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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Lucic to the Stars? Heika On Forward Size, Defensive Performance

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Even with the playoffs still on, there’s plenty of offseason stuff to talk about. Mike Heika’s Monday chats have been full of questions – and some straight-up thought experiments – about how the Dallas Stars will go about their business this summer.

Here he answers a question about whether the Stars should look for even more forward size than Jason Dickinson, Radek Faksa and Brett Ritchie can provide by signing the Los Angeles Kings‘ Milan Lucic:

I like Milan Lucic, but if he is making $5-6 million or more a season (his rumored price in free agency), the Stars would be very top heavy in forward money.

You could do it and live on young defensemen for a while, but I would like them to have their powder dry if a big money defenseman becomes available.

He also addressed the persistent notion (in some fan quarters, at least) that Jordie Benn only has his roster spot because of his famous brother:

You could actually say that management might be mad at the coaches for not using Jamie Oleksiak and Patrik Nemeth more. The simple fact is Jordie beat them out and earned his playing time.

If you want to criticize the coaches for being impatient and trusting the veteran, you can, but it wasn’t because he’s Jamie’s brother.

There’s more at Heika’s place (don’t forget to clear your cookies!). [SportsDayDFW]

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Matt Mosley of The Afternoon Show with Cowlishaw and Mosley thinks the Stars’ Stanley Cup window will be open for the next four to five years if they can make the right deals with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. [SportsDayDFW]

Elliotte Friedman took to Calgary’s Sportsnet 960 yesterday to talk about JaBenn, Kari Lehtonen and how the Stars are in a position “to do some creative things to make themselves better.” [Today’s Slapshot]

ICYMI, Defending Big D has donated $500 from sales of a special-edition T-shirt to Pevs Protects, Rich Peverley‘s charity for cardiac-related causes. Pevs says thanks, guys.

Last night, in the Eastern Conference Finals:

The Pens also lost Trevor Daley to a lower-body injury during last night’s game. (Insert Luke Skywalker “NOOOOOOOO!” .gif here.)

Meanwhile, in the Western Conference Finals, Ken Hitchcock will start Jake Allen in Game 4 in hopes of getting the Blues even in the series with the Sharks, who lead 2-1. [ESPN]

Has Vladimir Tarasenko – a terrifying goal assassin during the regular season – hit a wall in the playoffs? Allan Muir thinks so. [SI]

The final 2016 NHL Draft rankings are coming in. Sportsnet lists 30 picks (and 10 honorable mentions) and the order in which they’re expected to go. [Sportsnet]

It’s official: The Tucson City Council has approved a deal that will move the Arizona Coyotes‘ AHL-affiliate Springfield Falcons into the city’s Convention Center Arena. [Arizona Daily Star]

The Yotes are also holding a team renaming contest, which surely will end exactly as well as you think it will. [Five For Howling]

Meanwhile, Springfield – Massachusetts’ last AHL city – is looking for a way to stay in the fold, but the prospects aren’t good. [WAMC]

Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds is a pretty tough customer on the ice, but as it turns out he has a soft heart for kids – and isn’t particularly fond of bullies.

BarDown, on a bit of a roll at the moment, also has a feature on an individual who has incorporated Crying Jordan into all 30 NHL logos.

Finally: Are you ready for “Spamalot on skates”? Hockey, the Musical! is playing at Detroit’s City Theatre through June 19 featuring a book and songs by Mitch Albom and a back-projected Steve Yzerman as the Almighty. [Sportsnet]

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