The season has flown by fast already, and the Dallas Stars just finished the first quarter. It feels like just yesterday that everyone was arriving for training camp and preparing to get revenge on the Western Conference. Glenn Gulutzan and his coaching staff have done a good job navigating a difficult quarter of the season amid injuries to several players. Here are the grades for the Dallas Stars through the first quarter of the season.
Dallas Stars First Quarter Grades: Forwards B-
This has probably been the most challenging start for a forward group that I've seen for the Stars in a long time. It really takes a toll on the team when your captain is sidelined with a collapsed lung for a month and a half. It also really doesn't do well when your bottom two lines are made up of second-year players and AHL callups. Even though the Stars have dealt with injuries to some of their forwards in the first quarter of the season, they have done pretty well to keep the Stars within striking distance of first place in the Central Division.
First off, the Stars have found some new chemistry on their top line this season. Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen have found a groove together when playing on the top line. That needs to continue in the second quarter after Mikko Rantanen returns from his suspension, which he's serving later tonight. We will talk more about that in just a second. The top line of Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen, and Wyatt Johnston is a lock and should not be broken up for the remainder of the season.
One thing about Rantanen is very concerning after we reached the first-quarter mark of the season. He doesn't know the line between being physical and being overphysical. It's why he's sitting out tonight's game in Edmonton, and I hope this is a lesson for him tonight. The Stars aren't going to be a competitive team in the Western Conference without him in the lineup. He's done a good job living up to his new contract for the next decade and needs to dial down the physicality some.
The last player we need to talk about is Jason Robertson. I'm surprised that Jim Nill hasn't reached out to his agent to get a new contract signed. He's scored 10 goals in 6 games for the Stars during his current scoring streak. He wants a piece of the rising salary cap the Stars will inherit over the next three seasons. If Nill doesn't want to sign him to an eight-year extension, I will because you don't need Robertson to go somewhere like Colorado and torture you for almost a decade.
Other than that, the forwards have done well to keep the Stars within striking distance of the top of the division. I don't want to go over the remaining ones, since some of them have been injured, and I want to see how they do when they return to the lineup. One of those players is Matt Duchene. He's dealing with post-concussion symptoms, and it's kind of a giveaway with the tinted visor he was wearing during practice.
Dallas Stars First Quarter Grades: Defense C+
I'm disappointed with how the defense has done in the first quarter of the season because there have been some games the Stars could have won if they'd stepped up. The Stars' defensemen can't rely on Casey DeSmith and Jake Oettinger to be the primary defense. When going over the defensive issues, we are not going to talk about Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley, even though I really want to talk about post-extension Harley. If it weren't for the Stars' forward depth, we would be preparing for a top-five draft pick.
One of the things I want to talk about is their ability to allow second-chance opportunities. One of the things the Stars have had issues with during the first quarter of the season has been second-chance opportunities. That can't happen tonight against the Oilers because Connor McDavid loves second-chance opportunities. The Stars have to do a better job of clearing the puck out of the zone and limiting second-chance opportunities for their opponents.
Another thing the Stars need to work on is clearing the front of the net for their goaltenders. While they have cleaned out the front of the net in some games this season, it's got to be more consistent. Lian Bichsel has to use his big body and move everyone to the side so Oettinger and DeSmith can see where the puck is in the Stars' zone. While an occasional screen is okay, blocking both goaltenders' vision of where the puck is a no-no the Stars need to work on during the second quarter of the season.
And the last thing the Stars' defensemen have to improve on is standing around in the zone and not reacting to their opponent. Sometimes during the first quarter of the season, some of the defensemen have been standing around watching their opponent score on Oettinger and DeSmith. That drives me insane, and it should drive you insane as well. There are a lot of things the defensemen need to improve on, beginning tonight against the Oilers.
Dallas Stars First Quarter Grades: Goaltenders A-
Out of all the things that have gone right for the Stars in the first quarter, the goaltenders have been the best. Oettinger and DeSmith have held down the fort with all the injuries and have done their job. While Oettinger did have a slump during the first quarter of the season, it was for a good reason. Once he gets a handle on being a dad, Oettinger should return to being an elite goaltender. What also can help Oettinger is if his defensemen do their jobs in front of him.
One thing I want Casey DeSmith to work on is continuing being a consistent goaltender. While he did have a rough start to the season, he's really locked it down over the last five starts during the first quarter of the season. I want to see him shed the "Jeckyl and Hyde" nickname and be someone the Stars can turn to if Oettinger is not having a good game. Both goaltenders have done their jobs and should be commended for helping the Stars keep their spot near the top of the division during the first quarter of the season.
In conclusion, the Stars have had a good first quarter of the season. While injuries to key players presented some challenges for the Stars, they are in contention in the Central Division. That's all you can ask for at the quarter mark of the season. I'm sure Gulutzan will work on some things with the Stars to improve their performance in the second quarter of the season. I'm liking what I'm seeing for the most part and can't wait for tonight's matchup against the Oilers. Stay tuned later tonight for the pre-and postgame articles.