After receiving their Stanley Cup rings on Tuesday, Johnny Oduya and Patrick Sharp talked with Mike Heika about their experiences in Chicago and how that affects their attitudes and outlooks in Dallas.
This team is ready to win now and GM Jim Nill wants a few players to help lead the way. Oduya just turned 34. Sharp turns 34 in December. Each has two years remaining on his deal. Their window is now, so they have to adjust quickly.
“Even if I was there, I would not be thinking about last year. You can’t live in the past, it doesn’t work,” Oduya said. “It’s not easy, but once I got here and met the guys, the feeling changed. You find yourself, you find yourself in the team, you find yourself in the city. Of course, there is a transition, but I want to look at the positive and I want to look at the future.”
Sharp also commented on the similarities between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Dallas Stars.
And the future is bright in Dallas. Sharp said this team reminds him of the one he started with in Chicago, where he and Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook helped form a foundation for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to build upon. So as much as this is an entirely new group, he feels familiar.
“It took a while. We struggled, but that was probably a good thing,” Sharp said. “The organization allowed us to learn from it, and that made winning even better, because we knew where we had come from and how much work we had done. You can’t do this without a lot of work.”
Head over to the link for more from the two former Blackhawks. [DMN]
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The Stars face the Lightning tonight at 6:30 p.m., and if you need a place to watch the action, you’re in luck.
Join us for the 1st watching party of the year tomorrow at @OwnersBoxDFW when the #Stars take on Tampa Bay at 6:30. http://t.co/Qn8M1P9qgp
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) October 14, 2015
There’s a preview of tonight’s tilt waiting for you at the link. [Stars]
The Stars have embarked on their first road trip of the season, and both Antoine Roussel and Jason Spezza are excited about that. (Plus, practice updates!) [Stars]
Speaking of Spezza, if his hat trick on Tuesday night didn’t clue you in, he’s feeling more comfortable than ever in Dallas. [DMN]
Connor McDavid might have dominated most of the rookie conversation on Tuesday, but “typical Swede” Mattias Janmark impressed, too. [Edmonton Journal]
Chris Kuc talked with Trevor Daley about his love for basketball, his time with the Stars, and his new start with the Blackhawks. [Chicago Tribune]
Need a Christmas present for the Toronto Maple Leafs fan in your life? Well, here you go.
Integrity, character, leadership; Why not wear them on your foot? Roll up your Babsocks and support the #leafspic.twitter.com/KHcEXy7gv8
— Babsocks (@Babsocks) October 14, 2015
If you were picking a song to represent the Stars, would you go with “Treats” by Sleigh Bells? Sports Illustrated did. [SI]
Turns out, Alex Ovechkin was scratched for Tuesday’s game against the Sharks after oversleeping and being late to practice. [NHL.com]
From the Mike Richards situation to potential trade pieces in Boston, Elliotte Friedman has 30 Thoughts just for you. [Sportsnet]
Flames forward Lance Bouma will miss three months with a broken fibula. [The Score]
Hilary Knight will be featured in a short film called “Knighter,” which premieres today on espnW.com at 11 a.m. CST. [USA Hockey]
And finally, Halloween came early for the Habs, as Devante Smith-Pelly shared a photo of himself and his fellow Canadiens dressed as the Backstreet Boys.