Stars May Be Buyers at the Deadline

The Dallas Stars' hot play of late is not going un-noticed around the league. Winners of five games in a row, and going for their sixth in-a-row tonight against Colorado, the Stars are hunting down that 5th playoff spot in the West. This is the type of team the pundits around the league envisioned when they were previewing the league last summer. After a rough start, they have finally gotten here.

The strong play of younger players and new arrivals have really boosted the Stars in their play. James Neal and Loui Eriksson have both been having banner years - although he probably won't win it (the competition is VERY stiff), Neal is in the chatter about contenders for the Calder Memorial Trophy, the award given to the league's top rookie. Although quiet in the points department, Brian Sutherby has really chipped in with some great physical play since his acquisition in December. And, of course, there's Brad Richards. After a slow start, he has become the Stars' leading scorer.

There are rumors that the Stars may still be in the hunt for that "missing piece" before the trade deadline at the end of this month, though, and I have to agree that it's a strong possibility. Although the offensive side of things has looked pretty strong all season, the defense has been suspect at times, as has the goaltending, and those are areas the Stars may want to shore up before the deadline passes.

Before suffering a broken hand in last night's game against the Avalanche, Toronto's Tomas Kaberle was one of the most talked about names for available top-tier defensemen. Kaberle has a no trade clause in his contract, but he has said many times before that he is willing to waive it if he is not in the Maple Leafs' long-term plans. It still appears he isn't, but with this injury, he may be much more difficult to move at the deadline. I wouldn't completely rule him out, however, as he is arguably the most talented defenseman available when he's healthy.

Because of this injury, I think the Stars will look elsewhere. They still want a puck-moving defensemen who is a proven contributor, but I believe they want someone who can step into that role as soon as he's acquired. They may look at another Canadian team in the Eastern Conference - the Ottawa Senators. Filip Kuba is in the final year of his contract, and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Sens will probably want to get what they can for him while they are able, and the Stars are a prime canidate. Kuba is a capable, offensive-minded D-man who knows how to chip in and be mobile. Kuba has 25 points this year (1 G, 24 A) through 41 games.

Whether or not the Stars look for a goaltender remains to be seen. With Marty Turco's strong play of late, and the organization's announcement that they're not looking at anyone else to start games this year, that speculation is starting to dwindle. They may wish to get another able veteran if they can find one at a reasonable price (no small feat) if they are worried about Stephan's lack of experience for a playoff run, but more than likely they will stay put in this area. Personally, as I have stated before, I would like to see them sign Curtis Sanford. He'd be a lot more comforting as a backup if things get serious. Let's just hope no rash decisions are made...the chemistry is finally looking good this season.

Some Thoughts About All-Star Weekend

It was fun watching all of the hockey world's elite come out to celebrate the game as well as the 100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens franchise at the All Star Game this weekend.

Every year, it seems like fewer and fewer people are actually interested in the All-Star Game itself, and more are interested in the Skills Competition the night before. I know that is what interests me. It's always nice to see new records set - Al Iafrate's cannon-like shot has been the mark to be for years, and this year Zdeno Chara broke the 16-year old record for hardest shot with a blazing 105.4 MPH blast. Quite the shot from the point there - something the Stars have been missing with Sergei Zubov out of the lineup, even if his hardest probably comes in 4-6 MPH slower...

As I said, normally the Skills Competition is what interests me most...and when they debuted the "Breakaway Challenge" last year, I was excited. It most readily equates to the "Slam Dunk Competition" the NBA has, and gives players a chance to go out and have some fun with their shots. And, even though he didn't make it, Alexander Ovechkin's shot last year was a jaw-dropper...just the creativity alone made it a winner. But after seeing AO's "winning" shot this year, I am ready to be done with it if fans are going to vote the winner. The pandering, goofy, half-hearted attempt Ovechkin submitted and fans endorsed was pathetic. Seriously? THAT is what qualifies as the best shot? Gimme a break...

In the "Big Game" itself, Modano and Robidas were pretty quiet. Modano did have the primary assist on the third-period opening goal by Shane Doan, but was held off the scoresheet otherwise. Robidas had a shot on goal, and not much else. Both players were near the bottom of the pile in minutes played. But, the game was fast-moving and quick-paced, and neither Star was lost in the motion.

Do the Stars Need a Backup Plan?

There's been a lot of talk, especially over the last week or so, about the Stars' plan in net. A couple of weeks ago, Coach Dave Tippett revealed that he plans to ride Marty Turco, good or bad, to the end. And, barring any sort of injury, Turco would be his man in net for the rest of the season. Obviously, with Turco's sub-par performance so far this year (the worst of his career) that statement raised several eyebrows. Oh, really Tip? Why exactly does he get this sort of trust?

Well, I will play the role of devil's advocate briefly here before I go into some other options I think are a bit more sane. The past has shown that when Marty hits the skids, the only way he gets out of it is by playing through it. It has also shown that when he gets on a roll, he tends to stay on one for a good long time. Tippett might just be thinking if he stays with Marty long enough, he's bound to play through this horrible spell of bad performances, and get on a hot streak - a hot streak the Stars can ride up the standings.

The problem is, if this theory backfires, the Stars could well be out of the playoff picture by the time the trade deadline rolls around. And that isn't a picture fans are used to or want to contemplate for this season.

One popular refrain this week, from sports writers and "hockey insiders", was for the Stars to make a move for recently waived Vancouver Canucks netminder Curtis Sanford. His career numbers are very palatable for a #2 goalie - he is 37-37-16 with a 2.76 GAA and .901 save percentage. Sanford is reasonably priced, too, at $650,000/yr and an unrestricted free agent this summer (so no further commitment is necessary). I think he'd be a very nice signing by the Stars, if they can get the Canucks to part with him cheaply. Thoughts are that he can be had for next to nothing.

As a more expensive option (and there are a couple), the Stars could make a play for Manny Legace, making $2.15 million this season in St. Louis, but also a UFA at year's end. Legace struggled this season in St. Louis, posting some puffy-looking numbers (11-8-1, 3.23 GAA, .888 save percentage), but he's still a solid #2.

And recently, the Ottawa Senators have grown tired of their former #1 netminder, Martin Gerber. Gerber comes at a pretty price, though, as he signed a 3-year, 11.1 million dollar deal with the Sens in 2006. He's in the final year of that deal, which leaves him a UFA at the end of the season, but if the money was evenly-distributed over the three years of the contract, Gerber is due roughly 3.7 million dollars this year. That would be pro-rated, but the price tag would still be about 1.8 million dollars. The Stars don't have that kind of room, so they would need to move players instead of (or maybe in addition to) draft picks.

Personally, I think Sanford is the most attractive pick, as long as Tippett will play another goalie.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia

Stars Winning Despite Further Injuries

Well, finally I get a chance to sit down and get a few thoughts in about the Stars and other hockey matters. So sorry for the delay in this post - I expected to have it up yesterday.

The Stars finished December strongly, and have looked great as of late. They went 8-4-1 in December and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. While that might not turn heads around the league yet, it certainly is an improvement over October and November. The top performers continue to be the top performers - great, reliable play from Mike Modano, Mike Ribeiro and Brad Richards has helped on a regular basis, and strong contributions from young players James Neal & Loui Erikkson has helped. The Stars will play Detroit twice in the next week, so they are hoping their strong play of late can carry on into those matches, at least.

Speaking of Neal, the youngster has pulled into a tie for the league lead in goals by rookies this season. We'll almost certainly see Neal at the end of this month in Montreal for the "Young Stars Game" on January 24th, the night before the All Star Game. I knew Neal had a bright future with the club, just from seeing him skate at the last couple of camps, but it was great to see him seize the opportunity he got this season and run with it.

The Stars have been successful recently, even though they continue to be a banged-up bunch. Landon Wilson is the latest addition to the scratch list. Wilson sustained a rib injury in the game against Edmonton on Saturday, and is currently listed as day-to-day. The Stars hope to get more information about his injury tomorrow. Fabian Brunnstrom has a high-ankle sprain, and will be out for at least the next couple of games. The team hopes he'll be ready in about 7-10 days, but because that kind of injury can be hard to diagnose and even harder to mend, it could be longer. There is good news in that Joel Lundqvist is skating again, and may be back as early as Thursday against the Red Wings. This should limit any call-ups the Stars may need to make this week.

As banged up as they've been this season, and as much as they've struggled, do you think there will be pressure for the Stars to make a deal before the trade deadline this season? Or will the problems assimilating Sean Avery into the group this year still be too strong in everyone's mind for management to make a trade?

Stars Prepare to Close Out 2008

I think the Stars are happy to see 2008 come to a close. Although there has been lots of good (last year's success in the playoffs, for example), there have been lots of let-downs too (last year's exit from the playoffs and the Sean Avery Show, for more examples).

Although the Stars couldn't pull out the victory in last night's game against the Stars, they did look good matched up against the league's "top team". There was lots of energy throughout the lines, and the physical play that has been missing at several points this season was very evident at the AAC last night. Steve Ott brought the same game he's been bringing since coming back from his hand injury - everything but the fisticuffs. No one wants to bring that aspect back to his game more than Ott, but he's being very smart in how he plays. And there are foes around the league who are taking rain checks, you can count on it. Otter's dance card will be full when he can drop the mitts again. But, as Razor said in his commentary last night, the only thing that might keep Ott out of the lineup for a long time would be a tongue injury. His jawing is key to his game. But it wasn't just the physicality that looked good last night - there were some displays of finesse too. James Neal has looked fantastic in his latest stint with the club, and last night the line of Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen and Neal was the most successful, in terms of chances against the Sharks.

Bottom line - even though the Stars didn't pull out the win, they were right in it all through the game. The Sharks have only been defeated eight times in the 36 games they've played, and four of those times it took overtime to decide the winner. There's no shame in dropping one against San Jose, even though the win would have been nice.

It's time to look onward and upward, though. The annual New Year's Eve game is tomorrow, and this year it brings us the New Jersey Devils. It's been six and a half years since the trade that made Jamie Langenbrunner a Devil; hard to believe sometimes. I don't know about any one else, but it's still difficult to see him playing in another team's sweater. At least he went to the Eastern Conference, and we don't run into him more often...I have a feeling we'd regret that trade more and more if we did.

One more thing to look forward to for the new year - the Annual Winter Classic hockey game played on New Year's Day. This year's matchup is the Blackhawks and the Red Wings and will be played in Chicago's beloved Wrigley Field. I really love what the NHL has done in creating this annual event - the outdoor game is a wonderful oddity, and is great to see. Hopefully the execs who schedule this every year take notice of how well it is received every year by the fans, and will continue to schedule this every year. I would love to see the Stars play in one, but it's pretty obvious that it would have to be a road game if they do. How great would it be to see the Stars take on the Wild up on a lake in Minnesota though? Very cool!

Ho Ho Ho-ly Cow!

Great win by the Stars last night over Toronto. It feels good to enter the Christmas break on the heels of such a successful road game (even if the trip was only .500). The Stars managed to score 13 goals in the two games, and looked like they may have unclogged whatever was stopped up in the goal production area. If we can get this kind of work from young guns James Neal, Fabian Brunnstrom and Loui Eriksson, and get Mike Ribeiro, Jere Lehtinen and Mike Modano back on path, we're going to be tough to out-score most nights.

The defense was a bit suspect at times in the past few weeks, but it looked pretty good last night. Of course, most of the action was at the Leafs' end for the first two periods, but the chances that were created by Toronto were jumped upon pretty quickly. Marty still needs to work on seeing the rubber a bit more, and the defense should practice positioning and communication over the holiday...but I think most fans will join me in feeling better about the state of things than they did at the start of the month.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all the Big D Hockey readers out there. Stay safe and happy over the break, and we'll see you at the AAC (or in front of your TV/Radio) on Saturday for the Ducks!

Stars Win a Wild One; Prepare for Road Trip

Last night's game between the Blue Jackets and the Stars was a wild tilt. A total of 10 goals before the shootout on 45 shots. So, the netminding wasn't exactly top-notch, but some nights that's how it is going to be. The goals that were getting by the goalies at both ends were not "pretty" ones, for the most part. And again, that's how it is some nights.

Overtime was rather controversial, as the Blue Jackets appeared to win it 13 seconds in. However, upon review, the office in Toronto determined that the goal was scored with a "distinct kicking motion". While watching the replays, I didn't think they'd call it back. There was a kicking motion, but it was pretty apparent the puck had bounced off his leg already and was going in to the net. Apparently Blue Jackets head coach Ken Hitchcock agreed with my thoughts:

"We won that game,'' Hitchcock said. "I don't care what score they put up."

But, this was a similar call to the goal Morrow had called back in the playoffs last year. So, I guess it's good that the league is calling them the same across the board. Stars head coach Dave Tippett was reminded of that goal as well:

"When I saw it on the board up above, it looked exactly like the one Brenden Morrow had called back last year," Tippett said. "If that was the precedent, then I've seen it before and you know my opinion on it."

The shootout showed a couple of very pretty goals. Richards came in so fast and hard for the first shot you would have thought he'd been resting on the bench the whole game - a very pretty shot. And Ribiero was able to go out and have fun again...very little artistic flair on this one, as opposed to his goal against LA and his attempt against Anaheim last month, but he got the goal and it was still a nice looking one. I think it's great we have someone who entertains on this shot - he gets people excited when he comes up to take a shot.

Some things that stood out to me from last night:

* Loui Eriksson continued his hot play, picking up his first NHL hat trick. ESPN is tracking him on a 45-goal pace this season. It's been some time since the Stars have had a 40-goal scorer, and it'd be nice if he can continue the pace. My guess is that he'll remain steady, but it's more likely he'll end up around 35 goals. Still a very successful year if he can do that!

* Brad Richards had a goal and 3 assists - he leads the team with 26 points (7 goals, 19 assists) this season. His 4-point evening matched his point total from the previous 9 games, so this was definitely great to see from him. Richards has been fighting the puck a bit over the past month or so, and he just needs a couple of productive games under his belt and I think he'll return to form.

* James Neal dropped the gloves to fight Derick Brassard in the first period. It was a bit surprising to see Brassard drop the gloves (Neal too, for that matter!) because he's not known as a "fighter". Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, that fight cost them - Brassard injured his shoulder in the melee, and will be out for the next 3-4 weeks. Neal landed 2 or 3 very good rights, and cut Brassard near the eye too. Good scrap by Neal.


The Stars are preparing for a trip to Ontario, Canada now. They play in Ottawa on Saturday night and then will take to the ice on Tuesday to play the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will be the first time many of us will be able to get a look at former Star Niklas Hagman in his new blue-and-white sweater, if he is able to play. Hagman has been sidelined after receiving a concussion on the 6th of December against the Washington Capitols. It looks like he'll be ready to go in time though. The Stars are really missing Hagman this year; obviously more so with all the injuries that have run through the Dallas team. He has 19 points through 27 games so far this season. He's on pace for a 50 point season, which would be a career high for him. Congrats, Hags - take a night off when the Stars come to town, okay?

Zubov Out Indefinitely

The Stars have confirmed what fans have worried about for weeks - All-Star defenseman Sergei Zubov is going to be sidelined for the foreseeable future. Here's the pressy on it:

FRISCO, Tex. - The Dallas Stars announced today that defenseman Sergei Zubov will undergo surgery on his hip in January, and will be out indefinitely. The surgery will be performed by a hip specialist in Colorado.

Zubov, 38, has collected four helpers in 10 games this season, but has missed the last eight games due to injury. He also missed the season's first 12 games while recovering from pre-season hip surgery.

The Moscow native is the highest-scoring Russian-born defenseman in NHL history, and is the only blue-liner in the league to collect 30-or-more assists in each of the last 12 seasons. Zubov ranks 16th in NHL history in assists by a defenseman (619), and 17th among all-time blueliners in points (771), and is third among active NHL defensemen in both assists and points (behind Chris Chelios and Nicklas Lidstrom).

Zubov ranks third in Stars franchise history in games played (839) and assists (438), and is just five points shy of tying Bobby Smith for fifth on the franchise's all-time scoring list (111-438-549).

Hopefully some of the young defensemen that will take his spot (Niskanen, Fistric - I'm looking at you) can step up and embody his spirit.

In positive news, Dallas will get 3 players back for tonight's game against the Blue Jackets; Steve Ott, Stephane Robidas and Joel Lundqvist will all be in action tonight.

Stars Nip the Coyotes in Overtime, Try to Get Healthy

The Stars got a good effort last night, team-wide, despite giving up a point to the team they're chasing in the standings. The 2-1 victory over the Phoenix 'Yotes was one of the "must-wins" being talked about in the media so much lately. It's tough to see the Stars surrender a point to a team they're trying to catch, but progress is progress, and it's better than flipping those points around if Phoenix were to get the win.

Loui Eriksson had both of the Stars goals last night - neither score was a finesse one, but they put points on the scoreboard. It's really nice to see a young talent the Stars have been touting for years step up when the team needs him to. This is the kind of production they were hoping Antti Miettenan and Junior Lessard would give them, but never did. Right now, Eriksson is on pace to have 38 goals and 22 assists for a 60-point season.

A few things about injuries have come out in the last couple of days. Stephane Robidas had a metal plate stitched into his jaw last week to repair the latest damage he's taken. Word is that he is eager to get back out on the ice already. This man is like a Terminator robot; he just keeps coming at you. While his eagerness to get back is laudable, Coach Dave Tippett is urging him to take it slow, and Robidas will need to get medical approval to return. Chances are that won't be for Thursday's game against Columbus.

The other folks on the mend who could return to action soon are Joel Lundqvist, Jere Lehtinen and Brian Sutherby. Lundqvist has been mentioned by both Mike Heika and Tracey Myers as the most likely to return to action by Thursday, but even that is probably remote. But, all are skating, and that's a good sign.

Thursday's game is another big one that we probably have to have in order to get back into the hunt for the playoffs. It's weird to think of playoff pictures already, but when you're this far back and other teams are performing as well as they are, every game counts. It's unlikely the Stars will catch the Sharks for a division title this year; the Sharks are just so good and so deep this year, it'll be difficult. But, the #4 spot is still a good one, and it's never to early to think about positioning yourself well.

The Blue Jackets (13-14-1-2) have a very similar record to our own (12-14-2-2). We're playing at home, though, where we've played better this year. And the Jackets are pretty atrocious on the road so far this year (4-9-1-1). Their young goalie, Steve Mason, has been playing well lately though - he earned rookie of the month honors in November with a 1.98 GAA in 14 games. Turco will probably start for the Stars, and if he's on his game, we could see another low-scoring match.

Stars Down Wings, Fall to Preds

I have to admit, I wasn't looking forward to last night's game against the Detroit Red Wings. The same Wings that put us out of the playoffs last year were coming back to pick on a team that has very little resemblance to last year's squad that made it to the Western Conference Finals. And fresh off a loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, perennial whipping boys of the Pacific Division, things didn't look good.

But, when I stumbled across a deal on a pair of tickets, the opportunity to see one of my favorite rivalries was too great. My father-in-law and I picked up the tickets and joined the fans at the AAC for what turned out to be one of the better games of the season, thus far. It was kind of interesting to watch the number of Wings fans that turned out to cheer for their team. It was rather like being at a Texas Rangers game against the Boston Red Sox - nearly half the fans were rooting for the other side. Slightly bizarre.

Marty Turco was "Turcolicious" in net, stopping all but one of the 38 shots. Detroit peppered him in the third, but he held strong. A couple of his saves will be on Stars' highlight reels for the next year or two at least. And Stevie Ray Vaughn sent the fans on their way home singing - "If the house is a rockin', don't come a-knockin'..."

The Stars hopped on a plane and were off to Nashville for a game the next night. Tobias Stephan got the nod in goal for his first start since Halloween of this year. Unfortunately, probably in part due to fatigue from the previous night's game, the Stars came out flat and looked that way for most of the game. Stephan looked very good in net though, stopping several fantastic bids. One of the saves will probably be reflected upon as a top 10 save of the NHL season, as he robbed Nashville's Greg Zanon of a 3-on-1 goal with a quick glove save.

But, in the end, the Preds offense was too much for the beleaguered Stars. Down 2-0 in the final minutes, they pulled Stephan for an extra attacker, and the Preds got the empty netter to nail the coffin shut.

The Stars are set to play again tomorrow night, facing the Phoenix Coyotes once again at the AAC.

In transaction-type news.... The Stars confirmed what most fans believed already: Sean Avery will not be suiting up for Dallas again. Too much had happened (very little of it publicized) for him to return to the team and be a trusted, contributing member of the team. I held out hope that Avery would be a good addition to the Dallas roster when they signed him in July...but I worried about the rumors. Unfortunately the rumors were too true.

Dallas swung a minor trade over the weekend - the Stars sent minor leaguer David McIntyre (a fifth round pick in 2006) and a conditional sixth round draft pick in 2010 to the Anaheim Ducks for Brian Sutherby. Sutherby was the Washington Capitals first pick (26th overall) in 2000. He has struggled to make a name for himself, but at 26 years old, is still pretty young, and has a good upside. It hurts to lose McIntyre though...a big guy with good hands who is still playing in the college ranks. I kind of agree with what Mike Heika had to say on this one - not much of an upside on this trade, but maybe Sutherby will be another missing piece like Hagman was a couple of years ago.

Dallas Stars Resting, Healing & Preparing

I didn't get to weigh in on this weekend's game yet - a gritty 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche - but that game was won with a lot of heart. These Stars are beat up and were tired, finishing up their third game in four nights, and were just trying to scrape out some points before getting four days off. Thankfully, they are getting that rest now, and were able to get 2 points out of Friday night's match.

Mike Modano got the shootout winner against the Avs, which gives him 11 goals on the year - just one back of Loui Erikson, who leads the team. In the last two games, he's had two goals and an assist, along with a shootout game-winner. Not so bad for a 38-year old.

A few notables - there was a very good article by Stars' play-by-play man Ralph Strangis posted on the team's website today. I think, because he's with the team, he might be pulling back a bit and changing a few nouns and adjectives here and there, but overall it's a pretty honest and accurate piece. Of the two fine men on our broadcast team, Razor is obviously the more outspoken one usually, so it's refreshing to here Ralphie really weigh in on something. And he did a nice job.

Also, On the injury front, there's not a lot of new developments. Obviously Morrow is still lost for the foreseeable future, most likely the rest of the season. Ott has been doing well in rehab, but is looking at mid to late January for his return. Lehtinen and Zubov are being viewed kind of day-to-day, but both are doubtful for Wednesday. The closest to return is Joel Lundqvist, who has been out since late October with a shoulder injury. He is not expected to skate on Wednesday, however.

And lastly, the Stars recalled forward Tom Wandell from the Swedish Elite League this weekend. How's THAT for a call up? You have to board a plane and hop the ocean in order to join your NHL team...don't hear that happen very often. But, the Stars were really pressed for skaters. With most of the eligible call ups already on the team (James Neal, Chris Connor and Toby Peterson), the Stars had to dig deep. All the way to Europe deep. Wandell participated in a partial team skate on Sunday, but some of the veterans were excused from practice that day (Modano, Ribeiro, Richards, etc.). So, we won't get a good idea of what line he'll play on and what his chemistry will be with his linemates until today or tomorrow. Wandell was the Stars' 5th round choice in the 2005 draft (146th overall). He's expected to wear number 48 when he makes his debut on Wednesday.

NHL Hands Avery a Six-Game Suspension; Now What?

Sean Avery received a six-game suspension from the league this morning. The suspension is retroactive to the Calgary game, so he's already served two of the six games. His first eligible game back would be on Dec. 16 when the Stars host the Phoenix Coyotes at the AAC.

I won't go on too long about this, because lord knows it's everywhere on the net, newspapers and television lately, but there are a few things.

The length of the suspension really didn't matter, other than to set precedence. The players and coaching staff of the Stars have already made their feelings known about Avery, and he's not going to be welcomed back after the suspension is served. Barring a significant change of rhetoric and heart, Sean Avery has probably played his last game for the Stars.

What remains to be seen is how the Stars will handle his contract. Mike Heika has some really great thoughts on this the other day in a DMN article. The first option the Stars have, as he said, is to trade him. I can't imagine anyone crazy enough to take on this mess, but as a friend of mine said the other day, how else did Bryan Marchment have such a long career. Valid point, no? But, I would say the chances are pretty slim of an NHL team wanting to work out a trade for him. He'd be going cheap, I guarantee! After that option, he'll most likely be waived, and if he passes through waivers, he eligible for designation to an AHL club. This is *if* an AHL club wants him. As the Stars are without a full, official, AHL affiliate this year, any of the AHL teams are an option. The only way I could see this working is if a team is trying to up attendance numbers. They might take him on simply for the spectacle of it. And, at the AHL level, I'm sure Avery could be a 20 goal scorer. That's something he has yet to do in his NHL career.

One AHL club with which the Stars have ties - a partial affiliation - are the Manitoba Moose. The Moose (Meese?) have already said they're not interested in taking him. There have been rumors and speculation about other clubs, but nothing concrete. But, it will be interesting to see what becomes of Avery. I foresee his Stars jersey being DEEPLY discounted in the StarCenters in the near future.

Stars Coming Home; Will Avery Join Them?

It was a disappointing last night for Stars fans. I knew going into the game it was going to be tough; it was the second game in as many nights for the Stars, all on the road. In addition, they're embroiled in a controversy that has received a lot of press and put them under the microscope.

What I wasn't expecting last night, though, was a strong game out of #9. Mike Modano almost single-handedly brought the Stars back into the game. Down 3-0 in the third period, Mo notched two goals, and had the Stars within one in the final minutes of the game. But, with Turco on the bench, and the extra skater in, Matt Niskanen made a poor decision with the puck (he had a few last night, but this one couldn't be covered up), and the Oilers tallied an easy open-net goal. They put an extra nail in a coffin that was already well sealed seconds later. A defensive breakdown by Fabian Brunnstrom left an Oiler unchecked in front of the net, and a redirection gave us the final score of 5-2.

New Stars forward Mark Parrish was hit in the face with a puck last night and didn't return to the game after the injury. That could cost the Stars another forward. It's been a long time since I've seen the team this depleted by injuries. You hate to use that as an excuse, but it's hard not to offer it up as an explanation for the 9-12-2-2 record.

But, that said, the Stars are returning home. They get to play in front of their home crowd, which all teams love to do, and hopefully they can pull some inspiration from that. The next two games are against opponents that have also struggled this season, and are very winnable. The third game is against the hated Red Wings, and that will be a difficult one to win. But if the Stars can get another two wins under their belts, and are winners of four of the last five games they've played going into the Detroit tilt? Who knows...

***

Sean Avery and Stars Co-GM Brett Hull are meeting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in New York this morning to determine what further punishment will be doled out for Avery's comments on Tuesday. But, regardless of what fines and suspensions are given out by the league, Avery is going to have to face his team when he comes back to Dallas. And, from the reactions they've had the last couple of days, that may be the biggest barrier to him returning to the Stars lineup any time soon.

Stars Head Coach Dave Tippett has his finger on the pulse of the team better than anyone else, outside of the players, and had this to say:

"From a coach's standpoint, I try to build a team that has an atmosphere where players care about each other and play with each other and play with continuity, and I find it hard to believe that Sean could come back in that dressing room and we could find that continuity again,"

Tippett had been talking to the media just minutes before Avery's off-color remarks, and had been defending him. For Tippett, the biggest insult wasn't the words Avery made - it was the pre-meditation of the statements, and the way he went out of his way to break a promise he gave the coach. Tippett said:

"It's frustrating for me to go out and defend the guy. It's disappointing, because in the morning with all the stuff going on in the media, I approached Sean and asked him if he was going to talk to media; he told me, no. He talked to our PR people and he told them, no, he wasn't going to talk to the media ... and to have a calculated response like that ... it was a calculated statement for what I feel was personal gain."

Many players have come out and denounced Avery's words as well. But it runs deeper than this incident, and that is becoming more and more obvious. The words that have been used - "unacceptable", "disappointing", "embarrassment", etc. - go to describe the team's feelings about Avery himself, and not just his stupid remarks. Avery may be back in town with the team on Friday, but I have a feeling it will be some time before we see Sean Avery in a Stars jersey again - if we do at all.

League Suspends Sean Avery Indefinitely

When he became a Dallas Star, fans knew that Sean Avery brought a certain level of hot-headed-ness to the game. He ruffles feathers and gets under other players' skin, and that's one of his attributes as a player. But, where does he cross the line into "going too far".

The league thinks he did that this morning. While being interviewed by Canadian press, Avery said the following:

I am really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada. I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight.

Avery was referring to a relationship between his ex-girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert, and Calgary Flames' defenseman Dion Phaneuf.

Did the league overreact? I don't think so. It's pretty obvious that his statement was in poor taste, and I think shows very little class. And the Stars have a reputation of being a pretty classy organization. If the NHL hadn't reacted, I believe the Stars would have. As far as the "indefinite" tag on this suspension - I think that will be re-defined in the next 48 hours, and we'll have what amounts to a 4-6 game suspension on our hands.

The question is - how does this effect the team? Well, first of all, it leaves them shorthanded for Tuesday night's tilt against the Flames. But will it have a lasting effect on the dressing room? It's hard to say, but it's obvious that some of Avery's teammates are already bothered by his actions and statements. Brad Richards had the following reaction when asked about Avery's comments:

"It's none of my business what he says and I'd rather not talk about Sean. He's got his own thing going on."

Marty Turco added:

"We all are competitive enough and focused to get out there and do your job. But when it continues over time, you know, things certainly can be (distracting)."

More distractions and setbacks are not what the Stars need right now. What are your thoughts on this suspension? What should the Stars do in response, or do they need to do anything additionally?

Stars Clubbed by Blackhawks - More Problems?

Last night the Dallas Stars hosted the Chicago Blackhawks, and after playing one of the most solid first periods of the year, they proceeded to allow the Hawks back into the game and then let them run away with it in the third period. As much as they dominated the first period, they were dominated in the latter portions of the second and most of the third. So, without beating a dead horse, how do the Stars correct this? Are they able to?

All along, I've said that I don't think that firing Dave Tippett will have the effect that fans calling for his head want. But, it's getting to the point where the team will be forced to do it just to show that no one is safe. I'd hate to see that happen, because I think Tippett is the right man for this team...but maybe the players have stopped listening to him. He didn't seem to be inspiring much between periods.

And, although a couple of the goals Marty Turco surrendered last night could hardly be his fault, there were a couple that were clearly stoppable. I am thinking mainly of the one that beat him five-hole from about twenty feet away. That's a stop he has always made and isn't making now. Without a reliable backup to lean on, it's a gamble handing the reigns over to young Tobias Stephan...but how can we do worse? I think it's time to bench Marty and let him know that this isn't his team. He's lost that. When he wants to put the focus and intensity back into his game, and show that he wants to be the Stars netminder again, then we can talk about him being the starting goaltender again. But I think this approach would give him the kick in the rear end he needs. Nothing else has worked for him. Hit him in the pride and see if he reacts - I bet he will.

Claude Lemieux Training with CHL's Arizona Sundogs

Several weeks ago, I had posted a story that mentioned Claude Lemieux's interest in returning to the NHL after a five-year absence. Well, it seems that Claude hasn't given that dream up just because no teams have been interested so far. He's eyeing pro hockey in North America again - this time in the CHL. The league sent out the following press release:



The 2008 Central Hockey League Ray Miron President’s Cup Champion Arizona Sundogs have announced that four-time Stanley Cup Champion and former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Claude Lemieux has joined the Club for formal on-ice workouts. In September, Lemieux expressed interest in making a return to the National Hockey League (NHL).

Lemieux, 43, won four Stanley Cup Championships with three different teams (Montreal – 1986, New Jersey – 1995, Colorado – 1996, New Jersey – 2000) during his 20 seasons in the NHL. A veteran of nearly 1,200 NHL games, Lemieux won the Conn Smythe trophy while with New Jersey in 1995, selected as the league’s playoff MVP.

In 1197 regular season NHL contests, the Buckingham, Quebec, native registered 379 goals, 406 assists and 1756 penalty minutes (PIM).

Known for strong play in the postseason, Lemieux added 80 goals, 78 assists and 529 PIM in 233 playoff appearances and ranks among the league’s all-time best in several playoff categories. His 233 playoff appearances rank tied for fourth all-time and his 80 career playoff goals rank ninth all-time. Lemieux also ranks third all-time in career playoff game-winning goals (19) and career PIM (529).

Lemieux has been skating with the Sundogs for the past week and will continue to do so in an effort to pursue a comeback to the NHL. Five years removed from the game, Lemieux retired from NHL play in 2002-03 after splitting his final season with the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars.

The Sundogs next take on Southwest Division foe New Mexico on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Game time is set for 7:05pm. Tickets are available by phone at 1-866-4-GET-TIX (1-866-443-8849), on the internet at www.gettix.net and in person at the Tim’s Toyota Center Box Office.

Stars Down New York Rangers for Second Win of the Year

Dallas looked good in their game against the Rangers tonight - the defense looked tighter than it has all season, and the Rangers forwards were smothered trying to bring the puck into the zone against a physical Stars squad.

Modano netted his third goal of the season, which was also the game winner. Morrow put in his second of the year. It's good to see the leaders of this team putting in goals. And, the defense only allowed one goal, Turco stopping 28 of the 29 shots on goal.

I'd say more, but I'm late, and it's tired. Tell me what you thought of this game - is this a change in the way the Stars will be playing games this year? Or is it only a "breather" in the defensive beatings we're going to suffer this year?

Problems in Net?

I don't know about you other Stars fans out there, but what I've seen from our team so far is really puzzling.

It's as though there are two different teams playing. On opening night, the Stars faced a determined Blue Jackets team,and posted four goals on the scoreboard, forcing an overtime, and a tough loss. On Wednesday night, the Stars beat the Predators and put the puck in the net six times. That's the team Stars fans saw on paper and were hoping would show up to the rink each night.

The other two nights, the Stars only managed to get a single goal. That doesn't mean that it's all the offense's fault. The offense has looked pretty strong so far - and the Stars have come up against some good goaltending. But, it does stick out.

The biggest thing that stands out, though, and one of the only consistencies in this young season, is the weak play of Marty Turco. The Dallas Morning News gave Turk's stats this morning in the wrap-up article from last night's game: Through four games, he has a 4.59 goals against average and an anemic .822 save percentage. Last night, in arguably his worst performance in the young season, he allowed five goals on 18 shots, and Dave Tippett had to bench him. Is there something wrong?

I'd like to believe it's still just the rust working it's way out of his system. Maybe Marty didn't get to the gym as much as he should have during the off-season, or his on-ice workouts weren't as focused as they should have been. But, whatever the reason, this isn't the Marty of old. And we need him back.

The other area of concern might be the defense...a lot of odd-man rushes have been allowed, and that puts a focus on the goaltending. If the goaltending isn't there, you end up with what we have had so far...but if the defense addresses the problems it has been having, perhaps that can take some of that focus off of the net.

Thoughts? Comments?

Stars Struggling Early

Well, the Dallas Stars have gotten off to a bit of a rough start with their 0-1-1 record. They played a Columbus team that had started 0-2 and was fighting with all they had not to fall to 0-3, and then took it on the road the next night, gassed after an overtime scrap with the Jackets, and faced a gritty Nashville squad. It wasn't a great way to start things off, but hopefully it's gotten everyone's hockey blood flowing.

The Stars are going to square off against the Preds again on Wednesday, this time at the AAC, and then again hit the road the following night, this time up to St. Louis. It's a little bit of an odd start for the year, but I'm hoping to see the heart inside these Stars.

Also, an overdue update - the CHL has resolved it's player strike mentioned a couple of weeks ago. While not fully resolved, the league and the players association have come to an agreement that will allow players to continue with their clubs and negotiations to continue. More details soon.

New NHL.com Beta Site Preview

NHL.com announced they have a new beta site, showcasing significant changes to the layout of their website. For now, their old format is still the default.

From what I've seen of it, I really like it. I have to admit to being tipped off to this by fellow hockey blogger Mother Pucker, and thanks to him for that! Has anyone had any trouble navigating the site or accessing information? Should they switch to this permanently soon? Tell me what you think!