How Much Better Is Dallas Now?

[rt]

People are underestimating Hanzal's impact. He's going to help the D tremendously.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

On paper, they made some very good moves. Chemistry is the key, if they find some. This could be a good year for Dallas.

 

[Stephen]

I find that when teams add a ton of random big name veterans in one offseason the recipe usually doesn't result in a significant turnaround. The big factor here will obviously be Ben Bishop.

 

[oconnor9sean]

I find that when teams add a ton of random big name veterans in one offseason the recipe usually doesn't result in a significant turnaround. The big factor here will obviously be Ben Bishop.

I feel like that's true if you're trying to build a core with UFA's. Dallas is jut adding complimentary players to Benn, Segs, Spezza and Klingberg. I'm really expecting a nice rebound season for the Stars. I think they have a reasonable chance of winning the division (as do about 3-4 teams).

 

[Field of Dreams]

Dallas has pillaged the eastern conference of talent.

 

[Bleedred]

Assuming that Bishop bounces back and is closer to what he has been with the exception of last season and not more like Lehtonen (like last season), I think they can make a deep run.

And while I'm no fan of Bishop in particular, I think he (along with Schneider and Lundqvist) deserves the benefit of the doubt after having a down year. A lot of good goalies had down years last year, or at least compared to what they were in recent years. Mason and Elliott too, although there's a lot of questions regarding Elliott. Mason has had his crap years, but was solid from 2013-2016. Bishop hasn't been crap for years like Lehtonen, Pavelec, Howard (from 2013 to 15-16) or Ward.

I think he's an upgrade over the current Lehtonen for sure.

 

[Healthy DiPietro]

People who project more than around 50 points from Radulov next season are naive. A terrible character guy like that, no longer playing for a contract, while also being a year older? It wouldn't surprise me if the real reason he turned down Montreal wasn't that he didn't want to back down from his word, but because there are less cameras in Dallas to document his upcoming five year con job.

 

[Bedards Dad]

They have had the best off-season so far. No other team has improved like the Stars

 

[BlueBaron]

On paper, they made some very good moves. Chemistry is the key, if they find some. This could be a good year for Dallas.

This.

Let's keep in mind they will probably add at the deadline too.

 

[glovesave_35]

People who project more than around 50 points from Radulov next season are naive. A terrible character guy like that, no longer playing for a contract, while also being a year older? It wouldn't surprise me if the real reason he turned down Montreal wasn't that he didn't want to back down from his word, but because there are less cameras in Dallas to document his upcoming five year con job.

Radulov would almost have to try and score lower than 50 in a full healthy season next year.

 

[Mrb1p]

I find that when teams add a ton of random big name veterans in one offseason the recipe usually doesn't result in a significant turnaround. The big factor here will obviously be Ben Bishop.

This. Adding 4 core players in a week rarely pays off.

On paper they have one of the best roster in the league.

No 1D still.

 

[glovesave_35]

This. Adding 4 core players in a week rarely pays off.

On paper they have one of the best roster in the league.

No 1D still.

4 core players? Bishop is the only one I see. All of Methot, Radulov and Hanzal sit outside the core as of now. Benn, Seguin, Klingberg and Bishop is the core.

 

[JohnnyHockey]

This. Adding 4 core players in a week rarely pays off.

On paper they have one of the best roster in the league.

No 1D still.

Klingberg is a #1D by almost every statistical measure. Is he a shutdown dman? No. But neither is Burns, PK, Karlsson, OEL, Letang, Byflugien, Josi, or Keith. The hate train is getting ridiculous. You're underrating him because Ruff basically ran a 0 defense system that screwed the dmen, and he still put up similar shot suppression metrics to the names above. I'm looking forward to watching Kling prove everyone who just recites narratives wrong.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/a...better-and-worse-during-the-off-season-so-far
In terms of the Stars getting better, they've done fine.

 

[SenzZen]

Looks good in theory, but I seem to recall the hype train for them last off-season, and look how that turned out.

 

[derriko]

I put them down as a contender. Methot was a very, very underrated acquisition. Dorion and McPhee both handled that situation horribly. Methot is a much better player than what has happened to him. With a better GM, he would've been protected in the first place, or gone for a crap ton more than what he did.

At 32 years old he's still a legit #2 defenseman with a very underrated break out / passing skills.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

OP didn't give a comprehensive list but he did pretty clearly include people of note who have been added.

Out:

Ruff and his unstructured, offense-heavy system

Niemi
Sharp
Eakin
Eaves
Hemsky
Hudler
Jordie Benn


In:

Hitchcock and a more structured, defensive-oriented philosophy

Bishop
Methot
Hanzal
Honka


These are the main additions and subtractions so far. It remains to be seen if Nill is finished, but as of now I don't see any way to call this offseason anything but positive for the Stars.

I can understand why an outsider looking in may not be all that impressed. As I have gotten a little older and unable to follow my team quite as much as I used to in all the minute details, Dallas looks to be a much different team. How successful they are next season mostly depends on two things IMO.

First, how do the players respond to the coaching change and altered organizational philosophy in style of play? This isn't the late 90's and Hitch isn't bringing in the trap, but he will demand a defensive accountability from him his best players that was unthinkable with Ruff. Hitch had a massive impact on Modano turning into the defensive player he became, which in no small part helped Dallas become one of the few powerhouse teams of the late 90's - early 2000's. He has spoken candidly about expecting Seguin to transform his game so that he can be a guy who can be counted on in all game situations, not just offensive ones.

Second, what kind of impact will the younger players have next season. Honka is expected to be a full timer and he looks ready. There could be growing pains or he could be a difference maker. Lindell had a very good rookie year; how does he build on that and continue to improve? Shore and Faksa are different types of players, but both are solid bets to improve on their nearly identical 33 point seasons last year. Faksa is as much of a "rock" as you can get from a young player. He plays a heavy game and does all the little things and attention to defensive detail we need more of in Dallas.

Personally, I think they underachieved last year and overachieved somewhat the year before. I'm not ready to talk playoffs yet by any means but the team seems better right now. If they were to add Radulov I think they get put into the "definitely should make the playoffs" category.

So it's clear you know absolutely nothing ablut lindy ruff and how he coaches.

Ruff was a scapegoat for the terrible d goaltending Dallas had. I mean he has structure and it's not clueless offense. That's just what you will get with a team that has run and gun players and no defense

 

[Tage2Tuch]

People are underestimating Hanzal's impact. He's going to help the D tremendously.

He did nothing for the wild except help make them worse, he's a great player but not every team just flourishes with someone like him,

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

I'm excited for this coming season Dallas got the best players they could without sacrificing the future. People are saying Dallas didn't get a number one defenceman, but none were on the block. Methot was the best option and they got him, same with Bishop and Radulov. This is the best the team has looked in years I'm glad we went for it this offseason.

 

[WhatWhat]

So it's clear you know absolutely nothing ablut lindy ruff and how he coaches.

Ruff was a scapegoat for the terrible d goaltending Dallas had. I mean he has structure and it's not clueless offense. That's just what you will get with a team that has run and gun players and no defense

Uhhh maybe it was different in the Buffalo days but there was zero defensive structure with Ruff in Dallas. We played run and gun and actively talked about how that what we were trying to do

 

[WhatWhat]

I think a ton of people are really under rating the Hanzal signing. OK was our biggest flaw last year by a mile. Switching up the staff and adding a 1PK center to our existing one will make a large difference.

Also I never really looked into it until we signed him but Hanzal has produced at a consistent 2C pace for a while. The yearly totals are never super high because he manages to miss a bunch of games every year but he seems like a pretty clear cut 2C. Having Spezza on his wing will be fun to watch

 

[smitty10]

They've turned into a contender. Locked up a real #1 goalie, signed arguably the best 3rd line center in the league and a top line winger, acquired a top 4 defenceman and drafted a potential top pairing guy. Not bad for one off season.

 

[CupsOverCash]

If Bishop plays like his best self from TB they became very dangerous.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

OP didn't give a comprehensive list but he did pretty clearly include people of note who have been added.

Out:

Ruff and his unstructured, offense-heavy system

Niemi
Sharp
Eakin
Eaves
Hemsky
Hudler
Jordie Benn


In:

Hitchcock and a more structured, defensive-oriented philosophy

Bishop
Methot
Hanzal
Honka


These are the main additions and subtractions so far. It remains to be seen if Nill is finished, but as of now I don't see any way to call this offseason anything but positive for the Stars.

I can understand why an outsider looking in may not be all that impressed. As I have gotten a little older and unable to follow my team quite as much as I used to in all the minute details, Dallas looks to be a much different team. How successful they are next season mostly depends on two things IMO.

First, how do the players respond to the coaching change and altered organizational philosophy in style of play? This isn't the late 90's and Hitch isn't bringing in the trap, but he will demand a defensive accountability from him his best players that was unthinkable with Ruff. Hitch had a massive impact on Modano turning into the defensive player he became, which in no small part helped Dallas become one of the few powerhouse teams of the late 90's - early 2000's. He has spoken candidly about expecting Seguin to transform his game so that he can be a guy who can be counted on in all game situations, not just offensive ones.

Second, what kind of impact will the younger players have next season. Honka is expected to be a full timer and he looks ready. There could be growing pains or he could be a difference maker. Lindell had a very good rookie year; how does he build on that and continue to improve? Shore and Faksa are different types of players, but both are solid bets to improve on their nearly identical 33 point seasons last year. Faksa is as much of a "rock" as you can get from a young player. He plays a heavy game and does all the little things and attention to defensive detail we need more of in Dallas.

Personally, I think they underachieved last year and overachieved somewhat the year before. I'm not ready to talk playoffs yet by any means but the team seems better right now. If they were to add Radulov I think they get put into the "definitely should make the playoffs" category.

This is a good post. They have a good chance to make the playoffs, but I think Seguin may struggle as his skillset isn't suited to a Hitchcock system.

 

[Hockey Dad]

This is a good post. They have a good chance to make the playoffs, but I think Seguin may struggle as his skillset isn't suited to a Hitchcock system.

I hear this and don't get it. Sequin is a better defender than Benn but gets no credit

 

[Crabapple]

It'll be a major disappointment if they don't make the playoffs imo. They got stacked