The race to the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been nothing short of challenging for the Dallas Stars. But in all of their different trials, the key play from their depth players is providing a massive boost and helping the team pick up valuable points.
Depth scoring matters. It’s a lesson that every NHL team must learn at one point or another and is one that many teams are well-versed in. However, there are a handful of teams that struggle in learning this lesson. That includes the Dallas Stars.
Throughout the 2017-18 season, the Stars struggled with putting together an offensive lineup that could click on all four lines. And while they were a middle-of-the-pack team in the NHL ranks in regards to scoring offense, it was primarily thanks to the sticks of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, and John Klingberg.
The lack of depth scoring ultimately served as the Stars’ undoing in the final month of the season. With Benn, Seguin, and Radulov hitting a patch of inefficiency, Dallas crumbled altogether in the offensive zone. The Stars didn’t have the depth they needed to force their way into the playoffs and ended up falling out of the picture at the most inconvenient time.
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As the 2018 offseason got underway, depth scoring seemed to be at the front of the team’s to-do list. But instead of jumping into the free agency market and signing some big name scorers, GM Jim Nill brought Valeri Nichushkin back from the KHL and signed Blake Comeau to a three-year deal. While both were considered depth forwards, neither seemed to be the answer to the depth scoring needs.
And through 67 games, it’s clear that the issues still remain. The Stars currently sit third-to-last in the NHL in terms of scoring at 2.55 goals per game. Only four forwards have more than eight goals this season (Benn, Seguin, Radulov, and Radek Faksa) and almost half of the forward group has scored six or less goals. But what about the offseason additions? Comeau sits at six goals and 14 points while Nichushkin has yet to find the back of the net in 48 games played.
It’s a painful situation for the team. They made a trade for Mats Zuccarello before the deadline in an attempt to help spark the offensive attack, but he was quickly designated to the injured reserve list after breaking his arm during his Dallas debut.
And yet, the Dallas Stars are sitting in a playoff spot. Not only that, but they are on a bit of a hot streak as of late, winning four straight games and six of their past eight.
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As the Western Conference playoff races continues to churn onwards, the Stars are sitting in a somewhat comfortable spot. They own sole control of the first wild card spot and find themselves just three points back of third place in the Central division. And though the Minnesota Wild are close on their tail, the Stars are beginning to build a sizable gap between themselves and the playoff wall. That’s an important theme at this time in the regular season, especially with how close the race is in the West.
But in the past few games, Dallas has been forced to dig deep. There have been injuries that have claimed key players from the lineup as the Stars have gone up against some of the more desperate teams in the playoff push. Every game has been more critical than the one preceding it. And yet, the Stars have come away with big points in each game.
That’s a testament to their depth players stepping up into bigger roles and rising to the challenge.
Take Thursday’s game against Colorado for example. It was a Central division battle with only three points separating the two teams in the standings. The Avalanche needed a win to stride closer to a wild card spot while the Stars needed a win to keep their hold on the top wild card spot.
The Avs already owned a 2-0-0 series lead on Dallas in the season, due in large part to their top line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen. They’re the highest-scoring trio in the NHL and did significant damage to the Stars in the first two contests of the series, totaling a combined seven goals and 14 points.
To make matters more difficult, the Dallas Stars had to play the game without Radek Faksa while the center recovered from a neck injury. Faksa is one of the best defensive forwards on the Dallas roster and is known for being called upon by head coach Jim Montgomery to shut down the opposition’s top line.
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Jason Dickinson was slotted into Faksa’s spot on the second line, centering Jamie Benn and Blake Comeau. That trio was often called on throughout the night to shut down Colorado’s threatening trio, and they did so in an impressive fashion. Part of that effort had to do with Dickinson’s dominant performance in all three zones. He finished the night with one assist, a +1 rating, three shots on goal, and 2:04 of shorthanded ice time. To top it all off, he skated 20:22, the highest ice time of his NHL career by three minutes.
“The job Jason Dickinson did was incredible,” Montgomery mentioned after the game. “He was on top of pucks and he was better offensively than he’s been lately. I think he was gaining confidence throughout the game and he relished the role. We have a lot of confidence in him and the fact that we have him and Faksa is a huge plus for our team to have two guys like that.”
With Faksa out, Dickinson stepped into an unfamiliar role and put on a grand performance. He did what the Stars needed from him and helped the second line complete its job.
“It wasn’t perfect and they had some chances,” Dickinson mentioned. “But, I think all-in-all, beating them 4-0 is a good sign. It took all three of us on my line and the we were out there with to shut them down because they are a highly-talented line.”
But it wasn’t just Dickinson on Thursday night; instead, there are various depth players on the Stars roster that have stepped up in big ways over the past few weeks.
"“Definitely. That’s the kind of stuff that I get excited for. [Tyler Seguin] might get excited to score goals and obviously for myself, that’s still exciting. But the challenge of stopping those guys from doing their game is just as exciting.” -Jason Dickinson on playing a defensive role on the second line"
Along with Dickinson’s line, Roman Polak and Esa Lindell were asked to serve as the defensive opposition to Colorado’s top line. Polak has long since been considered a depth defenseman for the Stars this season, playing on the second pairing with Miro Heiskanen and eating up minutes on the penalty kill.
But on Thursday night, Polak did a stellar job at shutting down an offensive juggernaut alongside Lindell, who typically plays with John Klingberg on the top pairing. Polak skated for 21:51, posted a +1 rating, and recorded two shots on goal, three hits, and three blocked shots.
“I’m totally fine with him,” Lindell said. “It’s easy to play with him, too. We try to keep it simple, play solid defense, and help the offense when we can.”
That’s just two players rising a new challenge and helping the Stars soar in the most recent game. Over the past few weeks, however, the list is more extensive.
With Andrew Cogliano missing a handful of games due to injury, Valeri Nichushkin stepped up on the penalty kill unit. And though he still hasn’t found the back of the net, his defensive presence and efforts while shorthanded have helped him establish a higher value.
Rookie Roope Hintz has spent the majority of the past month skating on the top line next to Seguin and Radulov after Montgomery shook up the offense; so far, he’s seized the opportunity.
After spending the first few months going up and down between the NHL and AHL as he made the transition, he’s making a lasting impact. He’s added a new element of speed to the top of the lineup and uses his creativity, effort, and energy to outwork the opposition and create chances.
“I like him,” Radulov said of his new line mate. “Personally, I like the kid. I like the way he works and the way he sees the game. Best of luck for him and if he keeps working, he’s got a bright future. It’s good to play with him.”
Dickinson took a big stride forward and proved his capabilities on the second line. Polak is an indispensable skater that the Stars can use in most situations. Nichushkin is finding success on the penalty kill, as is Cogliano, Comeau, Mattias Janmark, and others. They are getting physical when necessary and creating havoc in the offensive and defensive zone. Ben Lovejoy has also quickly settled into his role as a third-pairing anchor to balance out the blue line after being traded to Dallas two weeks ago.
So while the depth players aren’t scoring goals, their contributions are not going unnoticed. They are rising to the occasion in different trials and times of crisis. Thursday night showed that, even with a tough, desperate opponent and a handful of critical injuries, the Dallas Stars could still find ways to dominate a game and come up with a 4-0 victory. Those two points might not have happened without the performances of the depth players.
“We’ve got no panic in this room,” Dickinson added following the win over Colorado.
At this point in the regular season, every game is critical. With that being said, it’s remarkable to see this Stars team rallying in the face of injuries and adversity to pick up important victories and start a hot streak. It’s a testament to their sharp goaltending duo and players like Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov stepping up in the goal column.
But in the same way, it’s also a tribute to how well-rounded the depth players are performing. They are doing their job and helping the team grind out each victory. And with 15 games to go in the regular season, there isn’t a better time to do it.