitchforks
Be cautiously optimistic about seeing the current lineup on opening night against Arizona. But at the same time, keep your eyes peeled.
Question #2: When will Dellandrea make the jump to the pros? (submitted by @JustinSchmidt24)
Answer: Ty Dellandrea turned 18 less than a month ago, and that actually plays a significant role in how long his jump to the NHL might take.
The current rule states that any CHL (OHL, WHL, QMJHL) player under the age of 18 that is selected by an NHL team in the draft cannot play in the professional minor leagues until they turn 20. They do have a chance to play in the NHL, but cannot take part in any AHL or ECHL action until their 20th birthday on December 31 of the current year. Here’s a further description on the rule.
Considering the Dallas Stars already have an overstocked NHL roster and a few prospects on the doorstep, I don’t think Dellandrea will be playing in the Stars organization until at least 2020.
That being said, however, I’m a big fan of Dellandrea’s game. He’s a dedicated and smart player on the ice and has a high compete level all across the ice. In addition, he’s also an incredibly likable player with a terrific attitude.
He looked great at development camp and I’m excited to see what his future holds in the organization. The Stars will likely need top-six centers in the near future, so the opportunity should be there for Dellandrea to make the jump. But for now, expect Dellandrea to return back to Flint for another season as a top offensive option for the Firebirds.
Question #3: In your opinion, have the Stars gotten better or worse this offseason? (submitted by @PerTheRealScott)
Answer: It’s tough to answer this one right now. As they always seem to do, the Dallas Stars added a sizable number of new starters while parting ways with a handful of their own. So guessing on how this newly-constructed team will play can be a little tricky.
But with that being said, I think that this team will be better than they were last year. Not only did they fill some of their holes and give their lineup flexibility for a variety of situations, but the addition of Jim Montgomery as head coach should provide a serious boost. Monty’s style should invigorate the Dallas offense and take it back to its prime position as one of the best in the league. They might not have the insane firepower that they had in 2015-16, but the new style should definitely bring them close to it.
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Blake Comeau will be a versatile option that can be put in multiple spots throughout the lineup. Valeri Nichushkin will be a great piece to have back in their top six or top nine. Anton Khudobin should be a good upgrade at the backup position. And finally, Roman Polak should give the team an extra dose of physicality on the blue line.
I think this team is well-balanced and has a chance to compete. They have a good core with plenty of youth and talent, so it will be interesting to see how they play. But I think they have a solid chance at being better next year after their offseason moves. It wasn’t a big splash, but it was a necessary one.
Question #4: What needs to happen for the Stars to make the playoffs? (submitted by @baltimoredavey)
Answer: There are a few things that need to happen for this all to work. But the plan is for the Stars to make the postseason this year.
First and foremost, Jim Montgomery has to get his team on the same page quickly and get them playing a quality style of hockey right out of the gate. His offense needs to be quicker and deeper than last season, his defense needs to play according to their strengths, and he needs Ben Bishop in peak form. But if Monty’s system falters at the NHL level or he cannot get his players to buy into the culture, they could fall into an early rut that might not be easy to get out of.
And secondly, someone in the Central Division has to slip. There’s no other way around it. Between Nashville, Winnipeg, Minnesota, St. Louis, and Colorado, the Stars have a game of musical chairs to deal with. Dallas will need to keep their own consistency within the division (which has proven to be a tall task in the recent past) while hoping that at least one of their rivals fails to meet expectations and consequently leaves a spot open.
But if the Dallas Stars can play their exciting brand of hockey with high-powered scoring, structured defense, and a one-two punch in the crease, this team definitely has the makings of being a playoff contender.
Question #5: What do you think are mgmt’s hard-line expectations for Jim/Stars? What happens if they don’t meet them? (submitted by @woodleec)
Answer: Jim Montgomery is inheriting a tough situation. The Dallas Stars fell well short of expectations in both 2016-17 and 2017-18 and have missed the playoffs for consecutive years for the first time since the 2013 lockout season. In addition, they are not cashing in on the prime years of players like Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and John Klingberg.
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Causeway Crowd
But the Stars have expressed their belief in Montgomery and have faith that he will be a long-term solution for the franchise. His resume and style are impressive, so it will be interesting to see where he takes Dallas.
I think the expectations for Montgomery are that he will get the team on a path to success rather quickly and keep them in the fight throughout 2018-19. If they miss the postseason, Montgomery’s seat will still be safe (unless he has the Stars at the bottom of the Western Conference).
But they expect Montgomery to revitalize a Stars lineup stocked with talent and have them in the middle of the race. His coaching history is the perfect evidence to use when setting expectations.
If he misses the postseason, it won’t be the end of his time with Dallas. It’s a learning process both for Montgomery and the Stars. But if they can click early, he should have no trouble meeting and even exceeding their expectations.
One thing is for sure, though: the Dallas Stars need to get back to their winning ways and postseason appearances. There’s no more time to delay. Montgomery has to prove that he can be a solution.
Question #6: Do the Stars have enough talent compared to their Central rivals to win the division? #GoStars (submitted by @LoneStarDC4L)
Answer: Let me break this question down into a few pieces.
First, do I think the Dallas Stars have enough talent to compete in the Central division and make the playoffs? I do. They own one of the best first lines in the NHL, have some decent depth scoring that should only get better under Montgomery, boast one of the youngest and most talented defenses in the league, and seem to have a one-two punch in the crease.
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Blackhawk Up
Under the right coaching and direction, this Dallas Stars squad has the chance to fight for a top-four spot in the division.
But, do I think that the Stars have enough talent to compete with the Central and win the division like they did in 2015-16? No, I don’t (at least not right now). Winnipeg and Nashville have an incredible amount of depth and balance along with pure talent. They both looked like Cup contenders in the regular season and into last year’s playoffs.
As of today, I think one of them claims the Central title. But, anything is possible and a lot of unexpected developments come with each season. Dallas has a chance to compete and might shock the entire NHL. You just never know. At the current moment, however, I think there are at least two teams ahead of the Stars in the Central race.
Question #7: Do these players get time off? If so, I’ve been wanting to introduce my mom to them. And would want to give them one final vacation in Washington state. As it’s just daho’s next door neighbor. They can head to Boise from there for the pre-season match. (submitted by @Stryker_Stars91)
Answer: The players definitely get time off. But unlike in other sports, most of them go back home for the offseason to train or be with family and friends. That home might be in Minnesota, or it might be in Sweden.
I don’t know if any of them visit Washington during the offseason because they are always on vacations of their own and training for the season ahead. But who knows.
Wow. This was yet another solid mailbag. Those were some excellent questions. I’m always shocked at how our number of questions go up and how the questions become more detailed and thought-provoking each time. That’s major props to all of you out there.
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Thanks to all the Stars fans who submitted and I hope I was able to help clear the air. If you did not ask your question this time, look for another mailbag tweet in the next few weeks once training camp gets rolling and we have preseason action on the horizon.
Until then, keep marking off the days on your calendar.