Due to playing in a non-traditional market, the Dallas Stars aren’t used to all of the attention that was thrust upon them for the NHL Winter Classic. That can be a welcome change of pace, but it seems like the Stars are ready to be flying under the radar once more:
“It’s good,” Rick Bowness said. “As phenomenal as an event as that was — great for the organization, great for the city — we’re just not used to having cameras in the room all of the time, microphones all of the time, so it’s back to normal.”
The Stars haven’t really had a “normal” season so far, so that last part might be trickier than you think. But with 41 games to go, the Stars are looking to find some semblance of consistency for the second half of the season:
“We’re in a good position, but we’ve got room to improve,” said captain Jamie Benn. “We know who we are and what we can do, and it’s on us every day to keep improving and get results.”
You can read more from Mike Heika here.
Stars Stories
What better way to return to normalcy than to play the worst team in the league who clobbered you at the beginning of the year, am I right?
GAME DAY!!
We’re back indoors as the Red Wings are in town for a 7:30 p.m. showdown at AAC. #DETvsDAL | #GoStars pic.twitter.com/DN0APpDj1D
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 3, 2020
Corey Perry’s hearing with the Department of Player Safety is today. How many games do you think he should get?
Roundtable: How long should Stars’ Corey Perry be suspended for Winter Classic hit? https://t.co/FuSPhqMMLP
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) January 3, 2020
As fun as the Winter Classic was, there was more to it than hockey:
The Winter Classic provided the @DallasStars an opportunity to leave behind a legacy that would last long after the ice in the Cotton Bowl was gone. @spscc1600 is transforming the lives of thousands in the South Dallas Community and we are honored to parner with them. pic.twitter.com/U2w9rYQhLl
— Dallas Stars Foundation (@DS_Foundation) January 2, 2020
Itching for more outdoor hockey after Wednesday’s game? There’s still Texas A&M vs. The University of Texas…
Texas and Texas A&M are finally going to play again on the gridiron … there will just be an ice surface on top of the football field https://t.co/fNLQXVqWGq
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) January 3, 2020
Around the League
The Minnesota Wild are the next new team to host the Winter Classic, but there are still plenty of first-timers for future years:
The Minnesota Wild will host the 2021 Winter Classic, but which team should get the game next? @THNJaredClinton looks at five potential first-time destinations, including one that could challenge the attendance record:https://t.co/xfh3F8TsD5
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) January 2, 2020
It was a weirdly busy day for trades yesterday. First, the Ottawa Senators acquired Mike Reilly from the Montreal Canadiens for Andrew Sturtz and a pick:
News Release: The #Sens have acquired defenceman @mreilly93 from @CanadiensMTL in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in the 2021 @NHL Draft and forward Andrew Sturtz: https://t.co/kooyAQhbR3
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) January 2, 2020
Then Montreal filled the hole in defense by getting Marco Scandella from the Buffalo Sabres:
The Canadiens have acquired defenseman Marco Scandella from the Buffalo Sabres, in return for a fourth-round pick in 2020 (acquired from the San Jose Sharks on June 22, 2019).#GoHabsGo https://t.co/uJEKDoyayl
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 2, 2020
Then the Sabres flipped the pick they had just obtained to the Calgary Flames in return for Michael Frolik:
We have acquired forward Michael Frolik from the @NHLFlames in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2020 Draft (originally owned by the @SanJoseSharks).
Details: https://t.co/iJuVJW9RmM pic.twitter.com/DgVAVwrcnw
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) January 2, 2020
Who would win an imaginary 2020 World Cup? The Athletic has their answer:
Now that we’ve revealed the six international team rosters for The Athletic Cup, @domluszczyszyn projects how the tournament would go: https://t.co/mNOvcWHePU
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) January 3, 2020
The WHL has never granted someone “exceptional” status before, but suddenly they have three players who might qualify:
Expect the WHL’s Exceptional Status barrier to be broken after Bedard, Yager and Heidt apply@THNRyanKennedy with more:https://t.co/poq3ct0c64
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) January 3, 2020
Finally, I feel personally attacked by this article and so should you:
Friday Grab Bag: Who were the NHL’s 5 most mediocre teams of the decade?https://t.co/Wy7AxeMls3 pic.twitter.com/0gNeVEROvS
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) January 3, 2020
(But really now, Down Goes Brown’s right on the money this time).