Dallas Stars: Analyzing Potential Forward Lines For 2019-20 Season
With the high point of the 2019 offseason in the rearview mirror, it’s time for the Dallas Stars to begin looking ahead to the regular season. And after a summer of quality additions, how might their lineup pan out?
In just two months, the Dallas Stars will welcome the St. Louis Blues to the American Airlines Center to begin their 2019 preseason slate. And while that may seem like a significant amount of time, think about this: the Stars’ 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs run ended over two months ago.
So, in theory, the offseason is over halfway done. And boy, has a lot happened since it officially kicked off on May 9, 2019.
With the first half of every offseason comes with questions, uncertainties, safe bets, and risks for every NHL team. Players are released, signed, extended, and traded for, while every front office hopes that the moves they make are not only the correct ones, but also among the best ones across the NHL.
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For the Dallas Stars, their 2019 offseason journey has included a little bit of everything.
They went through the decision-making process with pending UFAs like Jason Spezza, Marc Methot, Roman Polak, Taylor Fedun, and Ben Lovejoy. They went through a negotiation war with Mats Zuccarello before deciding to part ways. They hired another former NHL head coach in John Stevens to serve on Jim Montgomery‘s staff. They cut ties with young, developing players like Brett Ritchie and put Julius Honka on the trade block. They endured the quietest NHL Entry Draft in terms of picks in the Jim Nill era. They re-signed well-known RFAs like Mattias Janmark and Jason Dickinson and avoided arbitration entirely.
And to top it all off, Nill put together the busiest July 1 of any NHL team by signing a group of high-profile Pacific division veterans in Joe Pavelski, Corey Perry, Andrej Sekera. Just like the rest of the League, Nill is banking on the addition of these players to help a team that fell one goal short of a trip to the Western Conference Finals take the next step.
In this specific instance, the analysts are saying all of the right things.
“The Stars should be right in the mix for the Cup in the 2019-20 season.”
“Dallas checked most, if not all, of their boxes this summer and should be in a spot to contend.”
“The Dallas Stars have a chance to be a real player in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
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Pucks and Pitchforks
And while all of the positive comments and the sharp rise in odds to win the 2020 Stanley Cup are motivational factors, nothing is proven. Nothing can be proven until the team takes the ice on Oct. 3 against the Boston Bruins. Until then, it’s nothing but dreams on paper.
That’s where Jim Montgomery comes up to bat. He’s been cautiously waiting in the on-deck circle while Nill has been in the batter’s box, taking heavy swings to put the second-year head coach in a position to succeed.
But now, Nill is on base and it’s time for Montgomery to bring him and his efforts home.
As mentioned above, Montgomery won’t have his first real chance at doing so until the regular season begins. But while we navigate the quietest part of the NHL summer and await the beginning of training camp, now is as good of a time as any to start looking at some potential line combinations that could work for Montgomery.
Now, let’s go through a few disclaimers. First, these lines are based on a combination of skill sets, past history, and a little bit of speculation. Montgomery, like some of his predecessors on the Dallas bench, is known for switching his lines on the fly in a constant search for finding a combination that clicks. There’s a chance that the lines he is using at opening puck drop aren’t the ones he will be using when the final buzzer sounds on a give game night. That’s how he works.
On top of that, these lines may not be like any of the projected lines you’ve already read about, and that’s okay. There isn’t a right or wrong answer and there truly are a multitude of ways that Montgomery could go with it. Nill has set him up nicely with a handful of superstar players as well as a few complimentary pieces, so the combinations seem endless.
With that being said, let’s take a quick dive into how the opening night lineup on offense could shape up (we’ll look at defense a little further down the road).
Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Alexander Radulov
Jason Dickinson – Roope Hintz – Joe Pavelski
Andrew Cogliano – Radek Faksa – Corey Perry
Mattias Janmark – Ty Dellandrea – Blake Comeau
Extras: Denis Gurianov, Justin Dowling
Considering the newness of this look, take a moment to absorb it all. Now, let’s look at it.
Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Alexander Radulov
Ah yes, THE Stars’ first line (also dubbed the AAC line due to Benn wearing the ‘C’ while Seguin and Radulov both boast an ‘A’).
Since the addition of Radulov in July 2017, this trio has been together for a good majority of the 177 games that they have worn the same jersey in. There’s a reason for that.
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Blackhawk Up
When this trio gets together, they all seem to be at the top of their game. The chemistry is strong and unique. Pairing Benn’s toughness and 200-foot style of play with Seguin’s speed and playmaking abilities and Radulov’s determination and finishing capabilities, this line always has the potential to be one of the best first lines in hockey when they get together.
And while Benn regressed in terms of production during the 2018-19 season and the rise of Roope Hintz, Jason Dickinson, and Mats Zuccarello gave Montgomery the ability to make his captain flexible, the coach loves the first line and the drive they bring to the game. There were plenty of games down the stretch where the trio didn’t start together but would end the game together due to Montgomery wanting a change of pace or a harder scoring push somewhere in the middle of the contest.
It’s hard to break up a line that almost always produces. And while Benn could still be somewhat flexible between the first and second lines as the 2019-20 season best underway, it’s hard to not envision Seguin and Radulov on top of the forward group.
Jason Dickinson – Roope Hintz – Joe Pavelski
What happens when you combine young speed and ferocity with a natural-born scorer and leader? We might find out soon enough.
Last season, Dickinson and Hintz proved to be a dynamite combo alongside Mats Zuccarello. The two played with each other at various points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and were one of the Stars’ more effective lines. With Dickinson bringing a physical element and puck hunting ability to the table and Hintz adding blazing speed and an ability to drive the net, the duo make up a significant part of the team’s bright future.
“I feel great right now. I don’t know what people say their prime is, but some of my best years have been 30-35. There’s no reason that number isn’t going to stretch to 35, 36, and 37 and I believe that. The one knock on me has always been my skating and that I haven’t been as fast as the other guys, but I’ve never felt out of place out there and I’ve always been able to get it done. I’ve been at this level for a long time and I don’t see it going down.” –Joe Pavelski on his health
Pavelski, on the other hand, is one of the newest recruits that should greatly aid in the Stars’ biggest problems: putting the puck in the back of the net and turning the second line into a consistent offensive threat. He’s got a history of scoring the puck (he’s averaged 32.8 goals over the past five seasons). Pair that with his ability to play both at center and on the wing and drive offensive possession with his hockey IQ and you’ve got the perfect counterpart to a young duo looking to make their stamp in the top six.
Andrew Cogliano – Radek Faksa – Corey Perry
This is where things get interesting. You could just as easily see Dickinson on the second line as you could on the third or fourth on opening night. Blake Comeau could end up on the third line to retake his position alongside Cogliano and Faksa after the trio produced an impressive stretch in the 2019 postseason.
But here’s why this trio could really work.
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Bolts by the Bay
While Cogliano and Faksa work well together, they make up the Dallas Stars’ “checking” line. In other words, this is the line that Montgomery can send out either for a defensive shift or to wear down the opposition’s top line. Faksa is a big-bodied center that continues growing into his role as a full-time NHL player, while Cogliano is a veteran that uses speed as his primary ally.
With Perry, this line could round out their greatest weakness: scoring the puck. Faksa finished with 15 goals last season while Cogliano scored just three in 32 games with Dallas after a midseason trade. Add in Blake Comeau’s seven and there really isn’t a legitimate scoring threat coming from this line (though that isn’t necessarily what they are expected to be).
Adding Perry, a forward that has won the Hart Trophy and Rocket Richard Trophy in his career and is out to prove people wrong after being bought out by the Anaheim Ducks, the Stars could have a perfect complement for the third line. Perry is a natural agitator and thrives on getting under the opponent’s skin as well, which would work well on the third line.
There’s a chance that Perry shifts to the second line or even fourth line for opening night. But if he is fully healthy and determined to get off on a high note, combining his skills with Cogliano and Faksa could provide an outstanding result.
Mattias Janmark – Ty Dellandrea – Blake Comeau
Things get even more interesting when you talk about the Stars’ bottom trio. That’s partly because of the players already listed that could drop to this line and partly due to the fact that there are any number of prospects that could eventually grab spots as well.
While Janmark seems like a lock for line four, the other two spots could shake out in any number of ways.
Will Montgomery drop Dickinson down to play center on the fourth line? Does Justin Dowling have a shot at it after getting an extended look in the postseason? Could Janmark even shift back to the center spot considering he started his career there and open a wing spot for Denis Gurianov or Joel L’Esperance? And what about right wing? Will Comeau start on line four or might the spot be reserved for Perry or another young winger come opening night?
There’s a lot of debates that can be sparked from this line, but we also have to talk about one of the team’s biggest question marks on offense: Ty Dellandrea.
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After he was picked 13th overall by the Dallas Stars at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft following an impressive year on a bad Flint Firebirds (OHL) team, Dellandrea returned to Flint for the 2018-19 season and turned in another strong showing despite the circumstances. He’s a 19-year-old that plays a 200-foot game, brings determination, grit, and a desire to keep getting better to the lineup, and is a superb playmaking center. And after an admirable six-game stint with the Texas Stars following the conclusion of the Firebirds’ season, the question now remains: will he be in the NHL in 2019-20?
Under CHL rules, Dellandrea cannot play for an AHL team until he completes three full seasons in the OHL. So, even though he’s proven his readiness for a full-time AHL spot, that won’t be an option in the 2019-20 season.
He could, however, play for the Dallas Stars. The rules allow for Dellandrea to play up to nine games in the NHL before the team must make a decision. If he stays in the AHL, it will obviously count against the first year of his entry-level contract. But if he goes back to the OHL, the slide rule will once again take effect.
That gives the Stars a chance to get a full sample size of the young center. If he once again impresses in training camp and the preseason, there’s a good chance that Dellandrea could be in the starting lineup on opening night. Young rookies like Janmark and Hintz have both cracked the opening night roster over the past few seasons and turned those opportunities into full-time NHL spots. Is Dellandrea in that boat? We’ll have to wait and see.
Remember also that Martin Hanzal is expected to be put on long-term IR at the beginning of the season to open another roster spot and a handsome amount of cap space for a Dallas team that sits at just under $1 million in space at the moment.
“Our team is trending up and that’s a good sign. We like where we’re at. What I like is the mix of the youth and the experience we have now. We’ve got a good mix, and that’s what excites me about the team. We’re adding some great leaders and guys that know how to win to the core. You mix that in with some of the young kids and I think it can be a pretty dynamic team that way.” –GM Jim Nill on the status of the Dallas Stars
With that being said, the Dallas Stars offense will be an interesting case study as we approach training camp. Will Montgomery stick to the top trio of Benn, Seguin, and Pavelski? Will Benn and Perry’s chemistry and similar playing styles cause the head coach to stick them on the second line together? Where does Dickinson fit in the mold? Does Dellandrea have a legitimate shot at the opening night lineup? Will Dowling, Gurianov, and L’Esperance have a shot at a roster spot?
All of these questions will be answered in due time, and we’ll take a look at how the defense pans out in the near future.
Next. Learning Time: Development Camp Gives Stars Chance To Grow. dark
Until then, keep bouncing those line combos around in your head.