Dallas Stars Daily Links: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back On The Injury Front
by Erin Bolen on Dec 29, 2011 9:30 AM CST
in Dallas Stars Daily Links
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Stop me if you've heard this before, but there is good news and there is bad news.
The good news, and perhaps best news in several weeks, is that goalie Kari Lehtonen is expected to play tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets after missing 12 games with a groin strain.
``Lehts is ready to go, so he'll get the start,'' Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. ``I think it's the right time to do this, and he's ready.''
The Stars are 13-4-1 with Lehtonen in goal this season and 7-10-0 with someone else in net. So what's the reason for such a large gap?
``He's that good,'' Gulutzan said. ``There's no question (he's becoming a top goalie). He still has to prove it over the long haul, but you look at those numbers and you see how valuable he is to our club.''
The bad news?
Add two more defenseman to the "out a bit" list, one of those officially to injured reserve. Stephane Robidas and the bone bruise in his foot went on IR as Lehtonen came off while Gulutzan noted Sheldon Souray will also be out 10-14 days with what is presumably a mild ankle sprain.
As a quick note, Mark Stepneski of ESPN Dallas wrote on Twitter yesterday that he will be gone on family business for about a week, so if you notice a distinct lack of content from that outlet, that's why. If today is any indication, they will have rewritten press releases and little else.
After the jump, more on today's game against the Blue Jackets, Joe Nieuwendyk offers his take on the Mark Fistric hit on Shea Weber and Steve Ott makes an appearance on HBO's 24/7.
- With no ESPN Dallas to help fill us in on the nitty-gritty details of tonight's game against the Blue Jackets, I'm turning to a different source for the time being. [FoxSports.com]
- So we talked (and talked and talked) about the late-breaking "controversy" around Mark Fistric's hit on Shea Weber from nearly a week ago now. Well Weber's agent chimed in, again, nearly a week late, to say how angry he was that no one so much as blinked at the hit until it was clear Weber was injured (even though he didn't blink an eye at it until the injury was apparent, either). Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk? Not buying that the hit was at all illegal. [DallasNews.com]
- Apparently the availability of Andrew Raycroft on the waiver wire might incidentally affect the San Jose Sharks as they shop their own backup. This brought a smile to my face. [CSN Bay Area]
- There is only one teeny tiny mention of a Stars player in this story about a youth hockey tournament in Canada, but the mental image of a pre-teen Kari Lehtonen making his first visit to North America is just too cute to get out of my head. [Ottawa Citizen]
- Ever wondered what exactly goes on in the quiet room once a player has been removed for a suspected concussion? No? Well I still think this is a cool little bit of insight. [Backhand Shelf]
- Meet the enemy, part the first: Our friends over at The Cannon are doing their own scoring chance project this season, and here's how they saw the most recent two Jackets games. [The Cannon]
- Meet the enemy, part the second: Scott Howson, Jackets general manager, hasn't made any major roster or coaching moves despite the disastrous season so far. But the threats are there now. [Puck-Rakers Blog]
- Around the Pacific Division, the winner: Who needs a lot of goals? Not the Los Angeles Kings, who shut out the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 as Jonathan Quick continued to impress. [Los Angeles Times]
- Around the Pacific Division, the loser points: The Phoenix Coyotes had a raucous crowd but fell to the Boston Bruins 2-1 in overtime while the Vancouver Canucks withstood a San Jose Sharks comeback attempt for a 3-2 overtime win. [Boston Globe/San Jose Mercury News]
- Speaking of that Canucks/Sharks game, Joe Thornton channeled his inner Steve Ott while trying to get under the skin of Henrik Sedin during the game. It's funnier when you remember no one makes Thornton quite as crazed as Ott, too. [Puck Daddy]
- And speaking of Mr. Ott, he made his long-awaited debut on HBO's 24/7, which featured several moments from the Stars game against the Philadelphia Flyers even though the show completely skipped the shutout win over the New York Rangers. The following clip sums up much of his appearance on the show, including some less-than-effective trash talking to Claude Giroux and proof that Flyers coach Peter Laviolette was pretty clearly in the wrong about (and was the one who escalated) the tunnel incident. Language warning, but with Ott uncensored, you probably could have guessed that.
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"Ott Uncensored"
Ladies and gentlemen, we have the name of our next Dallas Stars related show.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
"Show some class and let our team go."
“Go f*%k yourself.”
Yep, pretty much sums that up.
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As a blog commenter, I wish to cause Lavi some pain for that moment. But I think this is how I would appear to others...
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
He who questions training only trains himself at asking questions.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
It never ends. =)
Or then it just did.
Trevor Daley is my cup of tea.
by Henri Muroke on Dec 29, 2011 11:21 AM CST up reply actions
Until you master your rage...
Your rage will be your master!
"That must be the Dallas Stars version of the shocker. You don't expect that on the other end!" Razor after Grossman went end to end
by James on Bass! on Dec 29, 2011 11:34 AM CST up reply actions
It might be one of the best superhero movies of all time.
Right up there with Dark Knight, and The Watchmen. Each great for their own take on the genre.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
Geoffrey Rush as a bad guy.
I love that guy, no matter what he does.
Trevor Daley is my cup of tea.
by Henri Muroke on Dec 29, 2011 11:40 AM CST up reply actions
I was trying to think of who that was!!
That guy is awesome.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
Man who won an Oscar got a fart in his face.
Fair enough. =)
Trevor Daley is my cup of tea.
by Henri Muroke on Dec 29, 2011 1:20 PM CST up reply actions
They actually had to have a phone conversation about this?
Who cares?
Defending Big D Check it out
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"You guys are talking about living forever like it’s a real thing, but I bust out a man shoving his head into a vagina, and it’s srs time?"
--iorange555 8/23/2011
I think it was more for the shove.
They don’t want to set a precedent that players and coaches shoving is okay. So you tell them to “work it out over the phone” and you avoid that.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
The only person that needed to be talked to was Laviolette
No reason for trying to walk through the Stars like that.
Defending Big D Check it out
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"You guys are talking about living forever like it’s a real thing, but I bust out a man shoving his head into a vagina, and it’s srs time?"
--iorange555 8/23/2011
I wonder if the Stars keep that door locked now
Since the Preds staff walked on the ice with their team.
Either that, or the Preds coaches decided to show some class (which I would believe. You don’t stay a coach for the same team for 75 years like Trotz without being respectful)
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
Um...
I actually think Trotz being the second longest tenured coach has more to do with the fact that the ownership of the team is a fragmented committee of local businessmen that have no idea about hockey and how to build a winning franchise.
"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi
You don't think trotz is a good coach?
He’s been able to turn a weak team into a competitive one on a pretty regular basis.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
I don't think he's a bad coach or even that he's not a classy guy.
However, I don’t know that six first round loses and one 2nd round loss in 12 years qualifies you as a good coach or a competitive team. He’s done much with little to be sure so that’s not his fault. I’d be curious to see what he would do though with an actual budget. Honestly, I really don’t think he would fare much better. Look at the year or two they had a tiny bit of money. They had Kariya and company and finally started to field a team that had a couple names on it, and when they were doing well and headed for the playoffs they went and bought Forsberg. Look where that got them. 1st round exit. I don’t think the team can actually have real post-season success with him as their coach quite frankly. That and an owner that can actually let them spend some money.
"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi
The real test for him will be next season
Assuming the owner puts his money where his mouth is, and manages to extend weber and the others.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
No joke.
That’s another point though. The mismanagement this off-season was indicative of the problems for the Preds franchise. Getting slaughtered in arbitration with Weber this year and their very poor handling of their RFA’s is just inexcusable. I don’t know how they stay competitive paying Weber 7 million a year with contracts like Rinne and the lot. How do they build if they have no money to spend. That’s why Ward and Goc were let go this past year. They need higher caliber players to be viable and the one thing they really can’t afford is contract and payroll mistakes.
"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi
Oh and by the way, are you going to the Nashville game on Jan 5th?
"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi
I doubt it, but we'll see.
I may not make it to the NYE game this year — waiting on my sister in law to have her baby before we leave town. If we don’t go, we may look at that one. But tax season will also have officially begun, so we’ll see.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
Bummer. I hear ya.
I was thinking I might actually be able to meet the guy I agree with most often on this site. Maybe some other time. You may be making the right call though if you don’t go. I haven’t had much luck with the Preds losing whenever I go to a live game. Those bastards.
Good luck to you in tax season. I don’t envy you with that job.
"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi
tax season is when I actually enjoy it the most.
It’s the sitting around all day that kills me.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
Ha ha! You are indeed a strange but reasonable man, my friend.
Good luck to you then, in the interim.
Hopefully rooting from your TV will be enough for that game. I’ll be doing my best from several rows behind the Dallas bench. I would really love to walk out of there that night with a very smug look on my face.
"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi
Yeah, you'll be about where I was last time.
Didn’t end well for us then either, but Goose scored a goal, so I enjoyed that.
"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil
Oh I remember that horrible game well.
I was on the first row of the 300 section on the lower side (which is really like the 200 section on that side of the arena). What a horribly designed building. You and I probably could have had a conversation from our seats. My wife was with me and I had brought my in-laws because they were in town. After the game I felt bad they had to be there for that. It’s not exactly the greatest environment, especially when the Preds win.
"I know the last couple of years have been especially hard for Stars fans. To all of you: First let me say thank you for your patience and support, and please know that the uncertainty is now over." -- Tom Gaglardi
I so want Ott to get mic'd.
DIY: do it yourself hockey! - Razor
by diamondicegirl on Dec 29, 2011 12:06 PM CST reply actions
ott said nothing wrong there
thar just made lav look like a major prick lol i love it
GET OFF NIEUWENDYK'S NUTS
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