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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Building off of the Playoffs

Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski were excellent in last season’s playoffs, but will that continue in 2021? Plus, the regular season schedule is out, roster moves around the NHL, and more.

The 2019-20 regular season was not kind to Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski, who posted some of the worst performances of their careers. But come playoff time, both players flipped the script — without either veteran, the Stars likely would not have made it as far as they did.

The two players combined for 21 of the 61 goals by Stars forwards (yes, more than a third of the goal-scoring up front!), and were fringe candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy had the Stars beat the Lightning and captured the Stanley Cup. The performances were exactly what the Stars needed in the postseason, and also what they were missing in the regular season.

Dallas will be expecting both players to build off of their playoff performances in the upcoming season. Perhaps the biggest key to unlocking their full potential will be finding the right linemates:

The easy solution could be to elevate Pavelski between Benn and Radulov, since Radulov’s possession style links well with Pavelski and Benn. It was something the Stars used in the final three games against Tampa Bay, but only 8:43 total during the regular season at 5 on 5.

You can read more from Matthew DeFranks here.

Stars Stories

ICYMI, the schedule for the 2020-21 season has been released:

Saad Yousuf breaks down the schedule in further detail:

Around the League

We have some roster moves around the league! First, the Ottawa Senators sent off a 2nd rounder to the Arizona Coyotes in return for Derek Stepan:

But today they recouped the pick by helping bail the Tampa Bay Lightning out of their cap problems:

Speaking of finding ways around the salary cap, the St. Louis Blues have signed Mike Hoffman to a Professional Tryout with the intention of signing him once the season begins:

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