GDT: Game #41: vs. San Jose, April 13th, 7:00PM

[Satan]

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[Satan]

Tank

 

[Cin]

We're to the point now, where we're ****ed either way with the draft. We'll be outside of the top 10 (Yeah it's a DEEP draft, and there's great talent) or you attempt to push through the first round of the playoffs.

I wan't a better pick.

 

[Schenn Bros Pizza*]

Do you guys think Lehtonen will start tomorrow? I really need a win from a goalie and its either him, your backup or JS Giguere lol.You guys are on a tear so I'd like to use one of your goalies but need to make the move tonight. Who you guys think? Thanks

 

[Cin]

Do you guys think Lehtonen will start tomorrow? I really need a win from a goalie and its either him, your backup or JS Giguere lol.You guys are on a tear so I'd like to use one of your goalies but need to make the move tonight. Who you guys think? Thanks

Doubt it.

 

[SonicSpeedDash]

Please just play and have fun.

 

[BigG44]

Do you guys think Lehtonen will start tomorrow? I really need a win from a goalie and its either him, your backup or JS Giguere lol.You guys are on a tear so I'd like to use one of your goalies but need to make the move tonight. Who you guys think? Thanks

I actually disagree with Cin here. I think the only reason Lehtonen wasn't the backup tonight was to preserve Nilstorp as a call up. He's here under emergency conditions.

They said Lehts had a hard, long practice today, and he seemed fine afterwards. I think they're just playing the system in case for whatever reason he maybe wakes up with an issue.

Based on the information out of practice today though, I'd say Lehts probably could have played today if the Sharks were the Friday game and Nashville was Saturday. They're saving up the ace for the big competition, and I think he's going for sure tomorrow outside of a potential set back in warm up.

 

[Cin]

I actually disagree with Cin here. I think the only reason Lehtonen wasn't the backup tonight was to preserve Nilstorp as a call up. He's here under emergency conditions.

They said Lehts had a hard, long practice today, and he seemed fine afterwards. I think they're just playing the system in case for whatever reason he maybe wakes up with an issue.

Based on the information out of practice today though, I'd say Lehts probably could have played today if the Sharks were the Friday game and Nashville was Saturday. They're saving up the ace for the big competition, and I think he's going for sure tomorrow outside of a potential set back in warm up.

How DARE you disagree with me!

 

[BigG44]

How DARE you disagree with me!

People would think you and I are the same person if I didn't at least fake it sometimes. Come on bro.

 

[Pohlow]

Is the thrill of making the playoffs instantly diminished after we get knocked out of the first round?

 

[Captain Awesome]

To me it does, I'm still not feeling the playoff run.

 

[MetalGodAOD*]

 

[oconnor9sean]

Minnesota is free falling and we'll pass both Detroit and Minny and play Anaheim in the first round, which will be a 4-2 series win for Dallas.

 

[SolidusAKA]

Minnesota is free falling and we'll pass both Detroit and Minny and play Anaheim in the first round, which will be a 4-2 series win for Dallas.

We will also get the 29th and 30th pick overall

 

[Satan]

all signs point to a systematic breakdown- I have no idea why you guys mention playoffs.

 

[BigG44]

Is the thrill of making the playoffs instantly diminished after we get knocked out of the first round?

To me it does, I'm still not feeling the playoff run.

Like I've said, the last 4 years hav earned me the right to not trust or believe in this team down the stretch. That said, absolutely not is making the playoffs diminished by even a first round sweep at the hands of the Hawks. Are we so delusional or blinded by a draft pick that we can't identify just how special it would be for Dallas to make the playoffs? Only a real team could pull off what Dallas is attempting to do. They'd have to go on a special run, something this fan base hasn't witnessed since 2008, just to get in. Not to mention the massive benefit this young team would gain from playing real NHL playoff hockey. Lehtonen has never even finished a single playoff series in his career. Eriksson has never been the go to guy in the playoffs. Jamie Benn and countless others have 0 NHL playoff games. Do we expect that all of a sudden one season this untested team is going to be a Stanley Cup contender and go on a deep playoff run their first try? If you do, that's a little silly. One playoff series in Dallas could be the a great catalyst for real change in this organization's confidence. They need a free pass, no expectations cup of coffee in the playoffs if anything so they'll work that much harder this summer because they want that feeling back again and again.

I don't know ... well honestly don't think ... this this team makes the playoffs. That sucks because it would delay this valuable experience they could get. I question your reason for being a fan though if you wouldn't be out of your mind thrilled with this team for just sneaking in. To reach that level after where this team was 10 days ago .... that would be a hell of an accomplishment and something to be proud of.

 

[MBTendy]

A back to back game .. This will be interesting to say the least. Lets hope for the best

 

[aloonda*]

agreed that this game will tell a lot

 

[Elysian]

I'm really hoping Kari is healthy.

 

[BigG44]

A back to back game .. This will be interesting to say the least. Lets hope for the best

They've won 2 of the last 3 back to backs.

I'm getting optimistic on a one game to the next basis.

 

[LoneStarHockey]

Personally, I am not getting my hopes up yet that this team will be able to continue this streak and make the Playoffs. I am just sitting back and enjoying what the "kids" are bringing to this team, it's refreshing seeing the energy, passion, and heart that this team has all of a sudden.

Hopefully they can keep this up against the Sharks.

Go Stars!!

Playoffs> Higher Draft Pick, btw

 

[BigG44]

Like I've said, the last 4 years hav earned me the right to not trust or believe in this team down the stretch. That said, absolutely not is making the playoffs diminished by even a first round sweep at the hands of the Hawks. Are we so delusional or blinded by a draft pick that we can't identify just how special it would be for Dallas to make the playoffs? Only a real team could pull off what Dallas is attempting to do. They'd have to go on a special run, something this fan base hasn't witnessed since 2008, just to get in. Not to mention the massive benefit this young team would gain from playing real NHL playoff hockey. Lehtonen has never even finished a single playoff series in his career. Eriksson has never been the go to guy in the playoffs. Jamie Benn and countless others have 0 NHL playoff games. Do we expect that all of a sudden one season this untested team is going to be a Stanley Cup contender and go on a deep playoff run their first try? If you do, that's a little silly. One playoff series in Dallas could be the a great catalyst for real change in this organization's confidence. They need a free pass, no expectations cup of coffee in the playoffs if anything so they'll work that much harder this summer because they want that feeling back again and again.

I don't know ... well honestly don't think ... this this team makes the playoffs. That sucks because it would delay this valuable experience they could get. I question your reason for being a fan though if you wouldn't be out of your mind thrilled with this team for just sneaking in. To reach that level after where this team was 10 days ago .... that would be a hell of an accomplishment and something to be proud of.

Just to add to this .. since it was mainly fueled by an inability to go back to sleep ...

I don't want to say an exact percentage, but the Dallas Stars are proving a significant percentage of Stars fan right. The majority all year have said this team was probably picking 10-18 or some variation of those numbers in the 10 to 20 range. That's probably going to happen, especially with Dallas at such a high ROW.

The majority of people seem to really believe Dallas were right there on the border of barely in or barely out once again. Now ... I thought that would be because of guys like Jagr and Roy ... and yes they did their part at times early in the year ... but who would have thought the team in it's current construction would have a chance? That's what they have is a chance right now to sneak in.

I don't fault the tankers. I'm a reformed tanker, but I don't fully believe they're getting in the playoffs. For me personally, and maybe some will agree, the lows in the middle of this season were lower than normal ... and the highs this season just weren't that high. Nothing so far has made me feel as beaten down as the blown opportunity in Minnesota the last game of the season, but I had some lost faith in the organization leading up to the deadline. I really though that a true rebuild was coming, and that we were headed for years of building a better team. I can't give you a reasonable answer why, but I think most of you will probably agree that the low a few weeks ago was one of the darker times as a Stars fan. They looked pathetic, and I didn't have as much optimism and hope as I typically have for their prospects and future teams. If people are still in that place, I refuse to condemn them for it because it was a legitimate and reasonable response to the product on the ice.

This will be fun to debate in the summer, and I think I'll need more time to wrap my head around it and actually see the end result first ... but I can't tell you what's going on right now with this team. Is is the dead cat bounce Sturm mentioned? God ... I really hope not. Did a team some how grow out of that despair, and they'll miss the playoffs, but next year is brighter? I can't answer that. The only thing I know is this team is legitimately in a position to make the playoffs. What they do with that remains to be seen. I know what I want to see, but I don't have the faith yet it happens.

As far as tanking goes though we're essentially debating a mid first round pick. That seems silly now to want to tank for a better mid first round pick, but like I said I bought into the tanking philosophy 10 days ago. Call my a flip flop if you want or accept the fact I overestimated how bad this team was, but I told txomisc on that day with confidence that I thought this team could easily get a Top 6 pick ... probably somewhere from 4th to 6th. I admit that so I can't fault a guy for still believing tanking is the right step. Now ... with the reality of the situation though, I'm not going to hope for picking 10 to 14 when picking 15 to 18 means playoffs and a pretty similar player had we missed the playoffs.

They've won back my desire for the playoffs, and I really do hope down the stretch I start believing it can actually happen again. It'll be a crushing blow if they don't though, and I hate to think what that would do to my opinion of the team.

 

[HatchtrickBateman]

Playoffs> Higher Draft Pick, btw

This. Getting our team (mostly the youngsters) some playoff experience would benefit them greatly. Alot more than banking on a draft pick to be your organization's future savior.

 

[Satan]

Seeing the word playoffs makes me cringe because we're not going to be in them come April 28th.

 

[BigG44]

Seeing the word playoffs makes me cringe because we're not going to be in them come April 28th.

I agree with you that they probably won't, but you really think picking 10th to 14th is so much better than picking 15th to 18th that is not worth the benefit they'd get from a series of playoff experience?

Something changed in this team, and I refuse to say it's a bad thing that in the past 5 games we've had consistent line combos and D pairs (except when injury struck), consistent effort, and a coach putting his team in a position to win rather than jerking them around.

Picking in the Top 5 for sure is the best way to acquire top talent fast ... no one's arguing that. You have to be a disaster to get that pick, and I really thought this team was a disaster. Like I said, I don't have an explanation for what they're doing right now, but they aren't what we thought they were. I'm not sure they ever thought they were this. I can tell you though this doesn't look like the team that couldn't beat CGY earlier this year and put up embarrassing performances like the Chicago game. The only thing we know for certain about Dallas though is they are consistently inconsistent so I am waiting for the collapse that causes them to miss the playoffs. No team is perfect all the time so hopefully even if they do miss the playoffs, this experience helps them get better next year and learn to ride the good times more often than the bad.