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Dallas Stars Daily Links: What You May Not Know About the Stars’ Two-Goalie System

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Mike Heika’s weekly Dallas Stars chats don’t stop for long weekends – they just get delayed. And it was business as usual on Tuesday, when discussion of the Stars’  goaltending reigned supreme.

The DMN’s Stars specialist confirms that Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi do in fact know “long in advance” which games they will play, “but because Lindy Ruff does not like to announce his goalie, they are sworn to secrecy.” He also delves deeper into their working relationship, and a surprising way in which that may have broken down last season:

…[O]ne weird angle of this is that each really likes the other, and each wanted to support the other when he came in, so you didn’t see the anger in their poor performances. I think you also didn’t see the desperation that they were the only answer.

If they played poorly, they simply quietly rooted for the other guy.

While every goalie attacks the mental part of the job differently, I think there is an advantage to one extremely driven individual carrying the weight and believing he has to save the day. Ed Belfour thrived on that, and I think many goalies do.

I think that eventually hurt both Niemi and Lehtonen, especially in the playoffs. We’ll see if they are better in their second season of sharing the job.

Read more, including Heika’s opinion on the Stars’ biggest problem – and how Dan Hamhuis, Esa Lindell, Stephen Johns, Patrik Nemeth and Jamie Oleksiak may solve it. [SportsDayDFW]

John Klingberg sighting at StarCenter Frisco! Mark Stepneski has the POIDH:

Meanwhile, at World Cup of Hockey practice, Tyler Seguin took a sick day yesterday. [CBS Sports]

No Colin Kaepernicks allowed on the U.S. WCH team: Coach John Tortorella promises to bench any player who sits during the national anthem. [CBS Sports]

Elsewhere in Tortorella, he confirms that Team USA faces the toughest goalie decision at the World Cup, and that “it’s going to suck for the other guys.” [Sportsnet]

With all the players who have withdrawn from the tournament, there are still marquee names – from Steven Stamkos to Patrik Laine – who have a lot to gain from playing in it, says Matt Larkin. [The Hockey News]

The Florida Panthers have secured the services of forward Jonathan Huberdeau with a six-year deal averaging $5.9 million per annum.

And speaking of the Panthers, Aaron Ekblad talked with Alex Prewitt about becoming a team leader before he’s old enough to order a beer. [Sports Illustrated]

On the afternoon of June 29, 2016 – within a single half-hour – the Canadiens and Predators traded P.K. Subban for Shea Weber, the Oilers and Devils swapped Taylor Hall and Adam Larsson, and Steven Stamkos ended a year of near-frantic speculation by signing a new long-term deal with the Lightning. Elliotte Friedman offers an inside look at the near-misses, no-comments and off-the-record conversations behind “23 Minutes That Shook the Hockey World.”

The Senators’ Scott Gomez is retiring, and he’s written a poignant (and poetic) farewell to one of the great loves of his life.

Keep an eye on the Ice Guardians: Writer-director Brett Harvey’s new documentary on NHL enforcers – featuring Brett Hull, Jarome Iginla, Luke Gazdic and many more – will debut at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival on September 12, with a U.S. release scheduled for September and October.

Finally: Seen the Jamie Benn–Tyler Seguin ’16 T-shirts? Because one Stars party deserves another, The Hangar offers you a chance to vote the John Klingberg–Antoine Roussel ticket. You’re a winner no matter what.

Talking Points