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The Dallas Amazing (And Likely Failed) Comeback
by PuckStopsHere on 02/19/09 at 01:02 AM ET
Comments (4)
When Sean Avery was suspended by the NHL in early December, the Dallas Stars were dead last in the West Conference. From that point on, things have clearly improved. They have the eighth best record in the league since the suspension and would qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today, as they are seventh in the west.
It is easy to put the blame onto Sean Avery for the bad start, but things are not that simple. Dallas’s goaltending has significantly improved. Marty Turco had been off to a pathetic start, but has turned things around. Perhaps the most significant change for the Stars has been the return of Jere Lehtinen to the lineup. Due to injury, he had played only three games before the Avery suspension. He has now appeared in 20 games and been a vital cog to the Stars.
Dallas has turned their season around. While it may be true that Sean Avery was bad in the locker room, there are at least a couple more significant reasons for the Stars improvement than his removal.
Dallas is also having problems with injury. Their second highest scorer, Brad Richards, broke his wrist recently and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Brendan Morrow, their captain and Sergei Zubov, their top defenceman have also been on the longterm injury list for a long time with knee and hip injuries respectively. I don’t think a team with that many key injuries will manage to capture a playoff berth in the tight West Conference.
The fact that Dallas is in the race, given how poorly they started is an amazing thing. The Dallas Stars were a streaky team last year who got hot at the right time and made the semifinals. Their streakiness has continued this year with a horrid start that they are recovering from. It looks likely that injury may prevent a full recovery, but it has been a good attempt whether the Stars make playoffs of not.
Filed in: | The Puck Stops Here | Permalink
Tags: Brad+Richards, Dallas+Stars, Jere+Lehtinen, Marty+Turco, Sean+Avery,
Comments
That should read “Sanity and goaltending” above. Curse my feeble mind.
Posted by shanetx on 02/19/09 at 09:50 AM ET
1) With so much parody (mediocrity) in the bottom of the west conference all it will take the 15th place team to make the playoffs is a decent win streak. The bottom 11 teams seperated by 9 points!
2) Its too bad for the Stars that they have lost not one, or two vital pieces, but 3. If they could somehow stay in it, , get those guys back by mid April, they could be a dark horse going into the posts season. They also could add to their roster at the deadline as the loss of Richards on LTR freees up some cap space
Posted by Faux Rumors from Globally- Here, there, Everywhere on 02/19/09 at 01:47 PM ET
2) Its too bad for the Stars that they have lost not one, or two vital pieces, but 3. If they could somehow stay in it, , get those guys back by mid April, they could be a dark horse going into the posts season. They also could add to their roster at the deadline as the loss of Richards on LTR freees up some cap space
Overly simplistic and narrow view.
Only one of the three pieces was around when the stars went from the worst team in the league. Morrow was hurt before they remembered they could play and Zubov played, what, 10 games this season? They’ve lived without him and will continue to do so.
The losses hurt them, yeah- no question about that. But they don’t hurt them nearly as bad as Turco sucking (which he has apparently decided not to do any more) did early. This isn’t a mediocre team. With the full roster it’s a great team… if Turco can play well, otherwise it’s a bad team, down those 3 it’s an average team… if Turco can continue to play well, otherwise it’s an AHL team.
An average team can make the playoffs with a good goalie.
Posted by shanetx on 02/19/09 at 02:38 PM ET
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I’d not count Dallas out just yet. According to NHL.com, they’re currently in 7th with 63 points but they’ve got games in hand versus everyone except San Jose and Minnesota. They’re a deep team that lost two top-6 forwards and their best d-man, but they’ve got enough talent in the 3rd and forth line to be second-liners on a lot of teams. Hell, toss Brunnstrom to Pittsburg and he is Crosby’s wing all season long. He gets scratched occasionally in Dallas. The team never lacked talent, they just lacked sanity and coaching.
Turco is playing on his head- but don’t expect that to go away overnight. He’s a streak goalie, on a hot streak, and knowing him it’ll last just long enough to eek out a first-round victory against an superior team before he collapses.
Posted by shanetx on 02/19/09 at 09:50 AM ET