Dallas Stars Daily Links: Checking in with The Process

From Day One, Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery has emphasized the importance of “The Process.” Montgomery’s system revolves around checking off those five boxes, and the numbers show that the team tends to win when they do so:

The Stars generally have more success when they check off at least three boxes in Montgomery’s Process. When hitting at least three of the coach’s targets the Stars are a combined 21-3-1.

When only securing one or none of the targets, the Stars are 2-17-1. Hitting two of the marks can go either way.

Of course, hockey is too complex of a game to break down into just five points. And sometimes, it may feel like The Process isn't even necessary:

It’s a valuable coaching tool and one that can help, but it’s far from the end-all, be-all. For example, one of the Stars’ best games during the past 22 came when Dallas beat St. Louis on Feb. 21 and only checked off two boxes.

You can read more from Sean Shapiro here.

---

Stars Stories

It may feel all doom and gloom lately in Big D, but the playoffs are still a very real possibility for the Stars:

So prepare yourselves, because this last month is going to be a wild ride:

Remember Jamie Benn’s hat trick? Of course you do, but watch it again anyways:

---

Wild Wild West

Good news for Dallas last night, as every team that the Stars are fighting with for a Wild Card spot lost!

• In a battle between Central rivals, the Minnesota Wild fell 3-2 to the Nashville Predators in the shootout. [On the Forecheck]
• The Colorado Avalanche also lost a close one, losing 2-1 to the Anaheim Ducks. [Mile High Hockey]
• Meanwhile the Chicago Blackhawks collapsed in the third and lost 5-2 to the San Jose Sharks. [Fear the Fin]
• Finally, the Vancouver Canucks were not match for the Vegas Golden Knights, who shut them out 3-0. [Knights on Ice]

At this rate we can probably rule out Chicago and Vancouver from the running, but now that I’ve jinxed it they’ll probably be the two Wild Cards:

---

League Links

John Tortorella is a national treasure and I will fight you over it:

DownGoesBrown takes a look at how the NHL landscape has shifted since the Trade Deadline in his latest Power Rankings:

Calgary Flames egend Jerome Iginla had his jersey was retired this weekend by the Calgary Flames. What could have been....

Honest question: is anyone going to even want the Ottawa Senators head coaching job?

---

Finally...

Heartbreaking news today, as we learned that NHL legend Ted Lindsay passed away yesterday: