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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Analyzing The Justin Dowling Call-Up

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Sean Shapiro has read your tweets and answered. Plus, another famous No. 9 goes to the rafters, MacKinnon and Rantanen make history, Seth Jones returns, and more.

By Kathleen Tibbetts
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NHL: Preseason-Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Stars are set to put Justin Dowling in the lineup tonight, and already fans are asking why Denis Gurianov wasn’t called up instead.

Sean Shapiro has read your tweets, so he’s applied his work ethic to examining what the Stars need, and what they expect, with Dowling taking the bottom-six spot Roope Hintz won out of camp:

“If Gurianov makes the roster he should buy (Justin) Dowling a nice gift, he’s made him so much better in the games I’ve watched,” the scout said. “(Dowling) has been the one that’s made it easy for Gurianov to make an impact, in what I’ve seen.”

Stars coach Jim Montgomery also had praise for Dowling during training camp. He called the forward the surprise of camp. Montgomery really liked Dowling’s game and how he created space that other forwards could build off.

He also thinks the people who wanted Denis the Menace are not wrong, necessarily:

Gurianov getting the call would have made sense, and it would have undoubtedly created more buzz than backlash on Twitter. But to those who have paid close attention, Dowling fits what Jim Montgomery is looking for at this point, even if he’s just a stop-gap for the time being.

Montgomery wants more creativity on his team and right now this team severely lacks the confidence to play with creativity after the top line and John Klingberg. This is an area where Dowling has made his living in the AHL — he opens and creates space for the Texas Stars’ other forwards, including Gurianov, and is one of the better passers in the league.

There’s more behind the paywall. [The Athletic DFW]

Stars Stories

More hockey at home tonight as the Stars take on the Los Angeles Kings. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. [Dallas Stars]

Dallas Stars

Mark Stepneski brings a report from yesterday’s practice:

Will Miro Heiskanen stay with the big team as his 10th NHL game approaches? What do you, the viewer, think?

Around the League(s)

Last Night, On #Death: The Series

The Blues are still working on finding just the right balance, writes Ryan Kennedy.

Plano native Seth Jones is set to play his first game of the season tonight when the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Arizona Coyotes.

The Anaheim Ducks retired another famous No. 9.

And ICYMI the first time, TSN made a documentary about Paul Kariya’s life in retirement and the concussions that ended his career.

Also at TSN, Craig Button examines 10 up-and-coming forwards with 2019 NHL Draft eligibility.

Sad news: Former New York Islanders owner Charles Wang, who also worked to establish hockey in China, has passed away.

Finally

Don’t you just love hockey Halloween? Enjoy.

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