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Dallas Stars Daily Links: The Stars Want to Clean Up Their Detail Work in Nashville

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Remember how Jere Lehtinen earned the deathless nickname “the King of Little Things”? Tireless attention to the correct play, the correct position, no matter where, when or with whom, earned No. 26 three Selke Awards, a rack full of international hardware and the eternal devotion of Dallas Stars fandom.*

*Who still want to see his number retired and his name in the Hockey Hall of Fame. I’ll just keep repeating this until it happens.

You can always use a little more Lehtinen in your game, I don’t care how much you score, and it seems head coach Lindy Ruff agrees. He talked with Mark Stepneski about where the Stars plan to focus in Nashville after a disappointing game in Denver:

“It’s attention to detail,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. “We had some bad changes. We had some careless play in the defensive end. We got off to a good start and then let our game slip.”

Ruff said the message after a game like that is clear.

“The message is we are not going to win many games playing like that,” Ruff said. “The players that are playing the game the right way are going to play the most. If that means we are dropping down to three lines inside of a game quickly, we’ll get that done. If that means we are going to put other guys in the lineup, we are going to play the game the right way.”

And even all that scoring power can use some sharpening up, Ruff says:

“We’re going to get back to ramping up our shots,” Ruff said. “I don’t think our attack from inside the dots has been good enough. I know we’ve scored enough goals but the attack part inside hasn’t been good enough, and it hasn’t been determined enough.”

There’s more at Mark’s blog, including the latest Aleš Hemský update (ready by the weekend…? We can hope). [Stars Inside Edge]

The team takes its show to Nashville tonight: The puck drops at 7 p.m. Central time as the Stars take on the Predators in NHL.tv’s free game of the night. [NHL]

Meanwhile, the indisposition bug has caught up to Jiri Hudler:

Ruff discussed the defense as well as Hudler’s status in yesterday’s practice update:

NHL.com Stars writer Sean Shapiro has posted a new podcast.

Over in Preds country, Alex Daugherty wants Pekka Rinne and Marek Mazanec to platoon in goal, and he says the stats – and the trendlines – will back him up. [On the Forecheck]

Nine NHL reporters hold forth on the biggest storylines of 2016-17 – including the best and toughest interviews – with Richard Deitsch. [Sports Illustrated]

Last night, in the NHL:

• Veteran defenseman Mike Green scored his first career hat trick as the Red Wings overpowered the Senators 5-1 at home.

• Rookie LW and erstwhile controversy magnet Jimmy Vesey scored his first career NHL goal, and it was also the game-winner as the Rangers beat the Sharks 7-4.

• Former Star Trevor Daley scored a whistler in the Penguins’ 4-3 OT loss to the Avalanche, and fans would like to remind everyone that Pittsburgh got him from Chicago for Rob Scuderi.

• And Zdeno Chara potted a 190-foot EN goal as the Bruins defeated the Jets 4-1.

Carey Price will miss his third straight game and the Canadiens’ home opener as he continues to fight the flu. [CBC]

Did the Edmonton Oilers violate the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement by postponing the team’s mandatory day off?

Mark Spector, who appears to have made the first tweet about it, says NBD.

Valeri Nichushkin appears in a new list of the 30 highest paid KHL players.

As the Red Wings begin their final season in Joe Louis Arena, actor Jeff Daniels narrates the official farewell video.

Another one bites the dust: General Fanager goes the way of things as founder Tom Poraszka accepts a new job with Las Vegas Team To Be Named Later Teamy McTeamface.

In Cedar Park news, head coach Derek Laxdal gives an advance briefing on the Texas Stars’ swing through the West Coast.

Finally: You probably remember Charlie and Libby. Well, their story – along with the “On Headset” special and Stars vs. Wild, Round 1 Game 2 – earned three Lone Star Emmy Awards for the Stars production team and FOX Sports Southwest on Saturday night. Congratulations!

Talking Points