Stars get #5 Overall Draft Pick - without the draft?

It looks like the Stars have signed Fabian Brunnstrom to start with us next year. Speculated at a $2mil entry-level contract Fabian comes with plenty of press, as many as 15 NHL teams were making offer sheets, and only a month ago he was rumored to have signed with Vancouver, a deal that fell apart because of the firing of management.

Fabian, another Swede (the balance has shifted, yes?), is a forward, a winger, and a play-maker. Last year in the Swedish Elite leagues Fabian had 39 points in 57 games. His speed has been compared to Daniel Alfredson, his play-making abilities to what was expected of Louis Erikson, and his grit to that of Brendan Morrow. He has also been said, had he gone through the NHL Entry Draft, to be a #5 overall pick. To a team with who's #1 pick is non-existent, and who wouldn't be better than 26 in this year draft, that's a damn good pick up.

The question is how will he fit in? With contracts for Hagman and Norstrom coming to a close, and the hefty pickup of Brad Richards this year, it looks like it's time to start thinking about that salary cap, which is expected to go up $4mil+ this next season. Will the two headed Jack-Hull beast bring back Hagman, a depth player who had a breakout year? Is Norstrom going to play in the NHL next year? Will Mittens & Daley become part of a trade package next year to further clean up what inconstancies still lie in the Dallas lineup? All questions that our interim GM's have to answer in the coming months - heck, will the 2-headed interim GM experiment continue into next year ... and lets not forget the small matter of the Western Conference Championship & Stanley Cup Finals (we can only hope)!

What do you think? Assuming it's a 3 year US$2mil/yr contract, was Fabian a good pickup? Should we keep Hagman? Norstrom? Holmqvist (the rental goalie backup that was packaged with Richards)?

178:05 minutes of heaven - 1 second of heart break

Mud Bruneteau, Ken Doraty, Keith Primeu, Petr Sykora, Petr Nedved ... what do these 5 people have in common with Henrik Sedin? They all broke thosands of hearts in one simple flick of the wrist - these 6 people are the game winning goal scorers for the longest 6 Stanley Cup playoff games, ever.

Last night Dallas showed just how badly they want this series, last night they fought harder then I've ever seen them fight. In a 3rd period come back with goals by Miettinen (assisted by Hagman & Jokinen) and Nagy (assisted by Miettinnen and Zubov) the Stars just would not give up; the problem was neither would the Canucks.

The anti-Turco crowd will complain that the Stars outplayed, outshot and outlasted the Canucks, that Turco screwed the pooch on this one. They will say if he had done his job we'd have won, and you know they have something of a point, but don't get me wrong, I don't blame him for this loss - the team didn't do what was needed, as a whole. Shots on goal don't mean anything when they're at the chest of the goalie, offensive time on ice don't mean anything when you miss opportunities, and blocked shots don't mean anything when rebounds aren't properly taken care of.

If I did have to blame this on any single thing (besides the ever-so-easy-to-blame Sedin twins, of course) I'd say it was our power play. Twice we had 5 on 3 opportunities, 5 additional times we had 5 on 4 opportunities great than a full minute (only 1 of which w scored on). The Stars have got to figure out how to score more on these opportunities.

But in all seriousness, I've talked to people whose hearts were broken last night, and I agree to a point, it was heartbreaking watching the Stars play almost 140 minutes of hockey to lose, however that wasn't the real overall effect on me. After last nights game I'd do anything to watch Friday's game now - anything for it to be Sunday night to see game 3, Tuesday night for game 4 ... I'm more excited after last nights loss then I think I would have been after a 3 period win. The stars fought hard last night, and showed me that they are serious about this post-season.

I say GO STARS - I say rest up tonight because Friday night is going to be a long ride - If you're in town make sure you come out to Frankie's to watch the game with all the other local fans - and I say BRING IT ON CANUCKS! Worry not Stars Fans, our boys will do it!!!