When the Dallas Stars traded for Jamie Langenbrunner without sending any players in exchange to the Devils, our first thought was "yay!" and our second thought was "Uh oh." That, of course, is because someone was going to have to go because a team will not often carry around 14 forwards. "Uh oh," because this team really came together in training camp and ever since there has obviously been great camaraderie and chemistry that we hate to see broken up or disturbed in any way. Yet still, someone had to go.
Brandon Segal and his two way contract, despite his significant contributions this year, were the logical choice. He cleared waivers this morning and joins Fabian Brunnstrom in Cedar Park with the Texas Stars.
Having been blessed with the opportunity to spend a little more time with the team this year and see how things are in the locker room, I think this (pardon the vernacular) "kind of sucks," but it's a necessary evil. Segal was a lot of fun and obviously liked by his mates. He worked hard and made the best of this situation after being claimed from Los Angeles a year ago.
The show, as they say, must go on, so Dallas now awaits Toby Petersen's return to health with only 12 available forwards. With only three games in the next nine nights and a five day break at the end of the month, one would think the team will enter the stretch run in February/March fresh and repaired.
Afternoon reading...
- Heika has a good quotes on Richie and Loui's All-Star inclusions and their budding friendship... [Dallas Morning News]
- ESPN grades all 30 teams through half the season. High praise for Dallas... [ESPN]
- The Oilers will begin experiment tonight with Hall at center in Dallas [T. Sun]
- Yahoo! Power Rankings take a shot at Dallas Stars attendance this season. The Oilers on a Tuesday night will not disprove them, unfortunately. [Yahoo!]
- Check out Puck Daddy's Puck Headlines and scroll down to the screenshot of NHL '11 to see what the game thinks of what the Coyotes and Rangers did yesterday (Wolski for Rozsival). Hilarious. [Puck Daddy]
- Stepneski has injury updates on Skrastins, Niskanen and Petersen [ESPN Dallas]
- Dallas Observer notes the Stars are having a good year...scratch that, "interesting season" and suggest people might even start paying attention when football season is over. Maybe. [Dallas Observer]