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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Rating The Players Post-Training Camp

Up, down, or even? Saad Yousuf checks the trend lines. Plus, there’s never too much Miro, find your NWHL rooting interest, and more.

The Dallas Stars’ 2021 season finally gets going on Friday, barring any more intervening events. How will the team look after the bane of a training camp upended by COVID-19 and the bonus of a few extra practice days?

Saad Yousuf devoted a recent article for The Athletic to gauging where the Stars’ key players rank, roster-wise. Among those trending up – Jamie Benn:

The Stars captain was bound to have a new fit on the roster with his longtime linemate Tyler Seguin out for the first few months of the season. It just wasn’t necessarily on the top line given his play in recent seasons combined with new goal scorers emerging for Dallas. As it turns out, Benn is going to be right in the thick of it on the top line with Roope Hintz and Denis Gurianov. The 31-year-old can no longer be expected to be the top scorer on the team, but he’s still going to be orchestrating the top scoring line. His hockey IQ and scoring experience should be a huge asset to the development of Gurianov and Hintz.

Joe Pavelski leads the group that’s currently trending even – they are what they are, and that’s generally a good thing:

Pavelski is going to be asked to assume some added roles in Seguin’s absence, taking some more faceoffs and having the leadership presence he’s so accustomed to having. Pavelski was signed before last season largely to help in the playoffs, and he did his part in the 2020 run. However, there’s going to be more on his plate this season because of injuries and inexperience on the roster. He needs to have a stronger regular season than he did last year. Not being the new face in town should help.

Most of the players trending down got there because they missed days during the short training camp – including Justin Dowling:

Missing significant time due to the COVID-19 outbreak hurt Dowling. He’s always been a reliable bottom-line forward who is a good teammate and decent player. He’s a better fit as a 13th forward than some of the young guys ahead of him, so he could play that role or could be on the taxi squad.

There’s much more behind the paywall. [The Athletic DFW]

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#Death Notes

  • The Florida Panthers swept their mini-series with the Chicago Blackhawks with a 5-4 overtime win in Sergei Bobrovsky’s season debut. [Second City Hockey]
  • And the Detroit Red Wings won in OT on the second half of their back-to-back against the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-2. [Winging It In Motown]/

As you’ll recall, the Carolina Hurricanes - Nashville Predators was postponed for pandemic reasons. An update on the roster effects:

Meanwhile, back in the regular Central, the Colorado Avalanche have traded Ian Cole for Greg Pateryn. Elliotte Friedman devotes part of his 31 Thoughts to the reasons why.

The NWHL is back, too, with the championship on the line.

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Finally

It’s always fair weather when it’s cold and clear. Enjoy.

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