Training camp hasn’t even started yet, but rookie head coach Jim Montgomery is already turning heads when it comes to planning for the upcoming Dallas Stars season.
First off, Montgomery is setting himself apart from his predecessor, Ken Hitchcock, in how he runs his coaching staff, favoring an “everyone gets their say” approach rather than “my way or the highway:”
Hitchcock’s way of dealing with players was similar to his staff, and that’s how he always was throughout his NHL career. If their thoughts aligned they worked well together. If they didn’t the assistant coach typically ended caving and lining up to Hitch’s line of thinking sooner or later.
It could be his status as a rookie head coach, it could just be his personality and the way he plans to operate. Either way, Montgomery has built a staff that will thrive on exchanging ideas.
Montgomery has also focused in on analytics and information as a key part of his coaching method, as well as focusing on how the Stars need to thrive as a puck possession team:
“I want to have more clean entries and I want teams, it’s something we’re going to track, is how are we doing, especially within a game, clean entries compared to the other team’s clean entries… I don’t care if we block a lot of shots. I hope we have the puck so the other team has to block them.”
You can read more in Sean Shapiro’s piece here.
Stars Stories
The Hockey News has made their season predictions. Do you agree with their outlook for the Stars?
The Hockey News Yearbook is out
THN picks Stars to finish 4th in Central, make playoffs and lose to Jets in 1st round
Stars Stanley Cup odds: 30-1
Two Stars players make THN’s Top 50 Players: Tyler Seguin (28); Jamie Benn (36)
Miro Heiskanen among top Calder Trophy candidates
— Mark Stepneski (@StarsInsideEdge) August 24, 2018
Next in Mike Heika’s Summer School series is captain Jamie Benn, who is more fired up than ever. [NHL]
Honestly, who doesn’t want to see more of John Klingberg?
After visiting the Klingberg family in Gothenburg, we head to Stockholm with @johnklingberg for part 2 of his “Back Home” trip in Sweden, presented by @Kia.
PART TWO: https://t.co/6oMV0K2LN9 pic.twitter.com/NhHSCfWgFw
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) August 23, 2018
Sean Shapiro talks about potential breakout candidates, whether the Stars could still trade for Erik Karlsson, and more in the return of his mailbag: [The Athletic]
Around the League
Speaking of Karlsson, I have some more juicy rumors for you all:
Word is Erik Karlsson does not want to sign an extension with a Canadian team. #Sens
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) August 23, 2018
Jared Clinton takes a look at a dozen NHL players who have their eyes set on new career milestones this season: [The Hockey News]
I’m not sure this counts as tampering, but I’m going to complain anyways just because having Artemi Panarin would make the Tampa Bay Lightning unstoppable:
Vasy and I showing @9Artemi how good it is to play in Tampa pic.twitter.com/I1sWJgWINz
— Nikita Kucherov (@86Kucherov) August 23, 2018
Is ex-Star Jamie Oleksiak a breakout candidate this season? One could argue the defenseman already had a breakthrough with the Pittsburgh Penguins: [NBC Sports]
The Toronto Maple Leafs made headlines yesterday by making a rather nontraditional hire:
Maple Leafs hire future Hall of Famer Wickenheiser as assistant director of player development, writes @THNJaredClinton https://t.co/wmMumhhROA pic.twitter.com/AgJbtRZvs3
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) August 23, 2018
Finally…
Many people would argue Texas could never become a “hockey state,” but that’s not going to stop the Dallas Stars from fostering the game locally:
The @DallasStars are making major youth hockey strides with a greater emphasis on grassroots hockey. 🏒
Full story → https://t.co/fZSoAhsHJc pic.twitter.com/JbEpPrNZME
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) August 22, 2018