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No, there wont be any dancing involved and barring some strange twilight zone scenario you probably wont see any telescopes either. There will be Stars though.
For hardcore Dallas Stars fans this year has been pretty hard to watch, in fact possibly one of the hardest in recent years. From the get-go this has been a year when the Stars simply were not meant to go super-nova. It all started right back at the start of the season when Brett Hull announced with a big smile on his face that the team signed Sean Avery to a contract worth twice his value for years double what you’d think right through and continued til recently when Brad Richards broke his wrist, only to break the OTHER one on his first game back! Losing Captain Brendan Morrow sure didn’t help with the teams grand plans either, nor did Zubov being out for all but 10 games and a multitude of other injuries to players like Lehtinen, Parrish & Brunnstrom. In fact at recent count over 300 man hours of games have been lost to injuries this season.
This season’s Dallas Stars remind me of the old nursery rhyme… “Twinkle Twinkle little star, how i wonder what you are”.
Who are you? Or, to be more accurate, what are you expected to be?
Brad Richards injury had the team turning to Mike Modano to fill his role. All of a sudden the 38 year old who has spent much of the past 2 seasons on the 3rd line as a checking center was expected to play 22+ minutes on the 2nd line and do so like he was in his prime. Forgive me, but while Mike is a legend and still one of the best in the game, he’s not the guy he was when the Stars won the cup in ‘99.
The blue line suffered all year long with rookie mistakes, lackluster performances and a vast constellation of turnovers, pun intended. It’s no wonder either considering you have Stephane Robidas and Nicklas Grossman expected to play #1 Defenseman minutes with the same skill, tenacity and patience that Zubov delivered.
All that aside, mediocre defensive performances and less “punchy” top lines can still win games. Afterall, the last line of defense is none other than “the wall”, Marty Turco. Surely after his standout performances in last years playoffs he could help carry this depleted & fatigued to a playoff spot. Right? Normally, yes but it would appear at some time between game 1 and game 71 of this season Marty Turco forgot how to stop pucks on a consistent basis. With no quality back-up goalie to challenge Marty for the net, it appears even Marty forgot who he is.
What a year! Many Stars fans will be happier when this season ends than they were when Sean Avery got the boot out of big D.
What now? Clearly this team needs a change. The Two-Headed Snake of Brett Hull and Les Jackson did not impress fans when they failed to deliver a #1 defenseman at the trade deadline, instead opting to get Brenden Morrison to replace Brad Richards. An ok move, but not one that really helped this struggling team.
The off season is now the focus for many Stars fans. What will this team get? What do they need? Who will stay or go? Here are some interesting points to ponder…
Sergei Zubov and Jere Lehtinen’s contracts are both up this year. Both are top players if they’re not injured. Is the risk too much to re-sign them? I believe both are worth keeping hold of if the price is right. Neither of these guys are able to ask for big contracts due to their ongoing injuries, but the cost of not re-signing them could be too high.
Mike Modano has another year on his contract but many fans believe he’s done and should retire. I disagree. Age slows him down, but doesn’t deaden his passion. The team should not rely on Mike to be the player he was 10 years ago.
Even if Zubov returns, he’s no longer able to be relied on as the #1 defenseman. Should the Stars make a post season trade to get a Bouwmeester, Kaberle or Redden?
With Brian Sutherby getting a contract extension, does that mean Joel Lundqvist is one the way out? Maybe we could send him to the Rangers in a deal to bring Redden here. Brothers unite!
Marty Turco no longer has a NTC i believe after his dismall play this year, so could the team look to ship him out?
If i were to make just one change to the current Dallas Stars system, it would be this. I would remove Brett Hull from the GM position and put him somewhere else. While the co-GM situation was great for a while, the Sean Avery incident proved that Brett Hull is not, and possibly never will be a good General Manager of an NHL team.
I leave you with this thought. If the Dallas Stars had never signed Sean Avery, how do you believe the team would look right now?
Avery Alert: With so much news surrounding the Sean Avery situation, our new section “Avery Alert” will bring you all the news comments you need in one handy location. Don’t worry though, this section will only last a short time and will stop once we all get sick off hearing about Avery.
NHLPA Plans to file grievance on Avery suspension
The National Hockey League Players Association is planning on grieving Sean Avery’s 6-game suspension. The PA believes NHL commissioner Gary Bettman handed down a summary suspension before the hearing, constituting a violation of the collective bargaining agreement. The CBA suggests for off-ice discipline a hearing must take place before action is taken. (The Full Story on TSN)
News
Wild keeping Gillies from World Juniors
While Team Canada’s December camp roster for the World Junior Hockey Championship has room for additions, forward Colton Gillies will not be one of them. (The Full Story on TSN)
Wilson puts struggling leafs through early morning skate
For most NHL teams taking a road trip through a warm and sunny locale, a round of golf is usually on the schedule. But for a Toronto Maple Leafs club that dropped two of three games after a humiliating loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, it’s a good ol’ fashioned bag skate. (The Full Story on TSN)
Can the Stars start fresh without Avery?
While it has been made clear that the Dallas Stars aren’t interested in getting Sean Avery back in their lineup anytime soon — if at all — are there any other opportunities that might work with other teams around the NHL? (The Full Story on TSN)
Canucks GM Gillis believes Sundin decision imminent
As Mats Sundin continues to ponder his future, Canucks general Mike Gillis is once again attempting to convince the Maple Leafs all-time leading scorer that Vancouver should be his destination of choice. (The Full Story on TSN)
Trades & Transactions:
None
Injuries:
Sam Gagner (C – Oilers) Day-to-Day with concussion.
Owen Nolan (RW – Wild) Day-to-Day with lower body injury.
Robert Nilsson (LW – Oilers) Placed on Injured Reserve.
Rumours & Gossip:
Possible trade locations for Avery?
Could there be a trade involving Sean Avery? An article allegedly from TSN lists 5 teams who could provide possible trade locations for the forward. All would involve long term contracts that have not paid off; Dustin Penner (LW – Oilers), Jason Blake (LW – Maple Leafs), Radim Vrbata (RW – Lightning), Rostislav Olesz (LW – Panthers) & Sergei Samsonov (LW, Hurricanes).
Avangard Omsk returns to ice after Cherepanov death The Avangard Omsk hockey team on Monday played its first Kontinental Hockey League game since the death of promising winger Alexei Cherepanov.
With Cherepanov’s parents in attendance, captain Alexander Svitov and alternates Anton Kuryanov and Alexander Popov skated with Cherepanov’s jersey No. 7 before it was raised to the rafters. An announcement was made that his No. 7 will never be worn again.
“It was tough on those three guys,” Omsk coach Wayne Fleming told TSN of Canada on Monday. “They didn’t have a lot of time to wipe their tears before the puck drop and away they went. And there was no warmup music at all. There was no talking among the players as both teams went about their warmup rituals and practice drills.”
Avery returns to the Garden Sean Avery hurried out of Madison Square Garden nearly as quickly as he left the New York Rangers as a free agent.
“I love you guys,” Avery said to a large throng of reporters in the
tight visitors dressing room, “but I have to go take my teammates out
to dinner.”
Avery made his presence felt upon his return to Manhattan after 1
1/2 seasons of being the resident Rangers pest. He didn’t show up on
the scoresheet Monday, but he walked out into the New York nightlife he
relishes after he and the Dallas Stars skated off with a 2-1 victory.
Devils C Holik out 3-4 weeks The New Jersey Devils on Monday announced that veteran center Bobby Holik will be sidelined three to four weeks with a broken right pinkie. Holik, who left in the second period of the team’s 4-3 shootout win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday, is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Devils recalled left wing Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond from Lowell of the American Hockey League. (Yahoo!)
DiPietro feeling good DiPietro (knee) said he was “feeling good” after Monday’s practice, the New York Newsday reports. (Yahoo!)
Transactions:
Rangers add LW DiDiomete The New York Rangers on Monday agreed to terms with left wing Devin DiDiomete. Known as an enforcer, DiDiomete notched 23 goals and 56 points with 216 penalty minutes over 56 games last season with Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League. The 20-year-old DiDiomete also had six goals and six assists with 62 penalty minutes in 21 playoff contests. (Yahoo!)
Flyers assign RW Downie, C Ross to minors The Philadelphia Flyers assigned right wing Steve Downie and center Jared Ross to the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League on Monday. Both have played sparingly as the Flyers have gotten off to a miserable 0-3-2 start. Neither has recorded a point. (Yahoo!)
Carolina send Zach Boychuk to WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes Zach Boychuk is on his way back to the Western Hockey League. The Carolina Hurricanes announced Monday that the 19-year-old forward would rejoin his junior team in Lethbridge for the rest of the season. (Yahoo!)
Red Wings place RW McCarty on waivers The Detroit Red Wings on Monday placed veteran right wing Darren McCarty on waivers, according to a published report. The Detroit News reported that if the 36-year-old clears waivers, he could be sent to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. All other NHL clubs have until noon on Tuesday to claim McCarty, who has been part of four Stanley Cup championships with the Red Wings. (Yahoo!)
EAGLE TRIBUNE.COM: Mike McMahon reports Phil Kessel’s improvement this season has turned him into the “sniper the Bruins need him to be”, silencing his critics and putting the rest the trade rumors that dogged him since last season. McMahon suggests the Bruins need to re-sign Kessel before he become a restricted free agent next summer.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Dan Wood reports on the media circus that’ll dog Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke during his club’s swing into Toronto this week, where he’s rumored to be in the running for the job of Maple Leafs general manager when his current contract expires with the Ducks at season’s end. Burke isn’t keen on discussing his future but added he’d make a decision on re-signing with the Ducks by no later than Christmas.
DETROIT NEWS: reports the Red Wings have placed popular forward Darren McCarty on waivers.
VANCOUVER PROVINCE: reports the Canucks have recalled forwards Kyle Wellwood and Matt Pettinger and are confident both will clear re-entry waivers.
SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS: reports the Sharks have placed their 2004 first round pick Lukas Kaspar on waivers.
We added a selection of interviews to 2 Minutes For Hockey today including interviews with NHL draftees and the much talked about feud between Kevin Lowe and Brian Burke.
Each year the NHL provides us with video clips that will forever belong in highlight reels and best-of compilations. This year was no different. Possibly the greatest clip this last season however belonged to Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars. Going into the season he trailed Phil Housley in points, and as each game passed he moved closer to the moment that would place Modano in the elite group of “greatest” players. On November 11, 2007 he finally did it, scoring an amazing breakaway goal on Evgeni Nabokov of the San Jose Sharks. Below is the clip of that goal.
The Detroit Red Wings went in to todays game against the Dallas Stars as a team on a roll. They had won 9 straight, and they had the comforting knowledge that Dallas netminder, Marty Turco, appears to have issues defeating the boys in red.
The Red Wings expected to leave todays game with a berth in the Stanley Cup finals.
It wasn’t to be.
The Dallas Stars proved today they can compete with the high flying Red Wings. They proved they can outskate, outpass, outshoot and outplay them, and after 60 grueling minutes, Marty Turco and the Dallas Stars left the rink 3-1 victors.
This win gives the Stars a major boost going into the must-win game 5 back in Detroit. Most importantly however it gives the confidence of Marty Turco and the rest of the Stars squad a shot of nitro.
Loui Eriksson opened the scoring in the closing seconds of the 2nd period. The Wings struck back 49 seconds into the third but it wasn’t to last. Mike Modano scored what was to become the Game-winner and Brenden Morrow added the insurance goal to round out the scorers.
Game 5 in the series is on Saturday at 1:30pm EDT.
For the Stars, Hope, Joy, Bliss, Excitement. For the Sharks, Dismay, Fear, Concern.
4 minutes into the overtime period, unlikely hero, Mattias Norstrom shoots a wristshot from the blue line. This isn’t the first wrister he’s fired in this series, and it probably wont be his last. But todays was different, because it managed to go through all the traffic, past Nabokov and into the net.
And with that, the Stars took a very convincing 3-0 series lead over the (#1 contender going into the regular season) San Jose Sharks.
“I tried to get it on net, it went off a stick. Fortunately, it went in,” said Norstrom, sounding as shocked as anyone about his game-winner.
- Yahoo! Sports
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)—Joe Pavelski collapsed like a kid on rented skates, nudging the puck straight to Brad Richards as he fell. Richards, who has a few big playoff goals in his past, turned that turnover into the Dallas Stars’ tying score before the Sharks even knew they were doomed.
- GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
That quote by Greg Beacham pretty much sums up todays game between the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks did come out swinging, and took the early lead off a Joe Pavelski goal. Mike Ribeiro leveled the score however not long after, setting the scene for a fast paced end to end hockey match.
The 2nd period saw Milan Michalek put the Sharks ahead once again, a lead they held going into the third period.
It was the 3rd however where the Sharks collapsed, the the Stars shone bright! Just 30 seconds into the match Joe Pavelski lost an edge while attempting to clear the puck from his zone. In his attempt to control the puck while falling, he handed it right to Brad Richards, who put it past Nabokov before anybody knew what had happened.
Like a puncture wound in a well used tire, the Sharks momentum deflated in an instant, and the Stars grabbed the advantage. Mike Modano put the Stars ahead 3 minutes later on the Power Play, and Niklas Hagman put up the insurance goal in the 13th minute of the period. A goalie change by San Jose was not enough, and Hagman picked up his 2nd of the night, an empty net goal to finish off the game.
“We’ve had amazing third periods so far in the playoffs,” said Modano, who has six goals in six games in San Jose this season. “It was a big trip for us. Now it’s up to us to respond to this at home. We know this is far from over, but at the same time, we had a great two days here. Every shift, every night, we’ve looked hungry.”
- Yahoo! Sports
Games 3 and 4 will be back to back games, held in Dallas this Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Detroit Red Wings went in to todays game against the Dallas Stars as a team on a roll. They had won 9 straight, and they had the comforting knowledge that Dallas netminder, Marty Turco, appears to have issues defeating the boys in red.
This win gives the Stars a major boost going into the must-win game 5 back in Detroit. Most importantly however it gives the confidence of Marty Turco and the rest of the Stars squad a shot of nitro.
A picture tells a thousand words.
That quote by Greg Beacham pretty much sums up todays game between the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks.
Like a puncture wound in a well used tire, the Sharks momentum deflated in an instant, and the Stars grabbed the advantage. Mike Modano put the Stars ahead 3 minutes later on the Power Play, and Niklas Hagman put up the insurance goal in the 13th minute of the period. A goalie change by San Jose was not enough, and Hagman picked up his 2nd of the night, an empty net goal to finish off the game.
