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Dallas Stars Biweekly Links: What The Stars Want From The New CBA

Escrow and the Olympics are big issues...but never discount the importance of golf. Plus, how the Stars stack up as a playoffs team, conducting kids’ sports during a pandemic, and more.

The Dallas Stars want the same things everyone does from their work – a reliable salary, a little time off, and the occasional opportunity to travel. Now that the next version of the National Hockey League’s collective bargaining agreement is out there – and everything from escrow to the Olympics is on the table – it’s interesting to see how it became what it is.

The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro has done just that in a new interview with Jason Dickinson, the Victory Green Gang’s representative to the NHL Players’ Association. It’s an interesting and often surprising look at what the players really want, and what they’re willing to negotiate for.

For instance, whether or not you understand the players’ passion for golf, there are team-related reasons for why having it available in a prospective hub city is important to them:

Golf is a big leisure activity for the Stars. Dallas is one of the NHL markets where players can golf throughout the season. It’s been used as a team bonding activity and a stress reliever for many of the players. When it came to the luxuries of the bubble, having a golf course readily available was important.

“That came up a ton with the guys,” Dickinson said. “Even the guys who haven’t really golfed before have become golfers (being) in Dallas.”

Money remains one of the CBA’s biggest issues, and escrow – the amount of hockey-related revenue that’s withheld from player payouts to ensure a 50/50 split with owners – will always be near the top of the list. But players also want Winter Olympics participation, and even those who are unlikely to go are willing to go to the mat for it:

NHL players didn’t go to the Olympics in 2018. Returning to the event in 2022 was important in these negotiations. As a team loaded with players from across the world, Dickinson said the Olympics were brought up to him many times in group and individual calls.

“That was really big, especially with us having some European players that would have been at the Olympics in 2018 and likely would be there for sure in 2022,” Dickinson said. “That’s something that even the players that really won’t ever go to the Olympics, like myself — I’m not making Team Canada — we understand that. We’ve had that dream before. So we understand that dream and why it’s important we fight for that.”

Sean has much more. [The Athletic DFW]

Stars Stuff

Can the Stars go all the way – or at least to the Western Conference Final? NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti examines the Stars’ strengths and weaknesses as a playoffs team.

Matthew DeFranks takes a Dallas-centric look at training camp and the opening rounds of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Around The League(s)

As noted in our top story, the Return to Play CBA is definitely the top news of the week (so far). Friedge takes a look at what it will mean for all concerned.

Here are the details, as provided by the league.

It’s one thing for adults to assume the risk of returning to play...but what about kids? Sean Fitz-Gerald asked an expert.

It’s always been true that some Olympic teams are better than others. Here’s a look at which teams stand to prosper and which to suffer, and why.

Micah Blake McCurdy revisits the proposition that high draft picks should be awarded for incentives other than tanking, and it’s still a good idea.

The Chicago Blackhawks plan to keep their name, and they would like to explain why.

Finally

The Stars celebrated two big birthdays over one holiday weekend. Here’s to you, Dickie and Rads.

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