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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Duck Collapse Damaging Stars' Playoff Odds

Sure Iginla was traded, and the Coyotes might be on the move, but the Ducks four-game losing streak has significantly damaged the Stars' playoff chances.

By Brad Gardner
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Calgary Flames traded Jarome Iginla Wednesday night to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Phoenix Coyotes saw a report come out that might ultimately spell the beginning of the end of their existence via TSN and Darren Dreger.

Yes, it was a newsy night in the NHL, but for the Dallas Stars and their fans the biggest news came out of Anaheim for the fourth straight game.

The Ducks, once challenging the Chicago Blackhawks and their impossible point streak for first in the league, continued their oft-predicted collapse Wednesday, and what's worse (damning) they did it against Western Conference opponents from which Dallas explicitly needs help (and lots of it) to make the playoffs.

Anaheim lost twice to Detroit last week and have followed that up with two straight losses to the San Jose Sharks. It's very, very poor timing for Dallas, who now trails the 8 seed Sharks by three points thanks to the Ducks' charity, and the Red Wings by six.

The Ducks allowed three first-period goals to San Jose and fell meekly, 4-0, in taking their season-high fourth consecutive defeat after going the first 27 games without consecutive regulation losses.

Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Brent Burns all put shots past Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller in the first 9:20 of the game. The Ducks (22-7-4) last won at home against Chicago seven days ago but now head to the Windy City to face the Blackhawks.

The Ducks offered little resistance as they failed to put anything of quality in terms of shots on San Jose netminder Antti Niemi, when they were actually able to get shots through. They've allowed nine first-period goals in these four defeats. [OC Register]

You've got to have some luck to make the playoffs when you're a bubble team, and these eight points given to Detroit and San Jose are anything but lucky for Dallas. The mountain gets that much steeper and the schedule gets harder as the Stars press on.

***

  • Darren Dreger reports that the $25 million yearly subsidy from Glendale is gone for the Coyotes (this, coupled with lack of claims on Jussi Jokinen waivers Wednesday morning signals return of sanity to the world), and that the league could make a decision on possible relocation (or yet another attempt at a sale) BEFORE the playoffs start this season. [Twitter]
  • Possible relocation for Phoenix? The usual: Quebec, Kansas City, Seattle, Kansas City... [SB Nation]
  • Meanwhile it seems the flu, or something like it, was rampant in the Dallas locker room last week. "There were about eight or nine guys and a couple coaches were affected, too. It lingered for about four or five days," said Gulutzan to [Dallas Stars Inside Edge]
  • Meanwhile Dallas officially wins the Nieuwendyk/Iginla trade, as the latter will leave town without a Stanley Cup. The Flames receive from PIttsburgh college wing prospects Kenneth Agostino of Yale and Ben Hanowski of St Cloud State as well as the Penguins 2013 first-round pick. [NHL.com]
  • This blogger things "Brenden Morrow deserved another chance to win a title with the Dallas Stars" this season, rather than be traded. [Rant Sports...?]
  • Mark Recchi, technically under the employ of Tom Gaglardi, spoke about Brenden Morrow to the Penguins: "Unfortunately, at this point, the Dallas Stars aren't in a position to win the Stanley Cup," Recchi said. "This is a great opportunity for Brenden to play on a team that has a chance to win the Cup. We tried to do the right things for him, and make sure that he is in a great spot. Pittsburgh really wanted him." [CBS Pittsburgh]
  • Here Bob Sturm agrees with everything that's been said here: That the Morrow move is tough, but necessary and ultimately probably a good one: Enjoy some Morrow YouTube clips as we continue to say goodbye: [Fox Sports Southwest]
  • You know these stories, but CBS runs down the possible trade scenarios for the Dallas Stars as the 2013 NHL Trade Deadline approach [CBS Sports]
  • Friday's opponent, the Minnesota Wild, continued their dominating ways Wednesday with a seventh straight win. They defeated the Phoenix Coyotes, but of course disseminated a third point in doing so. Minnesota flies back to Dallas to conclude the season series tomorrow night. [Star Tribune]
  • Ryan Miller is in play too, maybe? [Pro Hockey Talk]