Dallas Stars: Three Reasons They Miss The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs
1. They Needed More Offseason Movement
When the Dallas Stars kicked off their 2018 summer, they had a lot of necessities pile onto their checklist in a short amount of time. Those necessities included finding a head coach that would work well with the current lineup, a backup goaltender that could play both the no. 2 and no. 1 roles, and offensive scoring help for the bottom three lines.
With the game of hockey being a team sport, each one of those areas needed tending to after falling short of expectations in the 2017-18 campaign. And so, the race was on for GM Jim Nill to find the right offseason solutions and rebuild his team from there.
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He succeeded in doing so, at least to a certain extent. Nill hired Jim Montgomery as the team’s newest head coach back in May and followed it up by signing a few new players to the roster on July 1. He made changes to both the system and the roster itself that should benefit the team going forward.
But was it enough?
There’s reason to believe that the Stars might not have made significant enough changes over the summer and, as a result, might face some of the problems that they had last season.
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Pucks and Pitchforks
The Stars added two depth scorers in Blake Comeau and Valeri Nichushkin, but both are borderline top-six options. One of the Stars’ main holes lies on their second line, which could result in issues when they try to rely on Mattias Janmark or Jason Spezza to be a 50-point scorer.
On defense, Roman Polak was the only addition and was brought in on a short-term contract. His role involves nothing more than serving as a seventh defenseman and a physical option for when the Stars need extra strength in the lineup. But without a significant defensive pickup and the departure of Dan Hamhuis and Greg Pateryn, the Stars will now have to rely largely on Miro Heiskanen in his rookie season, Marc Methot and his uncertain health, Stephen Johns (who is currently on the IR), and Julius Honka as he tries to regain his confidence as a regular NHL starter. Those are a lot of question marks for a young defense.
And in net, the Stars signed Anton Khudobin to be the new backup goaltender. But with Ben Bishop‘s history of injuries over the past few years, Khudobin may end up needing to be a no. 1 at times. Depending on how long he is asked to carry the load, will he be able to produce?
All in all, the Dallas Stars had opportunities to get significantly better in the offseason. And while they are arguably a better team now, it may only be by a little.
Depending on how this season pans out, that little bit may not be enough.
2. Jim Montgomery’s System Doesn’t Translate Well
The Dallas Stars are putting Jim Montgomery in a challenging position going into the 2018-19 season.
While he’s a young coach with no experience behind an NHL bench, he brings a lot of good philosophies to a team and has a winning culture. With that being said, the Stars are hoping that he solves their coaching problem for at least the next few years.
But there’s also an expectation to win. Dallas has spent the past few years trying to get things right with the bulk of talent in their lineup entering into its prime. The Stars have been yearning for success and, at the very least, a playoff spot. And while it may not be stated outright, they are counting on Montgomery achieving those things in his first year behind the bench.
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Causeway Crowd
And that’s where the questions come in. Is Jim Montgomery ready to coach in an NHL lifestyle and can his unique system work in the NHL? Or will the Stars once again fail to meet the cutoff mark and fall short of the postseason for a third straight year?
The majority belief is that Montgomery’s system will work. He knows how to get the most out of his players and build a strong sense of purpose and culture in the locker room. In addition, he’s also dedicated to his system and wants each player to fit in as best as possible.
But there’s always a chance that things don’t work out, and that’s where the Stars could end up getting hurt. They are relying on this system to get them back to the playoffs, and that might end up becoming more of a challenge than some think.
Now, Montgomery’s system is a unique one that NHL teams won’t necessarily be able to plan for considering they don’t have much to go off of at the moment. He likes to focus on the little details, play a relentless style centered on puck pressure, and focus on the little details while giving consistent energy throughout. It’s an up-tempo style that relies on aggression and acting on impulse, which could succeed in the league.
But nothing is guaranteed. There’s a chance that the competition picks up on the Stars’ style and finds a way to shut it down. There’s also a chance that the Stars players struggle with getting every aspect of play nailed down.
They are little things and don’t seem like the biggest worries, but a new coach always brings about a sense of uncertainty until their teams hit the ice. Only then will you know if he is the right fit for the team.
The Stars are counting on Montgomery being that fit.
3. The Western Conference Has Too Much Talent
Every hockey fan likes to engage in the debate regarding which NHL division and conference are the toughest to play in. But it’s hard to make an argument against the Central division.
Though they may not have the Stanley Cups over the past few years to define it, the level of consistency is unmatched. Since realignment in 2013, it’s the only division where every team has qualified for the postseason at least once. On top of that, every team has been to the big dance at least two times.
In other words, there’s a balance of power and dominance that requires every team to claw for their position in each passing season. In other words, if a Central division team is in the postseason, they definitely earned it. There’s no easy road.
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Blackhawk Up
But the Central might be more loaded now than ever before, and that could pose a problem for the Dallas Stars as they begin their campaign for a spot in the 2019 postseason.
At the current moment, the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets seem to reign supreme and be the two favorites to win the divisional crown. Both had spectacular 2017-18 seasons and put together a seven-game slugfest between each other in the second round of last year’s playoffs. They seem to have only gotten stronger in the offseason and should be up near the top of the standings for all of the year ahead.
Then you have the Minnesota Wild, who are the only Central team to qualify for the playoffs in each of the five years since realignment. The Colorado Avalanche surprised many last season and secured a playoff spot behind a young and talented lineup that they will front in the coming season. And there’s also the St. Louis Blues, who missed the postseason cut in game 82 last year but revamped their lineup with massive offseason additions in an effort to right the ship. Finally, the Chicago Blackhawks finished in dead last in the division last season after a consistent string of playoff appearances and championships over the past decade. They should, at the very least, remain competitive and offer a good challenge.
But it doesn’t stop there. As you look over at the Pacific division, it’s not uncommon to see teams like the San Jose Sharks (who recently acquired elite defenseman Erik Karlsson) and Vegas Golden Knights (who advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in their first year of existence in 2018) chosen as the favorites to represent the West in the Cup. Other teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames can also be considered as playoff potentials.
That leaves a tall task for a Dallas Stars team that will attempt to stay competitive and in the thick of the race while once again adapting to new changes.
The Western Conference offers a tight race and an all-out war. The competition is deep, the talent is stocked, and nothing is ever certain. Dallas will need to get out to a quick start and keep up the pace with the rest of their division and conference if they want to stay in the playoff race. If not, they might find themselves behind the eight ball sooner rather than later.
Next. Three Reasons Why The Stars Are Playoff Bound In 2019. dark
This season definitely poses an interesting situation for the team. While the Dallas Stars put together and encouraging offseason and seem to be prepared for the future, they will have to keep the determination rolling come Thursday night. There’s reasons to be hopeful and reasons to be uncertain.
But in the end, that’s what being a sports fan is all about.