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Dallas Stars Daily Links: The Stars and Their Dads Get Ready to Road-Trip

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Patrick Sharp may have two daughters and three Stanley Cups, but he still cares what his father thinks. The Dallas Stars top-liner just admitted to getting his hair cut shorter than usual because his Dad is joining the team’s annual Fathers’ Trip, and Papa Sharp prefers it that way.

“…He doesn’t like the long hair,” Sharp said. “He is constantly telling me to trim it up, so I thought I would do him a favor for the fathers’ trip and look respectable.”

Sharpie is one of 17 Stars who will “bring their father, other relative, friend or mentor on the trip,” writes Mark Stepneski:

“It’s awesome. You get to see all the personalities and see where the guys get their traits,” said center Vernon Fiddler. “Jason Demers, you wonder why he talks so much. His dad does, too. Butch Eakin, Cody‘s dad, same kind of guy, salt of the earth. [John] Klingberg and his dad are separated at birth. It’s a good week, and it’s nice to have our dads around. They get to come on the plane and experience everything. It’s the tenth or eleventh trip for my dad. He really looks forward to this time and this little bit of son-father bonding time, so it is nice.”

Mark also writes about how the Stars are using Super Bowl 50 to shake up their routine in advance of tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild:

“I used the Super Bowl as an example this morning. The defensive team won again,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. “Defense dominated the game. Denver gave them no time, gave them no space. Going in I liked Carolina’s offense. I thought Cam Newtown was unstoppable. But once again, a good defense kind of snuffed everything out and frustrated the hell out of an offensive team. That’s a hell of an example.”

Check out the whole thing, including yesterday’s practice lines. [Stars Inside Edge]

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The Stars have a schedule full of big games coming up – and after their loss to the Blackhawks on Saturday, they need to figure out how to win them, says Mike Heika. [SportsDayDFW]

It was another quiet Monday night in the DMZ #MDK, but it was just the calm before the storm. Again. As usual. Tonight’s games:

Sidney Crosby has scored 22 points in his last 11 games. Hot sports take: His season is back on track.

For context:

Now that the Jets have made a deal with Dustin Byfuglien, Allan Muir examines its impact on the NHL trade market. [Sports Illustrated]

Elsewhere in the Central, Blues defender Alex Pietrangelo will be out for at least three weeks after a knee-to-knee collision with Charlie Coyle during Saturday’s victory over the Arizona Coyotes. [ESPN]

The New Jersey Devils have unveiled The Salute, a tribute in bronze to goaltending great Martin Brodeur. [NJ.com]

And the Devils’ head equipment manager posted a good look at the special warm-up sweaters honoring Marty’s big moment during tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

When Milan Lucic got his first call-up from the Boston Bruins, he figured it was temporary because they’d given him No. 62 – “the number they give to guys who are going back to Juniors.” Temporary lasted eight years. Now with the Los Angeles Kings, Lucic has penned a fond memoir “To Boston” for The Players’ Tribune.

Can super-rookie Shayne Gostisbehere become the first Calder Trophy winner in Philadelphia Flyers history? Jared Clinton likes his chances. [The Hockey News]

Justin Abdelkader got away with a high hit that may have concussed Aleksander Barkov and left Jaromir Jagr in-your-face furious during last night’s Red Wings–Panthers game. [theScore]

Emil Molin is so hot right now. But the good news of his Texas Stars call-up is a little shaded by the suffering of the T-Stars’ “banged-up” forward corps. [100 Degree Hockey]

Also at 100DH: DBD contributor Stephen Meserve has posted this year’s AHL playoff projections, as well as the new methodology behind them. [100 Degree Hockey]

Finally: Now that the annual Super Bowl ad bonanza is over, Jason Kay looks back at a handful of hockey commercials that…don’t really stack up.

Talking Points