Stars' depth scoring shows up Monday, but it masks Dallas' biggest need

Fans across the NHL, of just about every team in the league, are itching for their favorite team to make a deal this week. With the NHL trade deadline just three days away, time is running short for clubs to make a move, and their faithful are getting antsy.

Stars fans have wanted a deal for months now. When Tyler Seguin went down in early December, the team was flying high, right on the heels of the Colorado Avalanche, who, themselves, looked like the best team in the league. Dallas was right behind. But a January lull combined with Seguin's injury inspired all sorts of conjecture about what Stars general manager Jim Nill should do, though he said over the weekend the Stars likely won't make a major deal.

Since late January, though, that lull has turned 180 degrees. Dallas won its ninth straight game, a franchise record, Monday night, knocking off potential trade partner Vancouver, 6-1. Evander Kane - a player Nill has shown interest in the last several weeks - scored first to put the Canucks ahead in the first period, but Adam Erne tied things less than 10 minutes later. The Stars proceeded to outshoot Vancouver 31-7 the rest of the way en route to the blowout.

It was a nice night under normal circumstances. It was a great night considering depth scoring is considered one of Dallas' biggest weaknesses. Seguin was recently announced as out for the rest of the year, freeing up some cash for Nill to make a move to bolster the middle six. And it's unclear when first-line center Roope Hintz and checking center Radek Faksa will return, though they're expected back in the next couple of weeks. The team's best offensive player, Mikko Rantanen, could return that soon, too, though he could be out a bit longer than his two fellow Olympians.

For a night, anyway, those absences didn't matter in the least. Erne, a fourth-liner, picked up his fourth goal of the season. Colin Blackwell, another bottom-six forward, picked up his third. And light-scoring, but heavy-hitting, defenseman Lian Bichsel scored two, his second and third of the year.

The question is whether that depth scoring on Monday was legitimate or masked the legitimate weakness. The reality is probably the latter. There's a reason Blackwell and Erne are semi-regular scratches. The Stars are also running Arttu Hyry regularly at this point of the year. And while his play has been admirable, he's better off in the AHL for now.

As good as the good win felt and as important as it was to keep pace with the Avalanche, don't expect it to change Dallas' needs suddenly. Most fans will continue waiting, fingers crossed.