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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Can A John Klingberg-Ryan Suter Pair Pan Out?

If training camp provides any clues, yes - it can, writes Mike Heika. Plus, the #MurderDeathKill Division is back, Seattle gets Kraken’ed up, and more.

Dallas Stars hockey is gearing up for a big return with tonight’s preseason game against the St. Louis Blues. It’s time to get a first glimpse of how they will go all in on this season’s Stanley Cup campaign. So where, exactly, can we expect change?

The defense is a good place to start. Head coach Rick Bowness changed up the top pairs in training camp, with free agent Ryan Suter joining longtime cornerstone John Klingberg. And it’s already showing signs of success, reports Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika.

Suter likes to say he could have signed with any number of teams – but, to paraphrase Muhammad Ali, it’s not technically a boast if it happens to be true. He’s also happy to remind folks why Big D won his services, and it might be enough to make even the most cautious fan feel...optimistic:

“I think this team is primed,” he said. “I think they’ve done a really good job of putting a good team together. At the end of the day, that’s what made me decide to come here. We have a chance to win. With the young guys, the older guys, the leadership here, the coaching staff, the front office staff, it just seems like everybody’s in it together. I’ve never been in an organization that has this good vibe like this.”...

“[Klingberg and I] both think the game well,” Suter said. “We both have that good hockey sense. It’ll be a seamless transition into this partnership, for sure.”

For his part, Klinger already knows what Suter can bring to the right team:

“I remember talking to [former Stars assistant coach Rick Wilson] and he explained a lot about what Suter did and what made him so good,” Klingberg said. “I feel like I know a lot about him. Obviously, you know him a little bit different when you see him like this, but as a player, I feel like I know pretty good how he plays. It’s just about getting to know him as a person. I feel like we’re steps ahead there.”

Of course, if the Stars want to see a Klingberg-Suter pair develop over more than just this season, the team will first have to strike a new deal with the Ghost of Gothenburg. It won’t be easy, but Klingberg says it’s still the primary goal:

“I want to have it done as quick as I can,” Klingberg said. “I want to be a Dallas Star. It’s pretty slow right now, but it is what it is. We’ll see what happens.”

There’s more at Mike’s place. [Dallas Stars]

Stars Stuff

I’d say, “That’s it. That’s the tweet,” except that someone needs to mention that you can listen to the play-by-play on The Ticket – whether over the air or online.

Miro Heiskanen is ready for some sweet home-game action, as are we all.

And if you’re still wondering how you’ll watch Stars games this year, Sean Shapiro has advice.

Around The Leagues

#Murder Was The Case

The #MurderDeathKill Division is finally back to something like regular order, with the Arizona Coyotes now the official new members of the Dirty Central’s den of cutthroats. Here’s how the first preseason action shook out.

  • The MDK preseason opened on Saturday with – what else? – Central-on-Central violence, in which the St. Louis Blues routed the Minnesota Wild 6-2. [Hockey Wilderness]
  • Former Star Brenden Dillon debuted with a primary assist, but the Winnipeg Jets dropped their preseason opener to the Ottawa Senators in overtime, 3-2. [Arctic Ice Hockey]
  • And the Nashville Predators lost both ends of a double header with the Florida Panthers – first 5-4 in overtime, then 3-1 in regulation. [NHL]/

Speaking of the Yotes, there’s so much to unpack in this photo that I’m just going to leave it here.

“Goal scorers just score.” The Real Deal is back in the Central Division.

The Seattle Kraken (SB Nation Site To Be Named Later) played, and won, their first preseason game this weekend.

But enough about that – how did they look?

So this happened, and the IIHF has issued a Strongly Worded Letter (but no sanctions, yet).

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park (And Beautiful Boise)

Ready for a preview of the Stars’ affiliate teams? Stephen Meserve catches you up on the Texas Stars and Idaho Steelheads after catching up with T-Stars GM Scott White.

Finally

Because, at long last, the preseason is moments away. Enjoy.

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