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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Is Boring On-Brand For This Year’s Stars?

When the game gets exciting, they tend to come up short, writes Sean Shapiro. Plus, Ovechkin moves up, the rumor mill grinds on, and more.

Last night, the Dallas Stars played the kind of fast-paced, uptempo game that once made them look like the future of the NHL. Unfortunately, they no longer seem to be good at it.

The 5-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs showed what tends to happen when the Victory Green Gang faces a team that’s embraced that identity fully. Sean Shapiro takes a look at how the Stars’ evolution has taken them away from the style that used to be their signature:

It’s through the minutiae that they play the most effective, boring hockey in the NHL. When games are boring, the Stars are typically winning. They’re locking down the other team and nothing really happens.

When games are exciting and provide substantial entertainment, they tend to end poorly for the Stars.

That’s what happened against Toronto. Dallas failed to lock things down on its end, and even though it scored thrice, it had to play from behind and let the high-flying Maple Leafs get loose too often on breakdowns or turnovers.

Was it just last year that the future was overpowering opponents with speed and possession?...

It’s not stunning when you look at the Stars over the past two seasons, but it is a massive reversal of mindset from what Dallas planned to adopt before the 2018-19 season.

Remember when the Stars hired Jim Montgomery and offered platitudes about how they would become a puck-possession team that played relentlessly?

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

Stars Stuff

Dear Stars: Please keep letting Denis Gurianov do things like this.

The team celebrated former Star Jason Spezza in fine fashion.

And Jamie Benn got a stick tap for something he didn’t do.

Around The League(s)

#Murder Was The Case

  • Jarred Tinordi netted his first NHL goal as the Nashville Predators ground out a 5-4 victory over the Washington Capitals. [On The Forecheck]/

Even in loss, Alex Ovechkin wins. He scored his 693rd NHL goal, passing Steve Yzerman for ninth place on the all-time list.

The Great 8 did this, too.

Because you may want to know the ending, even though the story sucks: Zack Kassian vs. Matthew Tkachuk in Canada Wars Part Next.

Kassian has plenty to celebrate, even though the Oilers lost to the Flames.

Silly season is approaching, so here’s your chance to figure out what a team will have to give up to get Shayne Gostisbehere.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

Some lucky fans could be having a pretty memorable Valentine’s Day, courtesy of the Texas Stars and their rascally mascot.

Finally

Brett Hull, mic’ed up at the NHL All-Star Game. That’s it.

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