Proposal: Official Dallas Stars Should Clean House Thread

[Troy McClure]

Oh, I'm with you about how they are two to three second line forwards away from being competitive. I just don't see how they add them with Hanzal, Spezza, and Ritchie on the roster/books next season. Clearing those contracts may not be easy.

Trading Benn isn't an option given his NMC. Trading Seguin is a bad idea because a guy on the last year of his deal isn't returning anything that's going to make the team better any time soon.

 

[badboy1994]

We need a tortarella as a coach

Someone who will go crazy

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Yes, when the GM goes all in for five years, and this is where you are, your options are fairly limited. No elite talent on the farm, FW wise, not enough draft picks to trade Hanzel and/or Spezza to a team with cap room, etc. Not the great UFA destination it seemed to be last year.

It is tough to build a contender. Nearly all choices must be good ones. They didn't work out.

I mean, realistically, are we any closer than when Nill took over? A few teams each year turn it around big time, and Stars have that chance to be one of those. Unless the last 10 years of loser culture have taken over.

 

[Troy McClure]

They are closer because of the big four, but they aren't much closer because the rest of the roster is no better. I'd even say the rest of the roster is actually much much worse when you look at the cap money spent on those guys. Having a bunch of spares as depth players when you're a salary floor team is a different animal from having a bunch of spares as your depth players when several of those spares have you up against the cap.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Who would think we would miss Ales Hemsky on the lower lines? But, basically, he, Spezza, Eaves, Ritchie, Sharp, and Roussel aren't here aren't producing. Edit to add Cody Eakin, who had already fallen off in goals.

Yes, Rads replaces Eaves quite nicely, but none of the other guys still here are producing. A question of Hitch's system turning them back to their more normal levels of scoring, whereas Ruff system perhaps gave the more chances to score and we came to think they had more talent than they really did?

Of course, with Spezza and Sharp, there is aging involved.

 

[Smelling Salt]

With whoever said take a chance on a project, like a Max Domi, maybe E Kane, who seems to have flamed out elsewhere, but who does have the basic talent.

That was me who said to put some irons in the fire on Domi. I think Domi >>>> Kane because of contract status and age. The Stars need young guns to compete in the Central.

 

[WhatWhat]

And he’s scored 2 in 34 games since then. I don’t see how that matters.

He has been a top 6 center/LW at times his entire career. In the Minors he got the offensive looks, in the AHL he got them too. Most of the chances all at C. He gets called up and instead of trying to put him in a position to succeed (look at how any other team handles their "skilled" call ups) he gets put at 4LW with plugs and eventually gets moved back to center but still with plugs while playing a massive 8 mintues a night.

Unless you are a superstar talent, which no one is arguing he is, you are going to have a damn hard time showing what you can do with 2 wingers who can't finish and only a couple minutes of ice time per period. I get his numbers arent great but at least try him up there and see if it takes off. Ritchie has done nothing this year and continues to get those looks. Shore has production this year only thanks to playing with the big guys at times and the PP. Give Dickinson a chance and see if at the very least he can be better than Shore and Ritchie.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

One small issue: Hitch

We can go over it until blue in the face but the man doesn't have a clue on how to handle developing players. Nill doesn't either.

Blues fan here and I greatly disagree.

Hitch did a tremendous job devloping Tarasenko, Schwartz, Parayko, Edmundson, Shattenkirk, Fabbri(before injury), even Pietrangelo.

Most of the players that failed in STL under Hitchcock haven't succeeded elsewhere or with Yeo: Chris Stewart, Jori Lehtera, Magnus Paajarvi, Dmitri Jaskin, Nail Yakupov.

I think you guys just need to draft more well-rounded players OR give Hitchcock more than one year.

His style of development will focus more on playing a complete game early on and that could take away from some player's offensive strengths. Jaden Schwartz was pretty much put into a grinder role his first year with us. By year 2 he was an all-around threat.

I suggest giving it another year. But I also really like what Hitchcock did for my Blues at a time when they completely lacked structure.

 

[Troy McClure]

I can't help but wonder if Hitch's bosses in St. Louis were maybe more forceful about telling Hitch who needs to play.

 

[BfantZ]

I remember klingberg saying he wanted to pick petrangelo’s brain about hitch when he was going to the all star game . I really wonder what was said now because it was right around than the team started there downward spiral . Klingberg especially seemed like a different player after the all star game . While kari has been terrible , the team hasn’t played good at all either . Even the top players are making stupid passes and turning the puck over left and right . It’s Pretty obvious that there is a mental /emotional dark cloud looming over the entire team right now .

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Kari isn't totally terrible. Call him two period Kari and you have it about right. Or, as we used to say about Tommy Salo, he plays well, just not well enough to win close games. And with Hitch style, or because of our current goal scoring slump, they are all close games....d'oh!.

We have improved from 79 points to at least 84, a whopping 6% improvement. If we get half of the last available 12 points, we hit 90, or a 14% improvement. 60%, 91 points and 15% up. Our max is 96, or a 21% improvement, which wouldn't be bad overall for a perennial non-contender.

But, given Hitch wears on players you do have to have that sneaking feeling that they have already tuned him out, even though there have been no whispers about that? Maybe they somehow know he won't be here next year, voluntarily or otherwise, and due to age, almost certainly after two years he is gone?

For Nill, that kind of turnover at a time when you need to resign Seguin is problematic. I guess they couldn't fathom this big a fail when they hired Hitch?

 

[SourTemplePilot]

Blues fan here and I greatly disagree.

Hitch did a tremendous job devloping Tarasenko, Schwartz, Parayko, Edmundson, Shattenkirk, Fabbri(before injury), even Pietrangelo.

Most of the players that failed in STL under Hitchcock haven't succeeded elsewhere or with Yeo: Chris Stewart, Jori Lehtera, Magnus Paajarvi, Dmitri Jaskin, Nail Yakupov.

I think you guys just need to draft more well-rounded players OR give Hitchcock more than one year.

His style of development will focus more on playing a complete game early on and that could take away from some player's offensive strengths. Jaden Schwartz was pretty much put into a grinder role his first year with us. By year 2 he was an all-around threat.

I suggest giving it another year. But I also really like what Hitchcock did for my Blues at a time when they completely lacked structure.

I appreciate the argument but I will not DIGRESS. Hitch and Nill haven't shown a pedigree of which has produced any outcome of a middle six/bottom six contribution. Say what you will but if you have seen our personnel then at least the playoffs would be a reasonable feat? No?

NO!!! Instead, lehts LOSE 8 in a row while Hitch gets more bloated each passing day with all the question marks.

Explain that. If you think that you have a legitimate retort then back it up and elaborate on what that blob can do.?

All ears..

Go..

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

1st order of business this offseason is ditching Hitch. I was pumped when he came in, but his style does not work in the NHL anymore.

2nd order of business is adding at least 1 more depth scorer, preferably two.

3rd order of business is adding in a solid goaltender behind Bishop. I actually don't mind Lehtonen, but with Bishop's injury history I don't trust Lehtonen for long periods of time.

Realistically I think our roster looks something like this come 2018/19:

Benn - Seguin - Nuke
Janmark - Faksa - Radulov
Shore - Hanzal - Pitlick
Dickinson - Spezza - Vanek
Smith - Elie

Lindell - Klingberg
Heiskanen - Johns
Methot - Honka
Heatherington

I wish we could trade off Spezza, but I think for next year we will just use him in an offensive only role

 

[Kcb12345]

1st order of business this offseason is ditching Hitch. I was pumped when he came in, but his style does not work in the NHL anymore.

2nd order of business is adding at least 1 more depth scorer, preferably two.

3rd order of business is adding in a solid goaltender behind Bishop. I actually don't mind Lehtonen, but with Bishop's injury history I don't trust Lehtonen for long periods of time.

Realistically I think our roster looks something like this come 2018/19:

Benn - Seguin - Nuke
Janmark - Faksa - Radulov
Shore - Hanzal - Pitlick
Dickinson - Spezza - Vanek
Smith - Elie

Lindell - Klingberg
Heiskanen - Johns
Methot - Honka
Heatherington

I wish we could trade off Spezza, but I think for next year we will just use him in an offensive only role

Wouldn't mind signing Vanek but not to play on the 4th line. Shore can go there. Vanek is a left winger anyways I thought. Ideally we need a 2nd line left winger and need Janmark on our 3rd line. Also not sure how I feel going another year without giving the younger guys (Dickinson, Gurianov, Hintz) a legitimate NHL shot with actual ice time based on what their potential is.

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

Wouldn't mind signing Vanek but not to play on the 4th line. Shore can go there. Vanek is a left winger anyways I thought. Ideally we need a 2nd line left winger and need Janmark on our 3rd line. Also not sure how I feel going another year without giving the younger guys (Dickinson, Gurianov, Hintz) a legitimate NHL shot with actual ice time based on what their potential is.

What some teams are doing now is giving their offense only guys (Spezza, Vanek, JVR, Gagner, Sedins) low time on ice sheltered in the offensive zone. At this point I think that's the best way to have success with Spezza. It's worked really well with the other guys posted above. So the fourth line isn't the typical grinding energy guys

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Janmark is a 20 goal scorer, and deserves the second line.

Anyway, given Nill's penchant for value, and the cap this year, I can't see them finding two new scoring forwards. We will probably hear "Improve from within" i.e., hope for:

-Top 3 (4 with Janmark, 5 with a new guy) keep scoring at 40, 25-30, and 20 rates
-Faksa and Pitlick improve on their 14 goals each, to near 20,
-Shooting % rebounds from Spezza, Ritchie, Shore, and maybe GSmith, Ellie and Dickinson, etc.
-No significant regression or injury from any of above
-Tweak system somewhat away from all D first to address problem (but would probably cut goal scoring of D who would have to cover)

And, maybe if Tolvanen (sp?) is a success for Preds, consider bringing up Robertson for use in a sheltered role along side Spezza.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Gaining 20 goals, or 0.25 per game would put Stars 4th in scoring this year. 0.5 per game would be second to only TB.

Not hard to imagine 20 well timed goals might have led to up to 10 more victories.

On the scenario above, new guy, 20,
-Pitlick and Faksa, 12 total,
-If 4 more goals out of 3 of last 6 player players mentioned, and no other regression, 12

Total 44 more goals, about half a goal per game. Even if we only get the 20 from the new guy, we would be all right.

 

[Troy McClure]

Another way to add goals to the total is to have a second PP unit score at an average rate for a second PP unit. I would love to hope that adding Heiskanen and Honka as full time blueliners will improve the PP by adding two more skilled guys.

 

[eartotheground]

Gaining 20 goals, or 0.25 per game would put Stars 4th in scoring this year. 0.5 per game would be second to only TB.

Not hard to imagine 20 well timed goals might have led to up to 10 more victories.

On the scenario above, new guy, 20,
-Pitlick and Faksa, 12 total,
-If 4 more goals out of 3 of last 6 player players mentioned, and no other regression, 12

Total 44 more goals, about half a goal per game. Even if we only get the 20 from the new guy, we would be all right.

The margin for error is so close. Can’t imagine the pressure on decision making at the GM level. They HAVE to be able to tune out fans or they’d all be in psych wards.

 

[Smelling Salt]

I wish the Stars could have a rookie come in and contribute immediately like Ryan Donato.

 

[Kcb12345]

I wish the Stars could have a rookie come in and contribute immediately like Ryan Donato.

Nah, he would only play 6-7 minutes a night in a Hitchcock coached team. He's no Brett Ritchie, a 1st liner and top power play guy.

 

[Smelling Salt]

Nah, he would only play 6-7 minutes a night in a Hitchcock coached team. He's no Brett Ritchie, a 1st liner and top power play guy.

You were saying?

 

[Kcb12345]

You were saying?

Meh a lucky bounce off of Ritchie. Its gonna hurt us more than help us since now he is a lock to play on our power play all of next year. Can't let Hitchcock think he is good on the power play because he is definitely not. Maybe he can get more bounces off of him though and get lucky

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

I appreciate the argument but I will not DIGRESS. Hitch and Nill haven't shown a pedigree of which has produced any outcome of a middle six/bottom six contribution. Say what you will but if you have seen our personnel then at least the playoffs would be a reasonable feat? No?

NO!!! Instead, lehts LOSE 8 in a row while Hitch gets more bloated each passing day with all the question marks.

Explain that. If you think that you have a legitimate retort then back it up and elaborate on what that blob can do.?

All ears..

Go..

You twice referred to Hitch's physical appearance. How sad.

You really don't deserve a legitimate retort, though, one could easily be made.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

1st order of business this offseason is ditching Hitch. I was pumped when he came in, but his style does not work in the NHL anymore.

He took us to the Western Conference Finals with David Backes as our #1 center and Brian Elliott in net. That's not the ultimate goal but we never had the team to go further. We always lacked a top center and goalie.

You guys can win with Hitchcock. You've got the top end talent in Seguin, Benn, Radulov, Klingberg, and Bishop. You just need to add depth.

I really think Hitch's goal this year was to focus 100% on improving your atrocious defensive play from a year ago. He did exactly that and he did the same in STL in year one. He installed a defensive mindset right away and it led to much cleaner hockey and a chance to win every night.

I would suggest giving him another year to build on that. I expect that he'll allow guys to play a bit more freely now that they have an understanding of how to play a 200 foot game.

This is just my opinion based on observing him come to St. Louis and do the exact same thing.