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Dallas Stars Daily Links: A Look at Which Teams Get Offense from Their Defense

Posted on by Melissa Flandreau

Travis Yost set out to see whether the best offense really is a good defense—or, more accurately, to find out which teams around the league get the most offensive help from their blue line.

The NHL’s evolution – one that emphasizes speed, attack, and lightning-quick puck movement – has made it an operational requirement to develop defenders with a real semblance of offensive prowess. The more pressure applied from more diverse areas of the ice, the more difficult it is to bottle up offences in the neutral and defensive zones.

Yost looked at scoring chances, shot attempts, and points generated per-60 minutes, and the Stars fared pretty well.

Also on the positive side of the ledger are teams like Dallas, Nashville, Ottawa, and Boston. At least three of these teams make a lot of sense – the Stars and Predators play a pretty high-pace, high-tempo game with a slew of competent defenders involved in the run of play.

See how the Stars’ defense stacked up at the link. [TSN]

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Tim Cowlishaw says the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup is a good sign for the Stars. [SportsDayDFW]

Jamie Oleksiak talks about his sister Penny’s competitive nature and success in Rio.

The Stars are next in Puck Daddy’s Weird NHL series, and SB Nation’s Pat Iversen is here to break down all sorts of Dallas-related oddities. [Puck Daddy]

Patrick Roy resigned as the head coach of the Avalanche today. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector says his “desire for total control” led to their parting of the ways. [Sportsnet]

Here’s the statement that Roy made after announcing his decision:

So, who’s going to replace Roy? [The Hockey News]

Former Star Ray Whitney Graham made his debut as an Olympic caddie for his friend, Canadian golfer Graham DeLaet. [The News & Observer]

The NHL’s Las Vegas team will reportedly be the Desert Hawks, Red Hawks, or Nighthawks. Nary a Knight in sight. [Puck Daddy]

Justin Bieber showed off his hockey skills and his Kings allegiance.

Sean McIndoe reminds us of the times that arbitrators have made waves around the league. [The Hockey News]

The Tragically Hip have a special place in NHL players’ hearts—and their locker rooms. [Sportsnet]

And finally, the Stars were happy to help Nolan Ward out.

Talking Points