Another season, another missed opportunity, but different

Dallas has been spoiled rotten by hockey.

Get a team in the early 1990s, learn to love them, and by the end of the decade, they are Stanley Cup Champions with a whole host of awards and tradition. Sellout after sellout, amazing atmosphere in the playoffs - the whole bit.

And then sports happens. Players get older, coaches move on for whatever reason.

We had a bit of a resurgence a few years back, but we've all seen that this club has been struggling for some time to get back to its heyday.

And this season was - for the most part - no different. Now that the team is officially not going to make the playoffs, its time to take a quick look at 2011-2012 and see what is around the corner.

The loss of Brad Richards was big, but surprisingly not nearly as negative as expected by many. The new coach and new players made for a team that was much more competitive than the pundits led us to believe last August.

This team still needs leadership, especially on the blue line. But we know we're in good hands in goal and there is still talent and fight in this team.

The biggest addition this season was not in the lineup or locker-room, but in the corner office. For the first time in what seems like forever, the Dallas Stars have an owner that wants to be the owner and has the resources to do it well. Obviously, there were things Tom Hicks did well - but we all saw how his sports empire crumbled, from the Texas Rangers to Liverpool FC to our beloved Stars.

Enter Tom Gaglardi - a Canadian who owns a hotel enterprise as well as a minor league hockey franchise in Kamloops, with a mother from Texas.

He probably spent the last five months evaluating the team, so this could be a very active off-season. Where he chooses to make changes, add resources and otherwise put his stamp on things will be interesting to watch.

This town loves the intensity of top end sports. With the right resources, the Dallas Stars can once again be one of those teams - and with all the recent success by the Rangers, Mavericks and FC Dallas, added to the continuous expectations that the Cowboys will win the Super Bowl (no matter how realistic that expectation might be), that could take the DFW MetroPlex to a plane of existence that will be the envy of the whole sporting world.

What do you expect to see from Gaglardi? What do you WANT to see from Gaglardi? Nieuwendyk (GM for those not following along recently)? Gulutzan (Coach for those not following along even more recently)?

Personally, give me an evaluation of what wins in the NHL, then how do we get the Stars to either be that or be the next generation after what is currently working, then provide the resources to get it done.

The thing is, the bar has been raised in DFW - better be tops in the league or you just aren't carrying your weight 'round hea'. Here is hoping the Stars can keep pace!

Stars season starts with a bang

The NHL is back, and so are the Dallas Stars.

With an opening night win over the Chicago Blackhawks, the newfangled Stars began the 2011-2012 season on the right foot. No more of the greatness of Brad Richards, but that salary opens up the ability to sign and develop other players. And we get to see what new coach Gary Gulutzan can bring to the table. That's a LOT of changes, and in some ways, steps back, for a team that didn't make the playoffs again last year.

So a 2-1 win was just what the doctor ordered to settle the nervousness of Stars fanatics across the MetroPlex. All Chicago could mount - despite a number of penalty plays - was a late goal with a sixth attacker, thanks in large part to good effort on the part of the Stars and another solid outing by Kari Lehtonen.

So Stars fans, what are your thoughts about this year's team? Excited to see what Gulutzan can do? Glad we once again have a great goalkeeper to lean on? Worried about what this team lost when it probably needs to add players to get back into the playoffs - or are you seeing this team being set up for a good foundation in the long run?

For me, I like the following:

Stars won (duh)
Stars did a good job on the kill
Stars almost had a 2-1 ratio in hits
Stars did an ok job in the circle

Share your thoughts below!

A Bit More

See HERE for my take on NHL realignment for next year. With Winnipeg in the "Southeast", you know it is coming. Question for Stars fans - can it bring a better balance of schedule so we can see every team every year, and can it get us the **** out of the Pacific? I don't know about you, but I'm tired of so many 9:00 start times!

Is it time?

Is it time for Marc Crawford to put the hammer down?

That is his history, his style. He is the uber-Ken Hitchcock, the younger, more aggressive guy who puts his foot down on the pedal and stays there.

But since it didn't pan out as well in Vancouver as it had at Colorado, and then failed miserably with Los Angeles, Crawford has tried to step back and be less aggressive here with the Stars.

The thing is, though, that the Dallas Stars Hockey Club has been given more than enough time to show that they don't need that kind of oversight, and have failed to do so.

How many times this season have you been aggravated by these guys? Seen the potential and watched them throw it away? Lose a lead and lose the overtime or shootout? Lose to a team they shouldn't lose to? Play WAY below their obvious abilities?

For me, I put up with it early in the season because of the change in style. Crawford brought in a more open game, one that involves the defense-men in the attack more and is more fluid. It requires a change in mentality and adjustments on how the team plays as a whole.

Part of my thought process was "this is what succeeds in the NHL now, so it is best to make this change and get it over with." The Stars had shown they had ability, but while I'm not entirely sure that Tippett couldn't continue to improve, I completely get that the new GM wanted to put his stamp on the team. Pair that with the style of play issue, and it made sense.

But I'm fairly certain we're beyond the window needed to adjust to this new style. (If I'm off on that, feel free to let me know in the comments section below!)

I'm thinking that at this point, it is now about the focus of the team, and that the team leadership has been given more than enough opportunity to show they can handle it on their own.

And it is clear that they haven't so far, and can we really wait much longer?

So enter the Old Marc Crawford, please. Bring on the heavy guns. Show me that lead-foot. Kick some butt, chew out some players, let it be know that this current lack of focus is completely unacceptable.

Because it is.

And The Page Turns - thoughts from the Cheap Seats

So now we have a new GM and a new coach.

What do we think about that?

Here are some general thoughts and points - let us know what you think below.

Obviously, there is a lot unknown. Would Tippett have been able to continue to have success in the regular season? Probably. Would he have been able to have success in the playoffs? Maybe. Maybe even probably. I think the conventional wisdom after Joe Nieuwendyk was brought in to be the lone GM in place of Les and Brett was that Tippett would be allowed at least a pre-season and a fair run in the relguar season to prove himself.

Didn't happen.

Earlier this week, Marc Crawford was named as the new gaffer for the Dallas Hockey Club, and now the questions are about his goals - how does he want to play, who does he want to play, how is he going to manage all the personalities.

Publicly he has said he wants a more offensive system, and it sounds like he wants to roll three - not the Dallas Stars traditional four - lines.

Crawford comes in with some significant skins on the wall.

Then again, those skins aren't hot off the presses, either.

Fair or not, some are going to look at this as "Marc had better win in the playoffs" - i.e., had better than Tip had been with his very consistent regular season success. Are you in that camp? I'm not sure I am, but I certainly see the validity of it.

Me? I like the fact that GM Joe is reputed to be smart, Bob Gainey-like. Obviously, that is a name that is well respected not only in Dallas, but throughout the game.

And I want to see GM Joe do with the Stars what we've (probably....) seen with the other Hicks team, the Texas Rangers - build the kind of foundation that is set for success for a long period of time.

And as we know, the Stars aren't - or, weren't - that far two seasons ago. How much of that was lost last season? Hard to tell.

But from my cheap seat, if GM Joe thinks we need to take a slight step back to redirect and have a more successful road ahead, and that means that Crawford takes a season to instill a new philosophy, management sees who gets on board and then fills the gaps, then I'm willing to give them the space to do that.

Now, I'll admit some trepidation - obviously, it is scary to walk away from what we knew was in all likelihood another solid regular season and, most likely, a good playoff push. There is a queasiness even as I write this. But the intellectual side of me is the stronger - at least in this discussion.

But enough about me and my egg-head. Where are you?

Sean Avery returns to New York-ish

Sean Avery has resurfaced as top news with his return from banishment.  He recently completed his NHL-Mandated anger management therapy and was added back to the Dallas Roster, forcing Dallas to send Chris Conner back to the minors.

Yesterday was an eventful day for Sean, starting with a plane trip to Dallas where he spent about 6 hours in town for a visit with the Stars team doctors to clear a medical release so he could play in the minors.  Concurrently the Stars announced that Sean had cleared waivers and rumors resumed regarding his placement in the AHL, where it was assumed he would join the Hartford Wolfpack to prove he was ready to play again.

This morning the rumors were confirmed that New York wanted Sean back as his first practice with the Wolfpack began and quotes were released from GM Glen Sather, Sean Avery, and Rangers coach Tom Renny:

"I would like to thank Glen Sather and the Rangers organization for giving me the chance to resume my hockey career by affording me this opportunity with the Hartford Wolf Pack. I am looking forward to getting back on the ice, working my way back to the NHL and playing the game I love. While I appreciate the many interview requests, at this point in time, I would like to focus on hockey and will not be making any further statements while with the Wolf Pack." - Sean Avery

"Sean and the Dallas Stars approached me looking for an American Hockey League team for him to resume playing, and I am happy to provide him with the opportunity to continue his career. Sean was a good player for the Rangers during his time here and has worked extremely hard off the ice over the last two months. He remains under contract to and property of the Stars, therefore, any further comment would be inappropriate." - Glen Sather

"Sean's a good hockey player. He can help anybody he plays for, there's no question about that.  This is a guy who could play and was a great teammate, and was always there for his teammates and laid it on the line every single night. How could you not admire that?" - Tom Renny

I know Avery did well in New York the past 2 years, but doesn't it sound a bit too much like Renny is hoping Sean is the Rangers' love child?  During his time in the AHL, then Detroit, then the LA Kings and finally here in Dallas the only person to speak so highly of Sean was Brett Hull, and you can see how that worked out for him.  Doesn't this make you wonder, exactly what kind of "anger management" therapy do the Rangers' front office actually think he went through?

One last thing to remember, New York, this is not a done deal.  When they decide they are ready for him he has to go back through recall waivers, which is where they are expected to claim him and will assume half his salary.  Before they can claim him, however, EVERY TEAM in the league that is lower in the standings then them will have an opportunity to claim him.  Les Jackson is rumored to have stated other teams have an interest in Sean.

The question is, which team has the balls to actually take him on?

Remarks from a Rangers fan - after the Stars dramatic loss to Martin Broduer and John Madden

... because really, those are the two guys that owned the game!  After a game like last night it's hard to find anything worth talking about - I think most fans want to take our referee chants (like A rope, a tree, lets hang the referee) and reword them for ... well ... ANYONE on the Stars.

But as I skimmed through the blogs and news articles on the web I found this great one from the perspective of a Rangers fan who wanted to follow the Avery Circus around the New York area:

What resulted was a clinical dissection of Dallas by Jersey's regimented offense in front of maybe, maybe 7,000 fans. The Dallas Stars that beat the Rangers on Monday were nowhere to be found, as were the Devil fans, who stayed away in droves. On the ice, the Marty Turco that was there to stop every Blueshirt break through the Star defense didn't show up. The Turco who made it to Newark pulled himself grossly out of position twice to allow a pair of amateurish goals on his way to being yanked for a Swedish kid who had 110 minutes of NHL time before taking the Rock ice.

To be fair, Scotty Hockey, the blogger responsible for this well-written description of our boys' (yes, last night they were truly boys) foul attempt to play AHL level hockey, was as mean to the Devils as he was to the Stars; the difference was it seemed his hatred towards the Devils was of a rivalry, and his distasteful words for the Stars were purely driven by their untoward play.

They looked so awkward on the ice last night that each and every one of the contracts should be nullified.  In fact, I have a new way to pay them - purely based on their performance each game:

• Their first goal of the game, a player earns $10,000.  Each goal there-after earns double the previous payment, thus, goal 2 is worth $20,000, goal 3 is worth $40,000 and goal 5 would then be worth $160,000.
• First Assists are worth 25% of that goal's value, second Assists are worth 50% of that.  However, this amount comes out of the player's check who scores the goal.  Thus, the player who scores his 5th goal in a game must pay $40,000 to whomever got the First Assist and $20,000 for the Second Assist.  This still earns the goal scorer $100,000 for that goal; nevermind how much they earned for their first 4.
• Hits would also be worth something, lets say $500 to start, thereafter they can grow exponentially as well.

Goalies are a bit more difficult, they don't make hits, usually don't make assists, and almost never make goals.  Goalies could get paid by ...

• The saves.  Let's say a goalie blocks 30 shots in a game: $1,500 per blocked shot would earn them $45,000 for that game (which, by the way, is worth $3.7mil per year).
• Not all saves are equal though - lets say a save based on a turnover which gives the offense a 2-on-1 advantage: $1,750; 3-on-1 $2,000.  Penalty shot?  $3,000 - and the extra $1,500 comes from the player who is serving the penalty!

This is BY NO MEANS an exact or fully-thought out system, but something like this is SURE to force players to work smarter, not harder; not only that but it will force players who play as abysmal as our boys did last night leave the league if they can't begin to perform - for it's those players who would be paying the other players' salaries.

Do I think this would actually work?  Not likely, but it's something to think about.  Do I want this to happen to the Stars?  No, but I'm at a loss what else could make them pull their heads out of those cavities they've found themselves in and begin playing like the skilled TEAM that they truly are.

Scotty Hockey, thanks for the inspiration to write this column today.  I really wasn't in the mood but the minute I read your post I became filled with such rage at my boys that the above filth just started pouring out.

Hey Stars, how about tonight against the Islanders you actually show up, as the proud NHL players that you are, and just ENJOY yourselves.  We go through this every season - you forget to ENJOY hockey and you go on a skid.  Last March, you forgot, but the minute you remembered you actually made it to the Western Conference Finals.  This October you've forgotten, and now you're risking your chances of ... well ... they say you can't make the playoffs in October, but you can sure make it difficult to do so if you keep this up.

Avery after Rangers game

I'm actually really impressed with Avery's post game with the MSG Network.  I've always thought of him as a meat-head for the other teams and I said here he needs to prove he can control himself and he needs to prove he can be more than a big hitter.

I was pleasantly surprised when, in preparation for the visit to NY the Stars (or Avery directly, I'm not sure which) released this message to the NY media:

Thank you all for your inquires and requests for interviews. I also wanted to thank you guys for the great work you did in the coverage while I was here; I appreciate your enthusiasm about the team and the game in general. In my effort to focus on the game at hand, I would prefer not to do a lot of interviews so please accept this statement in lieu of full court press.
I extremely enjoyed my time in NY playing for the Rangers. Jim Dolan runs a first-class organization, the fans are as passionate and as tough as they come, and they make MSG a very special place to play and call home. I wish the Rangers all the best and I hope that they have a great season. I have no animosity towards anyone in this organization for not bringing me back; that is sometimes how things work out. On the other side of the coin, however, I am very happy to now be a member of the Dallas Stars organization. This team is one any player would be lucky to be a part of, and I think we have a very exciting and positive season ahead of us.

Then, I was more pleased upon seeing how he reacted to the Rangers' choice of himself as one of their main targets.  Although he was involved in a couple of good hits he kept to himself and did his best for his team.  No goals, no assists, but no major penalties, no game misconduct, no loud mouthing and this well spoken interview where he even talked decently about some of the more vocal Rangers who recently talked about him:

ok, maybe he didn't talk decently about Vliquette ... hah!