Dallas Stars: Assessing Their Fourth Line Options For Opening Night

The Dallas Stars offense looks stocked, if not overloaded, with options for their opening night roster. But with the limited number of spots, how might their lineup fill out, specifically on the fourth line? Here’s a look at the different players that may be vying for the final spots.

Overstocking at a certain position can be a good problem to have in hockey. But it can also create a bit of unwarranted chaos. It all depends on how the team handles it. And it will be interesting to once again see how the Dallas Stars handle it in the coming season.

Over the past few summers, the Stars have wasted no time in bringing in veteran talent to add to their already stocked roster. These talents may be veteran defenders that fill a particular need or goaltenders with a winning pedigree.

But, it’s quite often the forward position that gets the majority of attention from GM Jim Nill. Players like Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza, Patrick Sharp, and Alexander Radulov have all been acquired over the years in an attempt to bolster and promote the Dallas offensive cause.

And while these additions have produced some positive results, they also come with a small snag. That snag is the issue of cramming the roster and leaving no spots open for young and developed talent to get a crack at the NHL level.

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While it does breed competition, it can sometimes be difficult watching four NHL-ready prospects fight for one spot because the rest of the roster is locked up on NHL contracts for 2-4 years.

Dallas has managed to make it work to an extent in the last few seasons. But this year, they will be faced with that same challenge and expected to make it work while getting the offense to maximize its potential.

And so, the battle for fourth line spots will commence in the coming weeks. Through training camp and the preseason, a handful of Dallas Stars will grit it out in an attempt to lock up one of the open spots in preparation for opening night.

On offense, it’s assumed that the Stars’ first three lines are set for the most part:

Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Alexander Radulov

Mattias Janmark – Jason Spezza – Valeri Nichushkin

Blake Comeau – Radek Faksa – Tyler Pitlick

But the fourth line is a tossup. Both players that have spent extensive time with Dallas and ones with little NHL experience could be in the running for the limited spots. And it should be noted that most of the players in the running can play both at center and on the wing.

With Martin Hanzal on injured reserve until at least mid-November, it seems as though all three slots will be up for grabs. And for skaters like Devin Shore, Brett Ritchie, Gemel Smith, Remi Elie, and Jason Dickinson, that means an opportunity to get in the starting lineup. There could very well be other options in the mix as well, like Roope Hintz.

But here is a look at what each of the five players listed above brings to the table and which ones might be the most effective choices to make the roster.

2. Brett Ritchie

Coming in under a similar category to Shore as a player that didn’t necessarily live up to expectations last season but will likely be a starter on opening night is Brett Ritchie.

What can be said about a forward like Ritchie? At 6’3, 217 lb., he’s got the size and skill to be a legitimate threat on almost any line and in any situation at the NHL level. He knows how to use his body to create turnovers on defense and space on offense and possesses a powerful and accurate shot.

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But in 2017-18, things just didn’t click. After posting a surprising 16 goal, 24 point season in 2016-17 and breaking onto the scene as one of the Stars’ best young depth forwards, Ritchie just couldn’t get the wheels turning last year. He saw over two minutes chopped off of his ice time, was constantly cycled throughout the lineup, and only skated in 71 games.

He took 100 less shots than he had in the season prior, but the goal totals did not stay on pace as Ritchie turned in seven goals and 14 points. His shooting percentage dipped down to 6.0 percent and the frustration became apparent in his overall play.

But that doesn’t mean he cannot play a big role for Dallas in 2017-18. New head coach Jim Montgomery centers his game around puck possession and offensive relentlessness, and that happens to be where Ritchie excels. With his size and reach, he’s excellent at protecting the puck and cycling it around the zone as well as getting in front of the net and acting as a screen.

The Dallas Stars still need talented and powerful right wingers to balance out their lineup, and Ritchie is one viable option. He’ll likely get the start on the right side and give the Stars some much-needed physicality in the bottom six while also getting a chance to bounce back and once again prove himself to be a determined and consistent scorer.

He can help at even strength as well as on the power play and he boasts plenty of skill. Expect to see Ritchie in the opening night, likely filling in at right wing on the fourth line (unless Montgomery has other plans, which he very well may).

3. Gemel Smith

Before the 2018 summer, it had been a long time since the Dallas Stars had even flirted with the process of arbitration with any of their restricted free agents.

But this offseason rid the Stars of that luxury when Devin Shore, Mattias Janmark, and Gemel Smith filed for salary arbitration. Nill and the Stars ended up getting deals done with Shore and Janmark before their respective hearings, but Smith’s case never got squared away.

Dallas went to an arbitration hearing with the young forward and came out with a mediated contract: a one-year, one-way deal worth $720K. In other words, Smith got the one-way deal he wanted, but didn’t necessarily reach the salary level he was hoping for.

Bolts by the Bay

This whole case boiled down to the fact that Smith wanted more than the Dallas Stars were willing to offer.

It’s been an interesting past two years for Smith with the Stars. After making his debut and playing in 17 games in 2016-17, Smith saw his role expand a bit more in 2017-18. But it still wasn’t a full-time gig. The 24-year-old played in 46 games under the supervision of Ken Hitchcock, putting up six goals and 11 points in a mere 9:26 of average ice time.

As a result, the contract disputes arose as Smith entered restricted free agency.

And with a one-year deal to work with, it’s now up to Smith to prove himself worthy of a longer and higher-paying deal. From what we’ve seen, he has the tools to do just that.

Smith’s game thrives on speed and aggression. He can get up and down the ice quickly, provide a spark on offense by driving to the net as well as a simple, smart play in the defensive zone. In his first two years, he’s shown an ability to skate with any number of line mates and still produce. He also knows how to play both center and wing. Watching Smith play can be exciting and even energizing at times.

But we haven’t gotten a clear, consistent, and defined look at him just yet. That could finally change with a new season and system.

Smith seems to be a great fit for Montgomery’s style of play and should slot into the lineup quite often. And if he can get out to a fast start, there may even be space for him to move up and shift throughout the lineup.

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If there’s a fringe player that I think will make the opening night roster by taking up the last spot, I think it’s Smith. It’s an important year for him to finally prove his value as a regular option in the starting lineup and in the bottom six.

2018-19 could finally be his time to shine. It will be up to him to keep the fire burning.

4. Remi Elie

The case of Remi Elie is an intriguing one.

Like Smith, Elie has spent parts of the past two seasons in Dallas with the Stars. He made his NHL debut midway through the 2016-17 season and ended up skating in 18 games, scoring one goal and tallying seven points.

And in Hitchcock’s one season as coach, Elie’s opportunity somehow both increased and decreased at the same time. He skated in 72 games with the team, which was an improvement, but saw his average ice time drop from 15:38 to 10:15. And in the time he was on the ice, he didn’t really do that much. Elie finished the season with six goals and 14 points. While that’s not altogether terrific, he wasn’t given much of a chance in most game situations.

Causeway Crowd

The 23-year-old was assigned to the AHL near the end of the season to help the Texas Stars in their Calder Cup Playoff run. But he only ended up scoring two goals and tallying nine points in 19 games with Texas. For a player that had spent most of his season at the NHL level, that wasn’t entirely encouraging to see.

So, where does Elie go from here? He’s spent most of the past 18 months with the Dallas Stars. But after a rough 2017-18 campaign that involved little production (and opportunity), will the NHL be his first and only stop next season?

Elie’s play relies heavily on the “spark plug” mentality. He’s got the speed and aggressiveness to compete in the NHL. His hard-headed mentality and determination are nice to see on the ice. But when it comes to scoring on a regular basis and providing an extra edge to the Stars’ depth scoring, he’s not necessarily the most reliable source.

Maybe that changes with a new system that relies heavily on offense. Or, maybe things don’t go so smoothly. Either way, Elie needs consistency in his production.

He will probably have a spot on the roster to start the season, but whether that’s a starting spot or not is still to be determined.

5. Jason Dickinson

The Dallas Stars had two first-round picks in the 2013 NHL Draft. One of them just returned to Dallas this summer after a two-year stint in the KHL (welcome back, Val). The other is Jason Dickinson.

Originally selected at 29th overall in 2013, the young forward entered the organization with high aspirations and lofty expectations. He did a good job living up to those expectations at first and worked his way from the OHL to AHL less than two years after being drafted.

His time with the Texas Stars also showed significant promise and made Dickinson an enticing choice to call up for the Dallas roster.

Da Windy City

But in 38 games with Dallas, he’s done little to nothing to make an impact and earn himself a full-time spot in the process. Three goals and five points along with a -4 rating doesn’t typically get you far, after all.

Now, like Elie, he’s been handcuffed in terms of extensive opportunity. He only skated in 27 games last year and averaged a mere 8:32 of ice time. In addition, Dickinson was also moved throughout the lineup, slotted in all offensive positions, and not given a consistent enough flow to work with. Hitchcock even acknowledged Dickinson’s constantly changing situation midway through the season but did little in trying to fix it.

“We like [Dickinson] a lot,” said Hitchcock on Jan. 2. “We haven’t been able to create any room for him, but we like him a lot. He’s exactly what we need. He’s got size, speed, and he’s on top of you quickly. We like what he brings to the table. I think where we have not been fair to him is he’s played center all year [in the AHL], and then he comes up here and plays wing all the time. So this is the first real go at center ice which I think will be a good evaluation for him.”

In addition to that, Dickinson was shifted up and down between the NHL and AHL. He finished the season out with the Texas Stars and slotted in the lineup for their playoff run. But, like Elie, he left a lot to be desired with two goals and 10 points in 22 games.

Dickinson is 23 years old, owns solid size for a center, and has the tools to be a legitimate depth threat at the NHL level. He still needs to prove it, though.

As of right now, Dickinson might be starting the season at the AHL level. Depending on how things pan out with roster spots and how Montgomery likes his lineup, Dickinson might be in a battle for the healthy scratch spot on the Dallas offense. Or, he might find a way to secure the fourth line center spot and give the Stars some size and young talent down the middle.

There’s a lot of time and opportunity between now and opening night for every Dallas Stars player to stake their claim. And for the fourth line, things could really go any number of ways. It will be up to the players to sort out the confusion.

Who will be starting in the bottom six on opening night? Who will give the Stars the best chance at quality depth scoring? We’ve got 33 days to find out.