The Dallas Stars may not have had much success last year, but their AHL counterparts in Cedar Park experienced a remarkable turn-around from an abysmal 2011-2012, leading their conference for much of the year thanks to the leadership of Willie Desjardins.
So how will he coach this year with a new staff and philosophy installed in the parent club? Mike Heika reports Desjardins will take much that he has learned this September in the Dallas camp south…
“Lindy has a great background, and just being around him in camp has been great for us. We’re picking things up here, and I know these are things we’re going use down there,” Desjardins said. “A lot of things Lindy coaches makes sense. And if they make sense, why wouldn’t you do them?”
“Honestly, 80 percent of hockey is the same, so it’s just little tweaks here and there,” Desjardins said of the changes. “I see my job as the giving these guys the best chance to succeed and move forward. That’s important to them, so it’s important to me. I do want them to be prepared when they get called up. I want to do things that will be similar to what’s expected of them up here.” [Dallas Morning News]
Heika adds that Desjardins will employ forechecks and special teams schema similar to what Ruff is doing in Dallas. After the job “Whiteboard Willie” did in Texas last season, no one would begrudge him holding to his own ways, but he’s going out of his way to work in concert with what’s happening in Frisco, and that can only be good for the continues development of these young players so crucial to the Stars’ rebuild.
Check out Mike’s whole piece at the Dallas Morning News. Or you could yesterday when it wasn’t pay-walled.
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-Generic CBS piece on the Dallas Stars this season. When asked if they will make the playoffs Lindy Ruff opined “We definitely should be better.” A far cry from a guarantee, but it may very well be the work of many seasons for Nill and Ruff to get this group back into the postseason. [CBS Sports]
-Nathan MacKinnon was out, but as is customary for Dallas they’ll see a star-player return from injury against them Thursday night. [TSN]
-You can now sign your kids up (WE can sign our kids up… I am old) for Mike Modano’s “Little Rookie” program in which children 4-8 (Ha! Mine is only 3. You’re old) can sign up for four Saturday sessions of 30 minutes each. Equipment and instruction are provided completely free. [Stars.nhl.com]
-$159.96 is how much Center Ice will set you back this year if you order before October 31st. It’s $149.99 for GameCenter Live, which I personally prefer. [Puck Daddy]
-Viktor Stalberg is out 3-4 weeks for the Nashville Predators, and remember, we hate them now. Or… more, now. [On the Forecheck]
-At the end of this ESPN Stars season preview their NHL experts (LeBrun, Burnside, Custance and Strang) pick Dallas to finish 5th, 6th, 3rd and 7th, respectively. [ESPN]
-Boston Herald on Loui Eriksson, who looks to be starting the season with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. [Boston Herald]
-Stephen has a good post at Hundred Degree hockey detailing the first day of Texas Stars training camp in Cedar Park. [100 Degree Hockey]
-Cameron Gaunce didn’t seem to get much in the way of real consideration this training camp, and now he’s cleared waivers and is back with the Texas Stars. [Stars Inside Edge]