Dallas Stars Daily Links: Wild Respond After Ott-Powe Fight While Stars Remain Flat

The ones he will not share. =)

I don’t know if that’s a harsh assessment

not that it matters. please tell me jamie is playing tuesday this team needs him desperately.

rather than let him get infected with whatever is killing the team mentally it might be best to send him off to the all star game and have him and the rest of the team come back after the break refreshed and hopefully full of fight for the remainder.

I think some of you are spot on: This team has some significan holes, which have to be addressed sooner, than later, or this team’s core could implode.

I think that if we wait until free agency to do something major, it’s almost too long. With new ownership, the Stars are going to want to draw in fans and media attention, which would be derailed if they get into an epic slide. Unless of course they hit the reset button in the summer, make some trades and signings, and draft well. Then they could really do a better job in introducing key signings to the media this year, unlike last summer. Remember when we signed Guerin, Turgeon and Young? Dallas had a press conference to showcase the new talent. Even when they signed Avery, they had him throw an opening pitch at a Rangers game. This is the kind of stuff we have to do going forward to let people in the Fort Worth area know that, while they have the Mavs, The Cowboys and a good baseball team, they also have a pretty good hockey team as well. A team that wants to win and return to their elite standing winning tradition of the late ’90’s.

Here’s my roster breakdown:

Benn: Great; needs to be signed long-term.

Burish: Ok depth winger who brings emotion and leadership to the ice. UFA after next season; wouldn’t sign him past that, as I believe we have enough reinforcements on the way.

Dowell: Unnoticeable.

Dvorak: Ok veteran forward. Doesn’t score much, but gets pucks to the net and isn’t much of a liability. Wouldn’t extend his contract, however.

Eriksson: Glad he’s on the team. A more offensive Jere Lehtinen.

Fiddler: Why did we sign him for 3 years? Am I the only one who thinks Morin would’ve been just fine instead?

Morrow: It sucks to say this, but he’s no longer a top 6 forward on a good team. I think his trade value (while he has a NTC) is probably higher as a guy who is “having a bad season”, than if the team waits until his contract year, when teams will see him as a “guy who’s had some bad seasons and is on the decline.” At this point, a team may see him as a guy who, given the opportunity for a change of scenery, may do better elsewhere. But if the season is over and it’s in retrospect, the trend of offensive decline will be more noticeable. Morrow in 2011-12 = Nystrom, Ott, Moen, etc. A 3rd line guy.

Nystrom: Very impressed by him. As a 3rd line winger, he’s been a bargain. And he shoots A LOT! Would I extend his contract? Not yet. By his UFA year, someone like Chiasson or Stransky may be NHL ready to take his minutes.

Ott: 29 and likely entering his prime, or already in it. His contract has him here for a few more years and by then – or even before- I see someone replacing him from our prospect pool. A key role player for this team and part of the core, but not a top 6 forward.

Petersen: Why Nieuwendyk extended his contract the other year is beyond me. Glad he’s gone after this season. He’ll have a hard time finding something on another team in the NHL, in my opinion.

Ribeiro: Good contract term, given his age. I’m happy with his performance, but feel like he’d be more effective if we had a true no. 1 center, and he could play against other team’s lower lines, rather than matching with top lines. He’s a very good complementary center. Like when we had Nieuwendyk, we need a Modano. We don’t have one yet.

Ryder: I like his contract. It’s not too long-term, but I wouldn’t extend him. This team will have plenty of replacement options by the time he’s coming due as a free agent. He’s been good for the Stars though.

Vincour: Anyone who talks about moving this guy is nuts. Sure- he may have SOME trade value. Maybe not much, as other teams probably don’t know his worth. But he’ll be good once he puts it all together. He’s got top 6 potential that I believe he’ll reach sooner than later.

Wandell: After seeing him play on top lines, or at least get better linemates and minutes, I think he’s worth a second look. He’s good defensively, an excellent skater and decent on faceoffs. If he could only score more… I like him as a 3rd line forward.

Daley: I like Goligoski. But even when my friend, who is a longtime, diehard Pens fan, was always raving about this guy, and telling me about how Stars scouts were watching him, I couldn’t help but wonder why they’d want him when we had Daley. I think they’re similar in some ways. It’ll be interesting to see who remains with the team longer. We have Daley under contract long term, but not Goose. Can we keep both? Will one of the youngsters push one aside?

Fistric: Unlike Grossman, he’s got intimidation qualities. Like Pardy, most NHL’ers probably have little trouble skating circles around him. If he has any trade value, I’d include him in a package deal, or trade him for a pick. Otherwise- waivers?

Grossman: Please Joe, DO NOT extend his contract. Dillon, Nemeth and Oleksiak will be better future options than this guy. He has the ideal frame for a physical defenseman. But he’s not physical. The old “nun with nice breasts” metaphor comes to mind while thinking of Grossman.

Souray: I’m not a hater. I think he’s been fine in a reduced role. Every team needs a guy on the backend who has a cannon. He’s our guy. Before him it was Boucher, and before Boucher it was Manson… I think? I could see a team wanting him for a playoff run, but why would we move him? I think the Stars keep him until the summer and see where they’re at then. If they feel they have room, they’d extend him for a 1 year deal, unless he finds something more attractive in the market.

Robidas: Another “why Joe” contract extension. Robi is on the decline. Can we trade him? I’d rather have Larsen take his minutes and maybe call up Jordie Benn to see if he can contribute at all.

Goligoski: Good. Can someone please explain to me if Goligoski and Daley is redundant, or if it’s a good thing to have two “similar” defensemen?

Pardy: Can we try to send him through waivers?

Larsen: NHL ready, I think. At least in a reduced role. Ease him in.

Bachman: Excellent backup goaltender with some upside.

Lehtonen: He’s become one of the better goalies in the league. I wonder what happens when Campbell comes knocking on the NHL’s door though? It’s a nice problem to have.

You don’t think that in a year or two, Dallas won’t be able to call up or sign a sub-six foot forward with 20 point capability who draws penalties? They grow on trees. Pass on an extension. Like running backs in football, you don’t sign those guys long term.

Goose for Neal, especially with a former first round pick defenseman (even if he was our scapegoat here) seems awful on paper. And I probably wouldn’t have done it. I don’t think Les Jackson would have done it either, if he were still GM (and what a fine GM he was- I hope someone else takes notice and gives him a job, as much as I’d like him to stay in Dallas). But a part of me just can’t help but think that if we still had Neal, we wouldn’t have Benn. I mean- we’d have Benn, but a 55 point Benn. Less minutes and less production. Too many cooks in the kitchen doesn’t make for good soup. Plus- out of Stransky, Ritchie, Smith, Smith, Chiasson, Glennie, Vincour, Fraser, Molin, etc, etc, I’m sure someone will fill the void Neal left.