Dallas Stars: Three Unanswered Questions From The 2019-20 Season

The pausing of the 2019-20 NHL season has left many in the hockey community wondering about the next step. In addition to the uncertainty that comes with each day, though, there are also a number of questions on the ice that were left unanswered for the time being. Let’s look at a few pertaining to the Dallas Stars.

So many questions, so few answers.

For nearly three weeks, that’s been the overarching motto in the world of sports.

While the planet continues to try and wrap its head around the COVID-19 pandemic, those in the sports world are simply trying to keep up and stay informed. After all, it’s been almost three weeks since the last sporting event at a professional, college, or minor league level was played.

The NBA suspended its season on March 12. The NHL and MLS followed suit a few hours later. The MLB has delayed the start of the 2020 season until further notice. There’s also talk that college and NFL football might end up being affected come September.

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Puck Prose

And although scenarios of potentially resuming play are being dreamt up across most professional sports leagues, the unpredictable and constantly changing timeline of the pandemic is leaving that hope hanging in the balance.

And that’s where the unanswered questions come into play. When will the curve begin to flatten on the virus to a point where it’s safe to resume play? Will the NHL and NBA be able to resume their regular seasons, or might they have to advance straight to playoffs? Will the MLB still play a 162-game schedule? Will the conversation about cancelling the season altogether eventually be had?

The sports world is confused, and there are few answers to alleviate the uncertainty right now. That’s just the reality of it.

For those involved in the sports community, there’s plenty of frustration. Writers and content creators are having to generate a new level of creativity and come up with new ideas to fill the void left by no new action. Athletes must find a way to stay in “game shape” from their own homes without access to practice facilities. Finally, fans are looking for ways to fill the nights they typically would have spent watching their favorite teams.

And finally, there’s that theme of unanswered questions. How would the NHL playoff picture look right now had the season not been paused? Would your favorite MLB team be undefeated through the first week of the season? How many teams would still be in contention for a playoff spot in the NBA? And where would the Dallas Stars be right now?

When we last checked in, the Stars were 37-24-8 with 82 points through 69 games. That was good enough for third place in the Central Division, though more shuffling in the Western Conference was certain in the final three weeks of the season.

Would Dallas have broken their six-game winless streak (0-4-2) on March 12 against the Florida Panthers? Would they be riding a win streak into the final week of the 2019-20 season? Would it be enough to push them into second place in the Central or at least solidify their hold on third?

The sudden halt in the season turned these questions into mere musings with no set timeframe for learning an answer.

But the unanswered questions go much deeper than seeding and playoff hopes. There are questions about individual players, stats, team streaks, and the history of the franchise that still need a final resolution.

So, since we don’t know how long the pause will last and if or when the 2019-20 Dallas Stars will return to the ice, let’s take a look at some of the top unanswered questions still hanging in the balance.