SB Nation - Sergei Zubov

Gameday Preview: Anaheim Ducks @ Dallas Stars (7:30 pm CST)

Brandon Bibb — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:00:18 -0000

Next Game

Anaheim Ducks (10-12-4, 14th in West)
@ Dallas Stars (12-8-7, 9th in West)

Thursday, Dec 3, 2009, 7:30 PM CST
American Airlines Center

TV: FSSW
Radio: KTCK 1310 The Ticket

Opponent's Blog: Anaheim Calling

Complete Coverage >

Hopefully Brad convinced you during last night's podcast to not take the Ducks lightly.

For one, the Ducks have been playing better as of late. Though they've lost their last two to Phoenix and Los Angeles, they had won 4 out of their last 5 with three straight wins over Calgary, Carolina, and Chicago.

Still, they're mired in 14th in the West in large part because of the slow start they had to the season. As Stars fans, we're all too familiar with how tough a climb that is considering the slow starts Dallas had in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

The Dallas Stars:

Last night on the podcast, we talked quite a bit about the inconsistencies of the Stars and just where we should put the finger of blame. Yesterday, Brad pontificated on the state of the Stars' offense and this is what he found:

Nearly a third of every Dallas Star goal has been scored with a man advantage. Relying on your PP for a third of your offense is not an ideal strategy, but look at what they did in November: 15 of their 31 goals were scored on special teams. They're clinging to the power play for dear life like a life-preserver in the middle of the ocean. And if that's not enough of a fine line to walk, we can look even closer to see that things not only hinge on one part of their game (the PP) but on one man in particular: Brad Richards.

The power play has always been a big part of Brad Richards' game, and the Center is getting ample opportunity to put points on the board this season with the extra man. After a decade of Sergei Zubov as the Stars power play quarterback, the special teams unit found itself in need of a new leader and Richards has been more than happy to fill in. He has seen his PPTOI (power play time on ice) per game increase from 4:05 last season to 5:20 this year. Only four other NHL players spend more time on the power play this season. His power play production is also helped by the fact that the Stars are first in the league in power play opportunities with 128.

Richards has been on the ice for 24 of the Stars' 26 power play goals. He missed one of them due to injury, and has sat on the bench only once and watched his team get one without him. In other words, if Brad Richards isn't on the ice, don't hold your breath on the PP.

Usually when an offense is struggling, expect some lines to be juggled. Tonight's game will be no different as coach Marc Crawford threw out the following lines during Wednesday's practice, according to Mike Heika.

Ott-Richards-Eriksson
Morrow-Ribeiro-Benn
Neal-Modano-Lehtinen
Petersen-Wandell-Brunnstrom

Sutherby and Barch are also options

Grossman-Robidas
Skrastins-Daley
Fistric-Niskanen

The Anaheim Ducks

Despite the slow start, the guys at Anaheim Calling are feeling a little chipper. I'll let them explain:

DANIEL:

We will, of course, take a second to admire the awesomeness of Chipchura's name, and I personally hope that he skates around the ice saying his name like a Pokémon.

All jokes aside, Chipchura has a little size and is supposed to be a defensive forward. But after a 4-2-1 homestand that ended with two losses to division opponents, will Chipchura have any observable effect on the Ducks turning their game around, or is this just a sign that we'll be moving more impressive assets later and filling in with unwanted former First Rounders?

ARTHUR:

Two seasons ago, Chipchura was a 12-minute guy, and if Nokelainen picks up Marchant's PK minutes or if we promote a healthy Ryan Carter to the third line, then this could still spell the end of Todd Marchant. But Chipchura just doesn't feel like the player that can make the front office more comfortable with that move, unless, as I said, they're feeling really good about Nokelainen or Carter.

DANIEL:

I think the most telling part of this trade is how difficult this question is to answer. Chipchura gives no indication that he will be an impact player. However, the fact that he has some size, something we need, and more experience than the likes of Beleskey and Sharp gives the impression that Murray is trying to do something to keep us playing well and get us into the playoffs. Murray is engaging in a massive misdirection campaign and has been since last year's trade deadline.

Long story short, Bob Murray is engaging in the same thing we've seen the Stars engage in when they've had slow starts. Low risk-high reward move. If it works, you've gained a player, possibly for years to come.

Like when the Stars picked up Brian Sutherby, Darryl Sydor, and Steve Begin last season. Syd and Begin obviously didn't work out. Sutherby obviously did and I think that's what Murray is hoping Chipchura can bring to the Ducks.

Key Injuries:

Anaheim: LW Kyle Calder (Hyphema), LW Joffrey Lupul (Back spasms), and C Ryan Carter (Fractured foot) are out

Dallas: No injuries to report

Matt Niskanen: Flirting With Disaster

Brandon Worley — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:58:51 -0000

More photos » by Ann Heisenfelt - AP

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With the talented young rearguard Matt Niskanen floundering I got to thinking; Are we seeing the residue from a kid who skipped the step of playing at least a half a year in the minors?

Niskanen basically stepped right from college at Minn-Duluth to the NHL. Not many do that. Sure being paired with Zubov helped the transition but Niskanen didn't look out of place at the time. Now, at times, he does - and those times are becoming more frequent.

His confidence appears wilted and he seems neither fast enough nor strong enough to handle the NHL game right now. Nisky's plus/minus rating is a team worst -9. His best work has been done with the puck and Crawford has trotted him out on the powerplay a lot over the first two months. He has repaid him with 4 PP assists. Four.

-Daryl 'Razor' Reaugh, 'Taking Sips From A Firehose'

Matt Niskanen has had a rough time adjusting to life with Sergei Zubov. After playing just 13 games in the AHL after graduating from college, injuries on the Stars' roster thrust him into the starting lineup and he found himself playing next to a future Hall of Fame defenseman. He was second on the team in plus/minus with a plus-22, scored seven goals and was the breakout player of the year for the Stars. He and the rest of the Stars young defensemen, Mark Fistric and Nicklas Grossman, held together down the stretch when Zubov was out due to injury and played admirably in the playoffs that season. Yet the warning signs were starting to show.

In 2008, with Zubov struggling to return to the ice, Niskanen and his fellow defenseman fell flat on their faces. In the first month of the season Niskanen had just one assist and was a minus-7 as the Stars became a sieve on defense and in net, finding themselves in the basement of the conference standings just seven weeks into the season.

Niskanen would finish last season last among defensemen with a minus-11, yet set a career high with 29 assists and 35 points. There were some that played off the subpar season as a 'sophomore slump' and were encouraged by his offensive potential. He played well for the USA in the World Championships over the summer and with Marc Crawford and Charlie Huddy coming to the Stars to implement a new system, Niskanen looked to be on track to return to the form from 2007 that so many fans excited.

After perhaps the worst weekend of his career, some are wondering what happened to the defenseman that showed so much promise just a short time ago.

In his excellent article, Razor points out that the biggest issue for Niskanen is most likely the path he took to the NHL.

Nik Grossman: 2 years in AHL after a half season in Swedish pro league.

Mark Fistric: 150 games in AHL

Trevor Daley spent a year and a half in the AHL

Even the most senior veteran defensemen on this team, Robidas and Skrastins, spent a full season in the minors before becoming every day NHLers.

Matt Niskanen? He played just 13 games.

When injuries forced the Stars' hand and Niskanen was needed to step in at the start of the season, no one predicted that he would play 78 games that season in the NHL. Normally when a young player is struggling you send him back down to the AHL for a kick in the rear and a taste of what life is like while not playing under the bright lights of the NHL. Mark Fistric was demoted for a time last season and has returned to the Stars a much more complete and mature player; he's not flashy but you still rarely see Fistric being beat on a regular basis.

Which brings us to Niskanen. The past two games there have been four goals that could almost single handily be blamed on him and he has looked shell-shocked and lost every time he's on the ice. His confidence is shot and he is nowhere near the level of a player who can carry a defensive pairing; he's too much of a liability in his own zone and is not enough of a scoring threat on offense.

What is frustrating is that Niskanen has all of the potential you would want in a defenseman: great skating ability, good size, good speed and a booming shot from the point. What Niskanen is in desperate need of is some extended time in the AHL, where he can just focus on his skills and his approach to the game without the distractions of having to play in top form 100% of the time for an NHL team fighting for positioning in the standings. There's a reason that Ivan Vishnevskiy is still down in Austin and he is well on his way into developing into a top defenseman for the Stars in the near future.

And there lies the crucial missing link for Matt Niskanen: development. Players coming to the NHL are expected to already be as polished as possible; that's what the AHL and ECHL are there for. Jamie Benn is an exception to the rule and he is having some growing pains as well that can be covered up while playing on the wing. As a defenseman, Niskanen's mistakes are all there for the world to see and there's no hiding his shortcomings.

Since there is no doubt that Niskanen possesses all of the physical tools you could possibly want in a defenseman, it all comes down to intelligence, training and confidence.

While he is still playing under his original contract, Niskanen has now played in enough games to necessitate the Stars place him on waivers in order to assign him to the AHL. That option no longer exists for the Stars unless Niskanen gets hurt and can be assigned to a 'conditioning stint' down in Austin.

So what's the cure? Should Marc Crawford bench Niskanen for a few games in favor of Jeff Woywitka to give him some time to get his head in the right place. Will that happen tonight, or will Crawford give Niskanen a few more games to prove that this past weekend is all a fluke? Currently, Niskanen possesses a team-worst minus-11 and is last among all defensemen with an overall plus/minus per 60 minutes (-1.22 per game). He has just seven assists and has not been the weapon on the power play that this team has needed him to be.

Even so, can the Stars afford to sit Niskanen? Are they better off with Woywitka playing more minutes while Niskanen sits? More importantly, will benching Niskanen shatter whatever amount of confidence he has left?

Is Matt Niskanen able to be saved? Without time in the AHL was Niskenen's career put on the wrong track from the start?

Whatever the answers to these questions might be, there's no doubt that the Stars can afford many more blatant mistakes like Niskanen made this past weekend.

Gameday Preview: Dallas Stars @ Phoenix Coyotes (8:05p EST)

Brandon Worley — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:38:24 -0000

Next Game

Dallas Stars (11-6-7, 7th in West)
@ Phoenix Coyotes (13-11-1, 9th in West)

Friday, Nov 27, 2009, 8:05 PM CST
Jobing.com Arena

TV: FSSW+
Radio: KTCK 1310 The Ticket

Opponent's Blog: Five For Howling

Complete Coverage >

Hopefully everyone had a safe and fun holiday yesterday, but now it's back to business. The Dallas Stars will attempt to fight off their tryptophan coma tonight as they take on the Phoenix Coyotes tonight in Glendale, Arizona.

The Stars are coming off of a four-game homestand, their first of the season, and went 2-1-1 in those games. Dallas was finally able to get into a pseudo-rhythm on home ice after an up and down start to the season. While you'd certainly hope for a better finish than the shootout loss to the Blues, at least you can be thankful the Stars did enough to pull a point out of the game. Every single game is incredibly important this early in the season, as just eight points separate 2nd in the West and 11th. The Stars gained a point on Wednesday, but have dropped two spots to 7th.

More importantly, the Stars have a chance to gain some ground in the race for the division title. While it seemed early on that San Jose will just run away with the Pacific, a win tonight will put the Stars five points back with a game in hand; it's still extremely early to be focusing on a division win but with such a surprisingly competitive division every point becomes important.

But that's big picture. Right now the Stars just need to focus on each game, one at a time. We've seen the team start to form some consistency over the past week and despite the loss two nights ago, you still had to be encouraged by the energy the Stars showed throughout (and yes, that is an important factor).

After the jump, a look at the Coyotes since we last saw them and some updates on the Dallas Stars; it's a Super Preview!!

The Dallas Stars:

After being recalled for just one game in case Karlis Skrastins couldn't play against the Blues, defenseman Maxime Fortunus was sent back to the Texas Stars. If the Stars have any more injury issues on defense, I'm hoping that Fortunus gets another chance to make his NHL debut. He is an extremely intelligent and solid defenseman and is a key part of the reason that Texas has done so well this season. He's an AHL veteran and was great in last season's playoffs and I think that if given a shot he could make a good impression in the NHL.

Fabian Brunnstrom made his debut Wednesday with Texas in his first game since his shoulder injury, going pointless and minus-1 in the 2-1 Stars shootout victory over Milwaukee (Warren Peters and Ivan Vishnevskiy scored in the shootout for the win). With him down in Austin and Brian Sutherby still on injured reserve (although he could come off today, I believe), expect to see the same lines as Wednesday night:

Neal - Richards - Eriksson
Ott - Ribeiro - Lehtinen
Morrow - Modano - Benn
Petersen - Wandell - Barch

We'll find out later today if Nicklas Grossman can play. If not, we'll get another great dose of Jeff Woywitka.

After the loss to the Blues, Marc Crawford mentioned that the lack of execution and defensive breakdowns was attributed to fatigue after playing four games in six nights. Hopefully they got some rest over the short holiday because the travel to Phoenix tonight, go back home to take on Tampa Bay tomorrow night and then travel once more to Detroit on Monday. Expect this for the rest of the season; fatigue is going to be an issue for every team and it's an excuse I'm tired of hearing.

No word as of yet as to who the starter will be tonight, although I would go with a rested Alex Auld against the Coyotes and play Turco tomorrow night against Tampa Bay. Marc Crawford is wily, however, and there's telling what their 'plan' may be for this weekend. His last hunch worked out however when he started Auld against the Red Wings, so I'll defer to him.

Here are some news and notes on the Stars from the last few days:

Andrew's Dallas Stars Page has a look at some special teams stats:

Statistically speaking, you can look at the Dallas Stars' special teams in more than one way. In the standard statistical view the power play is middle of the pack and the penalty kill is the in the bottom of third of the league. In another way of looking at the numbers, the power play is top ten and the penalty kill is middle of the pack.

Take the power play, for example. Through Wednesday's games it ranked 17th in the league at 17.4 percent in the usual way of looking at power play performance stats. Look at it a different way - power play goals per game - and it ranked seventh in the league at 0.92 per game.

The penalty kill ranked 23rd in the league at 77.9 percent through Wednesday, but if you look at power play goals allowed per game it was at 16th in the league at 0.79 per game.

The Dallas Morning News has a good story on Brad Richards, who is 4th in the NHL in overall scoring.

There are several reasons for the surge. Richards has found chemistry with young wingers James Neal and Loui Eriksson; he has taken over as the quarterback of the power play (a role Sergei Zubov held for better than a decade); and he simply is better than he has been in recent seasons.

Richards said he was disappointed with last season's injury-plagued campaign, and the Stars' inability to make the playoffs. He went to his summer home in Tampa, Fla. and worked out relentlessly, concentrating on leg work and skating, but also on finding the hunger in his game again.

"It obviously helped physically, but I think it helped mentally, too," he said.

Andrew's also has the audio from Brendan Morrow's appearance on BaD radio from Wednesday. What I found interesting was what he had to say about his fight with Tim Gleason.

The Phoenix Coyotes:

Since beating the Stars at home on November 14, the Coyotes have gone 2-3-1 and slid further down in the standings, including two straight losses on the road against Calgary and Edmonton. Five For Howling has an excellent preview up for the game, so I'm going to defer to them for the Coyotes point of view:

Attack the Goalie
Whether we get a big helping of Thanksgiving Turco or more of the same Auld Lang Syne, we need to make sure that the Stars' netminder earns his pay. Marty Turco in particular has proven to be less than bulletproof at Jobing.com Arena - he likes to play Superman, but the Coyotes in general and Shane Doan in particular seem to know where to find Kryptonite. The key against Turco is to have enough patience with the puck until he overcommits. Against Auld, who plays a less "flamboyant" style, the Coyotes simply have to dodge the "show up your old team" ethic that nipped them against Calgary. Tall Bald Auld is less aggressive in the crease than Turco, but he's also more porous - and as long as the refs and video review guys are paying attention the Coyotes can slip a few past him.

Clog the Slot and Crease
By now, we've all realized that there aren't any spectacularly-gifted offensive talents on the Coyotes' squad. And if we hadn't on Wednesday, TSN did a great job of reminding us about it. Over. And over. And over again. So since we apparently lack the creativity and precision it takes to snipe goals in from afar on a consistent basis, it would behoove the Desert Dogs to increase the close-in pressure between the circles and in front of the net. The Coyotes signed Taylor Pyatt for his big body and ability to create chances at the crease - his slow skating speed has looked out of place among the other faster forwards in the lineup when the team has dumped-and-chased. Parking guys like Pyatt, Paul Bissonnette, and Martin Hanzal in front of the goalie might smack of hunting for garbage goals... but let's be honest, right now any goal is a good goal for the offensively-challenged Coyotes.

There is much, much more so be sure to check it out.

Key Injuries:

Dallas: D Nicklas Grossman (groin) is questionable. C Brian Sutherby (groin) and RW Fabian Brunnstrom (shoulder) are out.

Phoenix: D Kurt Sauer (upper body) is out.

2009-2010 NHL Season Preview: Dallas Stars

Brandon Worley — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:22:57 -0000

More photos » by Tom Gannam - AP

Brad Richards hopes to lead a revitalized Dallas Stars back to the NHL playoffs.

Browse more photos »

SB Nation is showcasing a special feature for the next week or so as every site manager in the network will be writing a season preview for their respective teams. James Mirtle will also review each team over at his site, From the Rink. It is Dallas' turn today, so be sure to head over there to see what James has to say and to vote where you think the Stars will end up in the Western Conference this season.

The Stars will also be featured on SB Nation's NHL page, which features updated, breaking hockey stories all day long. If you have not checked that out yet, it is worth a look see. (Shameless plug: I'm one of the editors for the new SBNation.com)

Most of the following information we have been discussing all summer, but it's time to put it all together for an official preview.

Season preview after the jump.

Overview:

Last season the Dallas Stars failed to make to make the playoffs for the just the third time since moving to Dallas, and the first time since 2002. A team that had entered the season with high expectations faltered out of the gates, leading to a deep hole in the standings the Stars fought to get out of all season. The Stars rallied around each other and behind some magical play by Marty Turco, made a big run in the Western Conference going from 15th to 4th in a matter of two months. Yet injuries and an exhausted and overworked Turco ultimately led to a late-season collapse, and the Stars found themselves watching the playoffs in April.

Owner Tom Hicks, acting on his own and determined to get things turned around, hired Joe Nieuwendyk to replace Les Jackson and Brett Hull as the General Manager of the Stars. It was a decision that caught everyone by surprise, but it was Nieuwendyk's first move that really shook the organization to its foundation. Believing that sweeping change was needed Dave Tippett was fired and replaced with Marc Crawford, a coach whose style was nearly the opposite of his predecessor.

Now the Stars face a season with more questions to be answered than they have in a long time. Can the Stars improve and succeed with a more uptempo offensive system? Will Brenden Morrow be healthy and ready to lead his team again? Is Brad Richards ever going to live up to the high standards set forth by his salary, and what the Stars gave up to get him? How will Marty Turco perform following the worst NHL season of his career?

In a few weeks, these questions will begin to be answered.

Who's in:

Alex Auld, Karlis Skrastins, Jeff Woywitka

Who's out:

Steve Begin, Joel Lundqvist, Brendan Morrison, Mark Parrish, Tobias Stephan, Darryl Sydor, Sergei Zubov

Team Strengths:

Goaltender: When he is confident and focused, Marty Turco is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. Two seasons in a row he proved that he is capable of carrying a team in the playoffs, and is still the best puck-moving goalie around. His ability to negate the opposition's forecheck, while firing a long and accurate pass up ice is a level of play every team wish they had.

Alex Auld provides the most proven backup Marty Turco has had in a very long time, and will provide the Stars with the ability to rest their starter and not overwork him like last season. He also has the ability to push Turco to play better, since the team will feel confident riding him for several games in a row if Turco falters.

Defense: The Stars will continue to have a young yet talented group of defensemen that played incredibly well two seasons ago. Despite a rocky season one year ago, this defense should improve and become more consistent under the tutelage of Charlie Huddy. Karlis Skrastins provides great veteran leadership on the blue line and is one of the more underrated defensemen in the leage. Many have compared him to Richard Matvichuk in his ability to block shots, a trait this Stars defense has lacked for several years.

Forwards: The biggest strength of this team, the Stars have a stable of solid and talented forwards. Brenden Morrow and Mike Ribeiro form one the most dangerous tandems in the league, while Mike Modano is perhaps the best third line center in the Western Conference. Yet it's the proposed second line combination of James Neal, Brad Richards and Loui Eriksson that will really give the opposition the most trouble. This preseason the trio has terrorized opposing teams and is improving their chemistry daily. A revitalized and healthy Richards will provide great motivation and energy for those around him.

Special teams: This team has the ability to have several shutdown units on the penalty kill. Steve Ott, Toby Petersen, Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen provide excellent defensive play among the forwards, while Skrastins brings experience and leadership to the PK among the defensemen.

Coaching: Currently, its unknown what this coaching staff can do. So far in the preseason, we've seen some good signs. The Stars rebounded from a poor showing in Colorado to get a solid road victory over a very good St. Louis team. The Stars seem willing and ready to play hard for their new coach. Overall though, this grade is incomplete.

General Manager: Joe Nieuwendyk has shown that he will not hesitate to do what he thinks is right for this organization. He made a very tough decision to not re-sign Sergei Zubov, who was a former teammate and great personal friend. He fired Dave Tippett, which was not a popular move among the Stars faithful earlier this summer. Both tough, but what he felt were needed decisions to make.

Team Weaknesses:

Goaltender: Marty Turco is coming off his worst season in his NHL career, in which he was worn down and reportedly had several feuds with goaltending coach Andy Moog. It's unknown how he will respond, especially considering he is the final year of his contract. At 34, he is nearing the end of the prime years of his career.

Defense: Young, inconsistent and now learning a new system. The Stars failed to significantly upgrade their blue line this summer and the defense will be their biggest question mark all season long.

Forwards: Mike Modano is in what is most like the final season of his NHL career and while he's still healthy and able, he's not the prolific player he once was. Jere Lehtinen has also had trouble staying on the ice in recent years and with the Stars having a lack of right-handed wingers, his health is key to a well-rounded group of forwards.

Special Teams: Without a true power play "quarterback", the Stars have struggled mightily to score with the man advantage. Crawford will try to strategies and systems on the PP, but until the Stars prove they can sore consistently when given the chance this will remain the team's biggest weakness.

Depth Chart:

Forwards:

Morrow, Ribeiro, Brunnstrom
Neal, Richards, Eriksson
Ott, Modano, Lehtinen
Sutherby, Petersen, Barch
Benn, Wandell, Sawada

Defense:

Daley, Robidas
Skastins, Niskanen
Fistric, Grossman
Woywitka, Hutchinson
Vishnevskiy, Larsen

Goalies:

Turco
Auld
Climie
Krahn

Prediction:

There is no way to accurately predict this team will respond to a new coach, a new system and a brand new atmosphere being implemented by Joe Nieuwendyk. On one hand, this is a talented and driven group of hockey players that can win on any given night and be dominant, especially with Marty Turco in net. On the other, this is also a team that is not overwhelmingly deep on defense and has many questions to answer after such a disappointing season last year. With Anaheim and San Jose doing their best to improve, the Stars will have nearly the same team on October 3, 2009 as the did one year ago. Whether that's good or bad is the big question.

If this team stays healthy and Brenden Morrow continues to be the leader we all know him to be, this team has all the ability to make the playoffs. My prediction: 5th in the Western Conference.

What do you think?

Poll

Where in the Western Conference standings do you think the Dallas Stars will finish in the 2009-2010 season?

1

14 votes

2

12 votes

3

21 votes

4

50 votes

5

65 votes

6

56 votes

7

29 votes

8

7 votes

9

6 votes

10

7 votes

11

2 votes

12

0 votes

13

2 votes

14

0 votes

15

1 votes

272 votes | Poll has closed

2009-10 NHL Season Preview: Dallas Stars

James Mirtle — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:00:17 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

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Who's in: Alex Auld, Karlis Skrastins, Jeff Woywitka
Who's out: Steve Begin, Joel Lundqvist, Brendan Morrison, Mark Parrish, Tobias Stephan, Darryl Sydor, Sergei Zubov

Outlook: Much like the Avalanche, the Stars are a relatively new franchise that's enjoyed a lot of recent success but which is in for a bit of a rough stretch.

Owner Tom Hicks, one of a few in financial distress these days, canned two-headed GM monster Les Jackson and Brett Hull in early June and handed the reins to former Stars star Joe Nieuwendyk, a rookie GM only two seasons removed from life as an NHL player. Nieuwendyk's first call in the hot seat was a controversial one, as he turfed long-time head coach Dave Tippett and brought in Marc "Crow" Crawford to attempt to turn things around.

In terms of on-ice personnel, the losses weren't overwhelming, although Sergei Zubov signed in the KHL and a handful of other depth players exited stage left as the team's budget was heavily slashed. The inbox wasn't exactly overflowing either as Karlis Skrastins constituted Nieuwendyk's big buy in free agency. He also pulled off a savvy deal to bring in Alex Auld as Marty Turco's backup, rectifying one of the real faux pas of the two-headed era by giving his No. 1 some support.

Dallas should improve tremendously in goal if nowhere else after finishing 29^th in team save percentage last time around, although the same cast of middling defenders returns in front of Turco, and Crawford is known as anything but a defensive wizard.

Having captain Brenden Morrow in the fold full-time should also do wonders for the team's goal scoring ability, however, and that alone will make the Stars at least a bubble candidate to return to the postseason.

X-factor: Marty Turco

For a more in-depth stars preview, visit Defending Big D
For more NHL analysis, check out the McKeen's Hockey Yearbook

Poll

Where will the Stars finish in the Western Conference this season?

1

6 votes

2

2 votes

3

3 votes

4

7 votes

5

18 votes

6

19 votes

7

23 votes

8

18 votes

9

28 votes

10

39 votes

11

25 votes

12

23 votes

13

8 votes

14

6 votes

15

12 votes

237 votes | Poll has closed

New Jersey Devils News, Sept. 7

TibbsBeastoftheEast — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:24:49 -0000

NJ Devils training camp preview - (The Star Ledger)
What Partial Season Plans are Worth It for the New Jersey Devils in 2009-10? - (In Lou We Trust)

Are the New Jersey Devils Mini-Packages for the 2009-10 Season Worth Purchasing? - (In Lou We Trust)
New Jersey Devils Promotional Schedule Released - (In Lou We Trust)
Individual game tickets on sale Sept. 9 - (NewJerseyDevils.com)
Lerg looking forward to his NHL challenge - (Lansing State Journal)

MISCELLANEOUS
Solid NHL free agents still ripe for the picking - (Vancouver Sun); Devils interest in Sergei Zubov

Dallas Stars 2009 Season Expectations: Matt Niskanen

Brandon Worley — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:47:15 -0000

More photos » by Ann Heisenfelt - AP

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We continue our player profile series here at Defending Big D, in which we look ahead at each player's expectations for the upcoming season. It's up to you, the reader, to give us the numbers you expect each player to produce next season, and what your expectations for them are moving forward. We'll start at the bottom of the roster and work our way to the top, taking a look today at Matt Niskanen.

Matt Niskanen is an enigma. At times he displays the skill and tools necessary to be a top defensemen in the NHL, and other times he's completely lost on the ice. The ups and downs in Niskanen's two year NHL career can be attributed to many different factors, mostly being the trial by fire method he's been forced to take during his introduction to the NHL. With a surprisingly strong rookie season and a bumpy sophomore effort, this season will hopefully see Niskanen reach the potential he's shown he has.

Niskanen earned himself a spot on the opening night roster in 2007, and has been entrenched on the Stars blue line ever since the first game of his rookie season. Along with Mark Fistric and Nicklas Grossman, Niskanen helped form a trio of promising young defensemen that exceeded all expectations that season and helped lead the Stars deep into the playoffs. There were questions however, of whether he and the other rookies could continue their relatively high level of play while continuing to grow and gain experience in the NHL. Niskanen, with only 13 games of AHL experience after two years of college, surpassed all expectations in a season where many thought he was only starting the season with the Stars because of injuries and would be sent down as soon as others returned. But with 26 points and a team 2nd-best +22 rating, Niskanen claimed his roster spot and never let go.

Unfortunately, it was level of play he could carry over to the next season.

Matt Niskanen

#5 / Defenseman / Dallas Stars

Height: 6-0

Weight: 194

Born: Dec 06, 1986

Shoots: Right

In 2008, like most everything else with the Dallas Stars, Niskanen was disappointing. The loss of veterans Mattias Norstrom and Sergei Zubov led to a painful regression for Niskanen, who had excelled in a pairing with Zubov his rookie season. Along with the rest of the young defensive corps, he struggled with positioning in the defensive zone and was hesitant to join the rush. At times Niskanen looked utterly lost around his own net, a factor that lead to a monstrous goals-allowed average the first two months of the season. When the Stars acquired veteran Daryl Sydor a few months into the season, Niskanen started to settle down and return to the form he showed the year before. More sure handed with the puck and strong in front of the net, he showed that perhaps he was as good as she played the season before, and the questions about whether he would ever return to being the player he was with Zubov beside him were temporarily silenced.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Matt Niskanen	80	6	29	35	-11	52	2	0	0	0	111	5.4

With young players, especially defensemen, patience is required as they fight through growing pains. There's a reason that most players have a jaunt in the AHL before making the jump to the big show, as they struggle to get acclimated to the faster, most physical style of the NHL. Young forwards have a bit more leeway, as their mistakes can be masked a bit and they have the opportunity to learn and adapt on the third and fourth lines. A defenseman has no such luxury, and despite his incredible success in 2007-08, Niskanen showed just how much the flaws of a blue liner can become apparent when he's struggling.

Perhaps it was the lack of veteran leadership or just the natural regression of a second season in the NHL, but Niskanen toiled at a time when the team could not afford to give him time to reset in the AHL. He was forced to fight through his struggles and eventually started to regain the form he showed the year before. Two months into the season Niskanen was at a -14 rating with just 12 points. With more playing time down the stretch and a renewed confidence evident in his game Niskanen finished with 29 assists and 35 points, tops among all Dallas Stars defensemen. Despite ending the season with a team 2nd-worst +/- rating, Niskanen finished the season strong. He was given more time on the power play and proved to be a dangerous option from the point if given the chance.

Niskanen is a smooth skater with an excellent shot and above average passing ability. What he lacks in size he can make up with good positioning and smart decision making, traits he's shown he possesses but lacked during the first few months of last season. Under new defensemen coach Charlie Huddy, Niskanen could benefit from a more aggressive scheme that takes advantage of his offensive skills. If paired with a steady veteran like Karlis Skrastins, he could become a much more dangerous player on the point for the Dallas Stars. While he'll never be confused with a true blue line quarterback, Niskanen does have the ability to become one of the more well rounded defensemen in the NHL.

Consistency is his issue, and the question all Stars fans have is which Matt Niskanen they'll see on opening night: the steady and dangerous defensemen from his rookie campaign or the floundering young defensemen from last season.

What are your expectations for Niskanen for this season? Will he continue to grow into a cornerstone for this defense for the foreseeable future?

The KHL's rivalry with the NHL is all about Pride and Power

Dirk Hoag — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:04:43 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Rather than stay on as a complementary player on the Washington Capitals, Sergei Fedorov, along with several others, signed with a KHL team this summer.

Browse more photos »

Imagine the following - your local Senator, in a bid to bolster America's soccer leagues in advance of the US potentially hosting the World Cup, proposes that professionals should be made exempt from Federal income taxes, and that every effort should be made to support professional teams and allow them to sign top international stars to compete on US soil. All this, during one of the worst economic downturns in living memory.

What do you think the reaction would be among his constituents? I'm guessing that it would be more tempestuous than these health care town-hall meetings, that's for sure.

But in Russia, that's exactly what's going on in the world of hockey. Facing a 7% contraction in GDP this year (far greater than the US will endure), they've taken just such measures to bring NHL talent over to the KHL.

So why is it that ordinary Russians are so willing to go along with such plans? Simply put, with the 2014 Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, international prestige ranks high on the list of priorities for political and business leaders there, and the populace isn't likely to challenge that view.

In today's Wall Street Journal, Harvard professor Richard Pipes, in "Pride and Power", surveys the political and economic landscape throughout the former superpower, and finds nostalgia for the imperial Soviet era, along with a desire for order that transcends Western priorities like transparency of government, and the rule of law:

...during their 1,000-year old history of statehood, the Russians have virtually never been given the opportunity to elect their government or to influence its actions. As a result of this experience, they have become thoroughly depoliticized.

It's a truly fine read, and helps to put in perspective why the KHL is so aggressive in their bid to obtain top talent from North America. It should also help inform the NHL and player agents about sensitivites felt throughout Russia, as the question of whether the NHL will participate in the 2014 Games has yet to be addressed.

Stargazing: Turco asked about pressure of next season

Brad G — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:00:10 -0000

Stargazing is a daily assortment of Dallas Stars news, as well as a look at what's happening around the Pacific division and the rest of the NHL. Stargazing will run on Mondays and Thursdays, becoming a daily feature once the preseason begins.

Everyone's favorite Stars topic: Marty Turco. I feel bad for Marty that he's starting to get it this early in August. In an off-season stuffed full of changes for the Stars, he still stands to get the most scrutiny and attention from the media and fans alike heading into the season. Whether that's fair or not...well, maybe you can tell us in the comments. For me personally, he was a big factor in what went on last year, but if I had my way I'd be asking more questions about the defense and the power play than Turco. But I digress. On to the links we go...

Stars News and Notes:

Marty Turco does one of what we can only assume will be many, many interviews about the pressure on him this season, courtesy of Sportingnews.com:

There are plenty of factors that add pressure to a player entering the season. He could be in his contract year. He could be coming off a sub-par season. He could be playing for a new coach. He could play the position most crucial to his teams success...

"I have a family -- three kids now. I turned 34 (Aug. 13) and have one year left on my contract. That's personal. We're human and this is my job," Turco said. "That's pressure different than the arena of sport. I feel fortunate that I don't feel stressed about my personal situation. As competitive and driven as I am, these things seem to take care of themselves."

Last time the Stars missed the playoffs, Marty had a career year the following season, leading them back the post-season. Can he do it again?

Does the confluence of factors (new coach, contract year, struggled last season...) concern you? Or do you think the added motivation will focus him?

The KHL/Sergei Zubov press conference:

"When I decided to play in the KHL for SKA, I hoped that I would play at the same level I did in the NHL - Sergei Zubov said. - Now I think that I have come to the peak of my physical form. I would not like to predict, but I hope that during the season I will conform my former level. The last two weeks I just could not sleep, thinking that my career in many ways is to start all over again. For me and my family to move to Russia was a difficult step. I think I fairly quickly will cope with the tension."

Not exactly the tearful goodbye of a press conference I was hoping for in Dallas at the end of his NHL career, but it beats the crap out of him raising up a Kings or Blues jersey with good old #56 on it in some other NHL building.

Mike Heika attempts to put all of the Brad Richards/Rangers rumors to bed:

...I doubt that it came from someone within the Dallas Stars. All I can find out is that the Stars would rather not have Michal Rozsival or Wade Redden be a part of any deal.

Now, the Stars are on a very tight budget and would probably listen to offers that allowed them to move Richards for top prospects so that they could shed his $7.8 million salary (for the next two seasons) and possibly acquire a bigger name defenseman. But, the proposed deal with the Rangers doesn't save them any money...

And he also points out: He has a no trade clause! So if you know a Rangers fans, please, let them know.

NHL.com focused on the Stars the other day, and asked Crawford and Nieuwendyk for a generic answer about Marty Turco:

Nieuwendyk made some alterations, including signing veteran defenseman Karlis Skrastins from Florida and trading for backup goalie Alex Auld, who will be a major upgrade from Tobias Stephen behind Marty Turco.

"Marty really didn't get the chance to work on some things in his game," Crawford said. "That's one of the reasons why we brought in Alex Auld. We feel we can now give Marty those times during a season where he can work on things and stay sharp."

Various Stars links:

NHL News and Notes:

30 days to camp!

Zubov introduced by the KHL

James Mirtle — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:07:04 -0000

A few comments from Sergei Zubov, provided by the KHL (more pictures here):

"When I decided to play in the KHL for SKA, I hoped that I would play at the same level I did in the NHL. Now I think I have come to the peak of my physical form. I would not like to predict, but I hope that during the season I will [play at] my former level.

"The last two weeks I just could not sleep, thinking that my career in many ways is to start all over again. For me and my family to move to Russia was a difficult step. I think I fairly quickly will cope with the pressure.

"Living in the United States, I kept my eye on Russian hockey, and therefore I have some notion of what to expect. In my opinion in recent years hockey styles from different countries have been integrated, and now there is no Russian, Swedish or Canadian hockey. This integration allows our sport to progress, and it is great to see these processes take place in the KHL."

Most points by defenceman (1994-95 to present):

Rk	Player	GP	G	A	PTS	PTS	+/-
1	Nicklas Lidstrom	1082	200	640	840	0.78	323
2	Sergei Zubov	941	132	519	651	0.69	129
3	Sergei Gonchar	929	191	443	634	0.68	58
4	Scott Niedermayer	1018	141	464	605	0.59	133
5	Brian Leetch	768	144	438	582	0.76	-27
6	Chris Pronger	941	137	439	576	0.61	156
7	Mathieu Schneider	934	163	392	555	0.59	20
8	Rob Blake	904	178	376	554	0.61	-27
9	Roman Hamrlik	1026	133	389	522	0.51	-25
10	Sandis Ozolinsh	757	134	343	477	0.63	-51
11	Bryan McCabe	986	130	327	457	0.46	36
12	Al MacInnis	613	127	325	452	0.74	132
13	Teppo Numminen	941	80	367	447	0.48	90
14	Wade Redden	919	104	332	436	0.47	154
15	Ed Jovanovski	903	118	315	433	0.48	-57

I think that's the peer group Zubov should be remembered in. He was quietly one of the best blueliners in the game for a long, long time.