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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Robertson Q&A

Posted on by Tyler Mair

Although the Dallas Stars failed to make the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they still had some bright spots in the regular season. Leading the way was Jason Robertson, who was named a Calder Trophy Finalist for the NHL’s best rookie due to his phenomenal performance.

Mike Heika caught up with Robertson recently to chat about his year, as well as his offseason regimen. A big part of that is studying film, having learned the benefits of simply watching the game during last year’s playoffs:

Being in the bubble, I saw what I needed to be better at. You watch the older guys practice and prepare and play the playoff games, and that’s just like a huge classroom. You see what you need to do on the ice, and it clicks that you need to improve yourself off the ice in training by doing certain things…I’ve watched all my games from last season, and I really have learned a lot just from going over and over what happened and how I reacted.

Whereas last year Robertson was solely focused on making the NHL squad, this year he’s taken aim at solidifying himself as one of the team’s top forwards and helping Dallas make the playoffs. Helping him out is a fellow workout partner in his younger brother, Nick Robertson:

Having Nick train with me always pushes me to go even harder. We’re very competitive and he’s in the same boat I was in last year (to secure a regular spot on the NHL roster), so his push and his determination is going to be through the roof, and I’m going to try to match that. We will definitely compete against each other, and I think that can only help.

You can read more from Robertson in Heika’s interview with him here.

Around the League

Two teams left: the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning:

For fans of the other teams, Down Goes Brown offers his suggestions on who to root for:

Whereas the Lightning had already won the Cup last year (grumble grumble), Canadiens veterans are hoping to finally get their name etched in silver:

Casting a shadow over the Final, however, is the ongoing Chicago Blackhawks scandal concerning unreported cases of sexual assault back in 2010:

The Blackhawks upper brass held a meeting about the reports, but the accused remained with the team until the end of the playoffs, and was given a positive reference letter for his next job with a high school hockey team:

Canadiens GM Mac Bergevin, who worked for the Blackhawks at the time, said that he was not involved with the meeting and was unaware of the allegations until recently:

Finally, there are no words:

Talking Points