SB Nation - Stephane Robidas

Frustrations Mount as Dallas Stars Lose 6-5 in Overtime to Thrashers

Brandon Worley — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:15:55 -0000

Sigh...

We've said it before and we went into detail during last night's post-game show; get ready because this season is going to be one hell of a bumpy ride for Stars fans. After forcing overtime in a game they should have won by four goals, the Dallas Stars lost once more in the extra frame. Instead of the normal 'here's a rundown of what happened' game recap, I'm going to give you ten thoughts on tonight's overtime loss to the Atlanta Thrashers; we'll have much more details and breakdowns tomorrow.

First thought: Ondrej Pavelec is incredible.

Ten more thoughts, after the jump.

Before we get to all of the bad, bad stuff from this game, let's go over the good. Stephane Robidas rebounded from perhaps his worst game of the season and had yet another big game from the point for the Stars. He would finish with two goals, an assist and seven shots on goal and maintained the strong play on defense he's had all season long. He's developed a knack for knowing just when to launch a shot from the point, and you have to give the guys credit for creating big traffic in front of the net.
I know we're all pissed off at the outcome, but it's just bad damn luck that in a game the Stars showed great execution, determination and hard work in, they face a goaltender that is a cross between Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy. That the Stars scored five goals tonight is a testament to the offensive firepower the Stars showcased; this could easily have been an eight goal game. The Thrashers were completely unconcerned with covering the trailing forward or defensemen tonight, and it opened up some prime opportunities. Once again. the Stars were unable to cash in and they paid for it.
After going through a stretch where the penalty kill looked so good and was giving this team ample opportunities to win, they have now allowed five power play goals in the past two nights. Tonight, the Stars took some unnecessary penalties and gave the Thrashers a chance to get back in the game with their top-ranked power play. Atlanta has some snipers on the team; giving them open chances time and again is a certain recipe for disaster.
We've shouted from the rooftops all season long that Jamie Benn needs to shoot more. See what happens?
Brenden Morrow finished the game with zero shots, one hit and was a minus-1. He was instrumental in causing some big messes in front of Pavelec, but that is not the game we need from our captain the night after the worst loss of the season.
Here's a perfect microcosm for how the Stars' season has gone. On a night when the Stars explode with 47 shots against a team ill concerned with playing defense, on a night when the Stars score more than four goals for the first time in eleven games, the goaltenders decide to take the night off. Sure, there were some defensive breakdowns but when you're playing a kinetic team like Atlanta and in a system that's designed to expose the goalies at times, you need your netminders to be in top form. Allowing six goals on 25 shots is frankly pathetic.
However, no excuse for one again absolutely putrid defensive coverage and a breakdown of fundamentals. The inability to cover the backside of the net, the constant lack of attempts to take out trailing forwards in the slot and a dark void where the transition game should be has left this defensive corps ragged and a pale glimmer of what they once were. Is the loss of Zubov and Norstrom affecting this team that much? Despite any offense the Stars may try and put together, this team will go nowhere until the defense finds a way at least be average. These players are better than they are showing right now; they may not be the best group but they are better than this.
With Trevor Daley out indefinitely, and Mark Fistric leaving in the second period, I'm certain that the Stars' defense was gassed late in the game. Yet the sight of seeing Matt Niskanen make a poor clearing attempt then fail to adequately cover his man in front of the net is getting beyond frustrating. He's a good player who is better than the level he is performing at right now, and I'm at a loss at how you fix it. One idea would be to give him less time on the power play and keep him fresh throughout the game, especially if Vishnevskiy is called up.
I agree with Crawford's decision to pull Auld after he allowed two quick goals to let Atlanta take the lead in the second period. Auld looked shaky in net, Turco had a somewhat decent game last night and Crawford wanted to keep his team's head above water as they fought to not be overcome by frustration once again.
The next five games for the Stars: Detroit, San Jose, Columbus, at Colorado and Chicago. Get ready for one rough and dangerous two weeks.
Finally, thank goodness for Eriksson's visor. While I'm happy for the goal it scored, I'm even more ecstatic that his nose/eyes/face were saved from a potentially serious injury. I'm still uncertain why players refuse to wear one.

Ok, so that was eleven.

Tracking the toughest players in the NHL: The Black and Blue Trophy

Hooks Orpik — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:54:39 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Hits like these are why Brooks Orpik is 4th in the black and blue trophy race, despite missing time to injury.

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Long-time readers might remember a metric we took a look at last season, the Black and Blue Trophy. It is a simple measure of which players are blocking shots and the opposition. It's tough, yeoman's work. Often times those throwing their body in front of rubber and into others end up on the shelf, an unfortunate reminder that shows the Black and Blue guys have to be durable to make it on this list.

This year's official Black and Blue trophy has a new twist: defensemen are now the only players eligible. In years past we've included forwards, but they don't block enough shots to be considered in the true spirit of what the award is trying to encompass. This isn't about the guys who forecheck hard (like Cal Clutterbuck and Dustin Brown) but someone that embodies the sacrifice of a black and blue player.

In this day and age there are a lot of great stats out there, like Behind the Net which does awesome work and has a vast database of in depth statistics. Here's a great resource that James Mirtle recently wrote to overview these new-age stats and metrics that are popping up more and more to judge how good players are beyond just goals and assists.

Behind the jump, your tough-nosed leaderboard.

A little more sophisticated look at defensive defensemen is Mirtle's list, which uses a secretive formula to rank players based off the quality of competition they play and the goals allowed by their team while they're on the ice. Brent Seabrook, Andy Sutton and Greg Zanon make both Mirtle's "best defensive defensemen" and the black and blue.

From last February's BnB list: Orpik, Greene, Robidas and Seabrook are on there, showing great durability. Most of those guys are towards the top of the lists and both years.

As always, this isn't a list without it's limitations (hits subjective from town to town, etc, etc) but it serves a purpose to recognize guys who may not be putting up goals/assists but are still specialized defenders.

Here's the rest of the list for the Penguins:

Among BnB/games played, Orpik is still the king (other than Guenin's very short sample size). What jumps out to me is Engelland, who did well to ring up a lot of hits in his brief time in the NHL.

Game Preview: Buffalo Sabres @ New York Rangers

Rafal Ladysz — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:01:38 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

6 days ago: Buffalo Sabres goalie Patrick Lalime makes a save against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period of the NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y., Friday, Dec. 11, 2009. The Sabres won 2-1. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

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I figured I'd salute Patrick Lalime by using his photograph for our game preview today. It wasn't pretty at times but the back-up netminder gave his best Ryan Miller impression Friday evening by stopping 39 of 40 shots in a 2-1 win over his former squad, the Chicago Blackhawks. Lalime earned his first 'W' and Miller got a well deserved night off.

Tim Kennedy and Patrick Kane, who grew up in the same area of the city, each had an assist. As rewarding as claiming top spot in the Northeast Division is, the win was more about Lalime and the level of confidence he brought easing Lindy Ruff's choice to select him. Buffalo was truly shaky to start the first and third period giving him a workload which helped get him into gear.

It's back to work though as the Buffalo Sabres see the New York Rangers today. Henrik Lundqvist stole the show last week when he out-dueled Miller in a low-scoring, tight checking 2-1 result. With a few days worth of rest, the American ~~should~~ will be prepared to even the series for his team.

To our five thoughts on each squad:

First, Buffalo has scored a powerplay goal in each of the last two games after getting shutout by New Jersey to start the week. This brings them up to 17th best in the league and both tallies were because of a player standing at the front or side of the net. If they're to beat Lunqvist, more of the same is needed.
New York's found it hard to put a string of wins together. Losers in five of six, Marian Gaborik's been the one Ranger who continues to do his part in production leading the league in goals, 21, second to Joe Thornton in points and 25 per cent of their markers are courtesy of the Slovakian. It's too bad none of the others are lending a helping hand to their superstar aside from Lundqvist.
If you read my preview for the Blackhawks contest, you'll notice that I kindly asked Thomas Vanek to end his scoring drought. I even said the word 'please' which I'm sure was what brought him on the score sheet. Vanek has had goals in back-to-back matches only once all year so I'll do my best to assist him again. Please get at least one by Lundqvist tonight Thomas.
Starting off the season with a 7-1 record, the Rangers were looking sharp. But they've gone 7-13-2 since largely because of offensive inefficiencies. Averaging 28.7 shots per game (23rd worst), New York needs more from everyone else especially Vaclav Prospal who was clicking very well with Gaborik.
The Sabres are 14-2-2 when they grab that first lead and 4-7 if the opposition does. As usual, getting on the board will calm the supporters as Buffalo's protection of leads is assuring. Why wouldn't it be? We've got Miller back there, undoubtedly the best goalie in the NHL this season.
With one point in ten games, Ales Kotalik is showing why he wasn't the most preferred forward for Lindy Ruff. A powerplay weapon, the Czech can't seem to make as much of an impact during even strength play. Whatever it is, he's not our problem anymore. Speaking of former Sabres, Chris Drury has nine points on the year.
Mike Grier (personal) likely won't join the team, Chris Butler has an ankle injury and of course Paul Gaustad is working his way back from a knee issue. For New York, Brandon Dubinsky remains out recovering from a broken hand. These teams have stayed rather healthy in an injury-riddled campaign and that includes Connolly and Gaborik.
Rookie sensations Michael Del Zotto and Tyler Myers will lead their blue lines into battle. Separated by one point in rookie scoring, it's a story worth viewing as one has been compared to Brian Leetch and the other to Zdeno Chara. Myers had a helper in the first match-up.
Interesting statistic: Patrick Kaleta has thrown at least 39 more hits than all of his teammates. Maybe he'll give Kotalik and Drury a taste of the shoulder (not elbow). We can only hope.
The Rangers own a hitting machine as well. Ryan Callahan has 109 to his credit which is 37 more than the closest teammate behind him. He's third among the entire league, trailing Stephane Robidas by four and Dustin Brown by three. Well respected for his work-ethic, Callahan will be all over the ice.

Elite goaltending, rookie stand-outs, hard hitters and two healthy stars; there's much to look forward to in this meeting of two clubs heading in different directions. And Madison Square Garden will ensure a terrific atmosphere for everyone involved.

Stargazing: Stars Win again in San Jose, 3-2 in Shootout

Brad G — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:11:38 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

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Stargazing is a daily assortment of Dallas Stars and Texas Stars news, and whatever other random ramblings are bouncing around inside our heads.

The Dallas Stars may have finally found a cure for their shootout woes. All they need to do is trail San Jose, in San Jose in the third period, get the game tied, and then send a defenseman out there to score the game winner in the skills competition. So they've done twice now, with Robidas and Niskanen earning the extra point in both trips to the Shark Tank.

That formula may need some work if they're to continue improving their shootout record on a regular basis, but another piece of the Stars game last night might translate a little better from day-to-day: Take 44 shots on goal. Dallas failed in Anaheim to sustain offensive pressure through three periods, or even for two. In San Jose, they took 14, 16, and 13 shots on goal respectively in each period, making Nabokov work all night long. 44 might be a lofty goal, but the mid thirties night in and night out will net positive results over time.

The power play connected once last night, but I thought it could have been better, particularly on the 5 on 3. Other opportunities presented themselves in big moments and they couldn't take advantage, but answered with a perfect penalty kill against a very dangerous Shark power play that features Thornton and Heatley.

If the Stars can't find a way to score more than two goals in regulation, that is how good Marty Turco needs to be for this team to make the playoffs, and he was very good last night. That Blake goal was a little disheartening, but like Razor said, it was on end and squeezed through him "like a wet bar of soap." Marty stood tall in the third, overtime and the shootout.

With the two points, the Stars held on to their eight place seeding in the West.

Follow the jump for plenty of quotes and analysis from another big win at HP Pavilion...

Mike Heika recaps the action after a very late night in San Jose...

The Stars are still learning about themselves 31 games into the season, and Friday was a great lesson for a lot of players.

Dallas was coming off two games in which it had blown leads, and players were doing some soul-searching for two days before Friday's game with the San Jose Sharks.

On one side, players like Steve Ott, Brenden Morrow and Stephane Robidas answered with aggressive physical games. On another side, players like Mike Ribeiro, Trevor Daley and Brad Richards answered with aggressive offensive games. And goalie Marty Turco answered with calm and poise.

The result was a 3-2 shootout win against the best team in the Pacific Division, and a bit of a statement for a team that was pondering its identity.

As I said last night, I think the fan base really enjoys wins over the Sharks, and for good reason, but a regulation win over the Kings tonight would mean so much more in the long run of this season.

You might be amused to see the Shark fan saying the same kinds of things that we've been saying recently...

In the Sharks last seven games, they've been to the shootout three times. Now, we can bitch and moan about the shootout as much as we want, but fact of the matter is that it's a part of the game. No if's and's or but's about it. It's unavoidable.

What should be avoidable, though, is going to the shootout. The fact that the Sharks have led late in the third period in both of the shootout losses is troubling. Aside from the miraculous comeback in Edmonton, the Sharks have shat the bed twice and had to settle the score in the crapshoot. Blech. (I can also bitch because I was at the Tank live earlier this year to watch the Sharks do practically the same thing against the Stars. Deja vu... terrible feeling, terrible TV show, terrible movie.)

Two poor games does not a season make, but I haven't been happy with what I've seen the last week or so. The Sharks need to realize that it's up to them to force the opposition to play their game for 60 minutes. They played well in the first 20 last night, and then let the Stars dictate the game. From here on out, it should be an end to end battle.

But let's be realistic here. The Shark fan has nothing to worry about. Honestly, the grumblings coming from a minor hiccup in their season make me roll my eyes just a tiny bit, because quite obviously, the Sharks are a very good team, and they'll be fine.

The Mercury news brings you some amusing quotes from the Sharks coach on the shootout...

For 10 rounds, the Sharks and Dallas Stars sent skaters out in a one-on-one skill test, and for 10 rounds, only one shooter on each team could put the puck past San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov or Dallas goalie Marty Turco.

"You start looking around," Sharks captain Rob Blake said. "Who's next? 11? It's getting down there."

"It's a little bit typical of the night," said McLellan, who is on record as a foe of the shootout when it comes to deciding games. "I think Marty Turco poke-checked guys four or five times in a row, and yet we get the puck in close. If you're on the bench watching, you should figure it out eventually."

Similarly, and I'm no hockey player, I was wondering when the Sharks would stop trying to beat Nabokov low over and over again. Matt Niskanen answered the call.

NHL.com brings you Matt Niskanen:

Niskanen, a defenseman who had never taken a shootout attempt, scored in the 11th round to give the Dallas Stars a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

Niskanen ripped a wrist shot past Evgeni Nabokov after he and Dallas' Marty Turco had stopped nine of the first 10 shots in the shootout. Turco then gave Dallas the extra point by stopping Marc-Edouard Vlasic's wrist shot.

''We were starting to run out of guys,'' Niskanen said. ''We were starting to look down at the end of the bench. (Nabokov) was coming out pretty far and so I put a move on him and got very lucky. It the first time I've ever done it. I came at him with a lot of speed and snapped it. As defensemen, we always joke around that we'll be the last used in a shootout.''

Interesting that you have to have 10 shooters just to get to Jamie Benn on Marc Crawfords' bench...

Quotes:

Marc Crawford:

''That shootout was pretty special, it was the longest one I've ever been involved in,'' Dallas coach Marc Crawford said. ''It's not very often that the shootout ends up being the story of the game. ... Marty did such a good job in the shootout and you have to praise Nabokov because he was equally as good. But we found a way to solve him with a great shot from Niskanen.''

``This is a great building with a lot of energy, and I think that helps you,'' said Stars coach Marc Crawford. ``It brings energy to your game.''

``I liked the way we played today,'' Crawford said. ``We played a strong game and we stuck with it. We talked about that before the game. We played 60 minutes, and that's a huge step in the right direction. But I think we're capable of being even better than that. There's another level that we can get to, and we need to keep striving to make those improvements.''

Marty Turco:

``It was a good win for us, and an answer game, I guess you could say,'' said Turco, who had 33 saves in regulation and stopped 10 of 11 shooters in the shootout. ``I just think we all did whatever we could to be better. That was the thinking.''

``You have to be able to forget and move forward,'' Turco said. ``If you have a bad goal, you just have to let it go behind you. I think was I able to do that, and it's important for me to continue to do that.''

``They're all huge,'' said Turco, who might get the game off while Alex Auld plays. ``This was big, but now we have to keep playing winning hockey and go to Los Angeles and try to win there. We need to do this for more than just one game. That would be a big step in the right direction.''

Niskanen:

``As defensemen, we always joke, `Hey, we're next,' when it goes five or six ,'' Niskanen said. ``I just saw he was coming out and being aggressive, so I wanted to shoot quickly and pick a spot.''

There was much debate the last few days about Marty Turco. Did the soft goal he let in Tuesday that allowed Anaheim to tie the score with 1:02 remaining in regulation deserve extreme criticism, or had Turco done so much before that shot that he deserved a break?

Bottom line, when a goalie lets in a goal that he shouldn't have, the entire team slumps its shoulders. One great save doesn't lift a team that way. Three don't. Five don't. It might take 10 or 20 great saves to really get a team fired up and going.

But all you have to do is let one puck slip between your pads late in a period, as Turco did Friday against the San Jose Sharks, and it can change an entire game.

Timing is everything with goalies. They control a lot of the arena's energy and the game's pace.

It's a lesson Turco has learned throughout his career and one he will be studying even more intensely now.

Dallas was also happy to get Karlis Skrastins back in the lineup last night:

"He's an important part of our team, and we're happy to get him back," Stars coach Marc Crawford said, alluding to his defenseman's expected return tonight against the San Jose Sharks. "Karlis has this great ability to get in the middle of the other team and mess up what they are trying to do, and that's a great talent to have on defense."

Skrastins, who signed with the Stars in the summer as a free agent, said his ability to get in the way is part experience and part luck. He said during the course of 707 career games, he's learned how to anticipate the play.

"I think some of it is being able to read the play and just being in position, and some of it is that I just get in the way," he said. "I don't try to block shots all of the time. I just try to read the play. But a lot of times, I end up there and have a chance to block the puck very easily. It's just reacting to the puck being there."

The Stars continue their road trip in Los Angeles tonight at 9:30pm CST, on FSN+ (Verizon customers like me, you're out of luck there)

Gameday Preview: Dallas Stars @ San Jose Sharks (9:00pm CST)

Art_M — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:00:20 -0000

Next Game

Dallas Stars (13-8-9, 8th in West)
@ San Jose Sharks (19-7-6, 1st in West)

Friday, Dec 11, 2009, 9:00 PM CST
HP Pavilion

TV: KDFI
Radio: KTCK 1310 The Ticket

Opponent's Blogs: Fear The Fin / Battle Of California

Complete Coverage >

The Dallas Stars look to shake off some of the struggles they've had lately in finishing games by continuing on the five game road swing with a stop in San Jose tonight to face the Western conference leading Sharks who are also on a bit of a demoralizing skid of their own having lost their last three games - all at home. Tonight's game against Dallas is San Jose's last chance to salvage what has been an unusually bad five game home stand for a team that before the stretch had only lost one game in regulation in the Shark Tank out of their first ten.

The Stars can at least draw some inspiration for tonight from the last time these two teams met up back on November 12th when Dallas rallied in the third period from a two goal deficit to draw even, force a shootout and then actually win it with an unlikely goal from Stephane Robidas.

Over the last few games for both teams it's been proven that no lead is truly safe no matter who you are. The Stars issues have been well documented here the past week, but last Friday San Jose had the St. Louis Blues come back very late in the third period to tie up a game and then win it in a shootout. Saturday they managed to get a 1-0 lead in the second period before giving back two goals to the Calgary Flames in a regulation loss. And then two days ago against the Los Angeles Kings the Sharks needed to claw back from two goals down with over half the game gone to force overtime, only to see a win taken away from them a little over a minute in.

So yes it's a late start tonight, but it's a Friday night and really you can just sleep in tomorrow. Given the unpredictable nature of these two teams lately, this game could be a last shot wins situation!

Follow the jump for a closer look at both teams and the medical reports...

The Dallas Stars:

So now that we've had a few days since the Ducks debacle to calm down and back off the ledge a little bit, we've come to realize that maybe things aren't quite as bad in Big D hockey wise as we think. We as fans have to realize that the young players on this roster are going to make mistakes, but it's not only something we should endure with in hopes that they have bright futures ahead of them, but that the Stars are not the first team to go through growing pains like this.

Isn't that right Mike Heika?

Strangely enough, NHL teams wait out kids every year. They have done it in Pittsburgh and Chicago and LA, and are seeing results. They have done it in Florida and Atlanta and Columbus, and you wonder if they will ever see results. It's a gamble, but it goes on all of the time in this league. It just hasn't happened in Dallas a lot.

Karlis Skrastins will be back tonight after missing a game with a lacerated finger and will be back paired with Trevor Daley. Bryan Sutherby practiced on the fourth line, but coach Crawford has stated he'll still be a game time decision. Outside of that don't expect too many lineup changes in San Jose. Marty Turco is expected to get the start. [Link to Heika's Thursday practice report]

Oh, and in case you needed a "real" hockey authority to truly explain what's been wrong with the Dallas Stars, you're in luck because Barry 'The Mullet' Melrose is here to break it down for you in video form complete with moving pictures n stuff! Ya know, with such a keen grasp of the obvious like that, it's hard to imagine how that guy isn't coaching again in the... ohhhh wait... right.

The San Jose Sharks:

Meanwhile in the Bay Area, the Sharks home woes as of late can be most likely pinned on their poor special teams - especially the team's dreadful powerplay which has not onlt gone 1 for 17 over the last four games, but in the last three games has given up four short handed goals!

While the players themselves may downplay a lack of confidence in the defensive abilities of the power play unit, coach Todd McLellan thinks that could easily be one of the main issues:

We're still going out there with the mentality that we can score goals," Patrick Marleau said. "Obviously knowing that we've given up some goals just means you come back a little bit harder."

But McLellan said there can be a connection."The correlation is called confidence," McLellan said. "I think your confidence gets rattled a little bit when you get scored on."knowing that we've given up some goals just means you come back a little bit harder."

Meanwhile, Sharks play-by-play guy Randy Hahn called his 1,000th NHL game on Saturday night and recalled his favorite and least favorite memories in that span of time. As you can imagine, a somewhat recent game that ranks as one of the best ever for Stars fans isn't as high up on Hahn's list:

"Game 6 in overtime, triple overtime, quadruple overtime — how many was it? — in Dallas," said Hahn of the 4OT loss to the Stars that ended San Jose's Stanley Cup dream in 2008. "To see it end that way, everybody spilling their guts out on the ice and still coming up empty, that one was a really bitter one to swallow."

Key Injuries:

Dallas: Brian Sutherby (C) - Game time decision due to groin injury

San Jose: Brad Staubitz (RW) - Out due to facial laceration, Jody Shelley (LW) - Out due to general soreness

Who Should Be Canada's Olympic Defenders?

Chemmy — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:29:45 -0000

The question is simple; who are your seven guys to play defense for Team Canada at the Olympics? The defenders invited to the Canada camp are:

Francois Beauchemin, Jay Bouwmeester, Dan Boyle, Brent Burns, Drew Doughty, Mike Green, Dan Hamhuis, Duncan Keith, Scott Niedermayer, Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger, Robyn Regehr, Stephane Robidas, Brent Seabrook, Marc Staal, and Shea Weber. Click a player's name for stats.

I discussed my picks with Godd Till of Zambonic Youth and PPP, check out our picks after the jump.

Chris Pronger

#20 / Defenseman / Philadelphia Flyers

Height: 6-6

Weight: 214

Born: Oct 10, 1974

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Chris Pronger	4	14	18	9	41

Pronger can score points, shut down talent even at age 35 and has a documented mean streak. Pronger's the grit and the jam that dominant teams need to make playing against them no fun at all.

Shea Weber

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Born: Aug 14, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Shea Weber	6	9	15	-4	4

Nashville's Shea Weber is an excellent defender in his own end who can also put up points. He hits as hard as your January credit card bill and isn't afraid to drop the gloves.

Duncan Keith

#2 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-1

Weight: 196

Born: Jul 16, 1983

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Duncan Keith	5	18	23	6	16

Fresh off of inking a lifetime deal that was well earned Duncan Keith is having a fantastic season. Another guy who can put up points and plays well in his own end Duncan Keith is an obvious lock for this team along with...

Brent Seabrook

#7 / Defenseman / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 218

Born: Apr 20, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Brent Seabrook	3	10	13	8	15

... his defensive partner Brent Seabrook. In addition to being an excellent player on his own, having Keith's defensive partner will give Canada an elite d-pairing that are familiar with each other. This is a huge advantage in a tournament where players are hastily thrown together.

Robyn Regehr

#28 / Defenseman / Calgary Flames

Height: 6-3

Weight: 225

Born: Apr 19, 1980

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Robyn Regehr	0	10	10	5	23

The definition of defensive defenseman, Regehr hits good hockey players hard and often. He's on this team to hit Ovechkin, Kessel and Parise.

Dan Boyle

#22 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 12, 1976

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Dan Boyle	6	19	25	4	20

Dan Boyle's our pick for puck mover / PP specialist on the back end. If you'd prefer Bouwmeester or Mike Green go ahead, I'm not too concerned with any of the three.

Drew Doughty

#8 / Defenseman / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-0

Weight: 211

Born: Dec 08, 1989

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2009 - Drew Doughty	7	15	22	9	18

Is Drew Doughty the seventh best Canadian defender in the league? Honestly he might be, but what's important here is the future. Doughty will be the seventh guy and only see action if guys get hurt. Obviously you could do a lot worse than Doughty as an injury fill in which speaks to Canada's enormous depth at defense.

I picked Doughty looking forward to 2014. Doughty will be 25 and about to hit his prime. He got an invite to Olympic camp this year based on his ability as a player and I think bringing him along to Vancouver would be a big step for a young kid in the NHL. Let him have a taste of the team he's going to need to be a big part of in four years.

Those are our picks, let us know yours in the comments.

Stars Lose Yet Again in Shootout Against Oilers

Art_M — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:42:27 -0000

More photos » by Ralph Lauer - AP

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Afternoon games weren't exactly kind to the Dallas Stars last season as they went 1 and 4. This season's stretch of afternoon games didn't start much better as the Stars dropped a 3-2 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

The problem with afternoon contests most times - and this is true for almost any level of hockey, not just today's game or the NHL in general - is the players take a little bit longer to get into a groove and actually playing the game at their usual level. (And based on the bad officiating both ways for both teams, we can throw refs into that group as well.) Generally a key to winning these games is to be the first team to find your legs and get a jump on the scoreboard. Which is what the Stars ended up doing about ten minutes into the first as they started applying pressure low in the Oilers zone and cycling the puck well.

Their hard work was soon rewarded at the 15:51 mark as Mike Ribeiro got the puck from behind the Edmonton net, danced around dour different Oilers and then fired a shot from the slot that was saved by Oiler goalie Jeff Deslauriers but Jamie Benn was right in front of the net untouched to bang in a rebound that pretty much landed square on his stick for the 1-0 lead. Also of note, Brenden Morrow extended his points streak to seven games with a point on that play with an assist.

Less than four minutes later James Neal made it 2-0 after a nice pass from his landlord Brad Richards and suddenly it looked like the Stars were going to have a very good Saturday afternoon.

Then the second period happened. Again.

Maybe what we're seeing here is a weakness of a Crawford coach team... Opposing team's make adjustments and the Stars fail to make adjustments or respond to the change in game's pace. Even worse today, the Stars let their typical sub-par play in the second period carry over to the third period where they seemed to play not to lose as opposed to playing to win.

Funny thing about playing not to lose... I've rarely seen a hockey team that plays like that actually not lose. More often than not playing not to lose will end up in a loss. It's like putting on a prevent defense in football with eight minutes left in the game when you're only up by six.

After outshooting the Oilers 18-10 in the first, the Stars were outshot 26-17 in the rest of the game. That's not to say that the Stars didn't have any chances to score after the first, but it is an indication of how much the Oilers stepped up their game compared to Dallas.

With no real sustained pressure from the Stars, the Oilers crawled back into the game. First with a goal from Lubomir Visnovsky that looked like it could have bounced off two players but upon further review didn't hit anyone and for as strange as it sounds, the lack of a deflection may have thrown Marty Turco off as he played the shot expecting a bounce or two.

The Oilers kept chipping away at the Stars defense (which for the most part was ok in the game) and Turco (who was outstanding) and with about three minutes left in the game finally got the game tied at two after a Ladislav Smid point shot went off Stephane Robidas' leg and past a surprised Turco who clearly wasn't playing for a deflection at that time.

That isn't a typo by the way... Laddy Smid... A member and president of the "I haven't scored since 2007" club not only had a goal but he also had an assist on the first Oilers goal. Maybe we shouldn't be stunned that the Stars did end up losing because honestly any team that allows Smid to have a two point night deserves not only a loss but also for Southwest Airlines to actually charge them to carry their bags on the next flight.

Cue overtime where the theme of the Stars not doing much offensively continued and Marty kept the Oilers at bay with some solid stops in the extra frame.

In the shootout it seemed to be more of the same that you've seen from the Stars... And not in a good way.

Richards comes in with speed and takes a wrist shot... only to be stopped.

Neal (who was by far the best Star on the ice today despite what I am about to say) is maybe taking after his mentor a little too much as he pretty much tried the same thing as Richards did and missed the net.

Loui Eriksson thankfully broke up the shooting party with a nice forehand / backhand deke to tie to extend the shootout... which ended two rounds later when Morrow clanged a shot off the post while the Oilers Shawn Horcoff fired a puck five hole on Turco that barely squeaked through his pads to win the game.

Yet another frustrating result to what after the first was a frustrating game for Stars fans... And I am sure for players and coaches alike. The Stars offense is as cold as the snow that has been in falling around Texas the last few days and special teams wise the powerplay is pretty much non-existent right now to go along with the anemic offense. At the very least the penalty kill efforts for the Stars have been quite good, but this team's defense isn't quite good enough to win these 2-1 games constantly which is what has been asked off them far too many times this past month.

Again there are positives to take way from this game. Neal is starting to return to his crashing, shooting form. Mark Fistric maybe had his best game of the season defensively. Jamie Benn is firing at will now and still crashing the net. Turco was great and the reason the game even got to an overtime and a shootout

Most of all, even though I know Stars fans are very sick of the one point losses and the shootout failures, at the very least the Stars are gaining points with these losses and not being left in the dust by not collecting loser points.

Defending Big D 3 Stars of the game

1st Star: Jeff Deslauriers (EDM) - Gave his team a chance to get back into the game with some great saves in the first that continued for the entire game.

2nd Star: Marty Turco (DAL) - Did everything possible to try and win a tight 2-1 game. His work in the third especially helped the Stars get to overtime.

3rd Star: James Neal (DAL) - By far the best player on the ice for either team. A goal and seven shots on net plus a handful of hits.

Dallas Stars' Inconsistency Follows Them to Motown With 4-1 Loss

Art_M — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:00:30 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Drew Miller (20) celebrates a first period goal while Marty Turco and Trevor Daley stand dumbfounded that the Wings would dare shoot pucks on goal. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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So since the Stars won on Saturday I'll give you three guesses on how the Stars did tonight, but you'll only need one guess of course...

Frustration, thy name is Dallas Stars hockey.

I don't get it. I just don't understand it. How can a team with this kind of talent be so inconsistent?

The first period of this game the Stars looked solid, were going into the first intermission tied 1-1 and in most stat categories were even if not better than the Red Wings. Yeah sure the Stars gave up a flaky first goal again that bounced of Daley's chest and past a frozen Turco - a quick aside: why was Daley on top of the Stars crease and facing his own net like he was? - but overall they carried most of the play in the first. They got a late, late goal in the period to get the Wings doubting themselves.

And then the second period happened. Again!

Darren Helm scored five minutes in to make it 2-1, Dallas didn't get any kind of sustained pressure inside the Red Wings zone until they got just past the ten minute mark of the period and just when you thought Dallas might be ok, Dan Cleary scores at the twelve minute mark and from then on Detroit put on the clamps and Dallas for the rest of the game didn't really seem overly interested in trying to pry them off.

Take James Neal for example: Sixteen minutes ice time, no shots, one missed shot, one hit. Those are not James Neal-like numbers and that type of lethargic play seemed to be a bit contagious.

Oh sure, the Stars still played and even out shot the Wings in the third period, but none of those shots or chances were overly dangerous. Part of that you can chalk up to Wings goalie Jimmy Howard who outstanding all game and part of it you can chalk up to plain 'ol bad bounces and bad luck. I don't want to accuse this team of having no heart or desire to win games because I know that's not true - even in this game. There were moments where the Stars would have had glorious chances to score a goal and get back into the game if not for a missed shot or a timely poke check. At the same time though, you have to work harder for those chances. There is a famous saying that goes "Luck is the residue of hard work" so that being the case, the Stars simply need to work harder it would seem.

Meanwhile the team defense again was out of place multiple times in the game which led to three different goals being deflected in past Marty Turco and while Matt Niskanen did show some slight signs of improvement, Karlis Skrastins and Nik Grossman had off nights. Then again Turco as well looked like he was having an off night and at times moved about as rapidly as a snail when Detroit was throwing pucks on net. But we can't really blame him for the bad night because as I just mentioned, the defense in front of him really wasn't helping much. Thankfully Stephane Robidas kept up his hot, hot play with five hits and yet another point - an assist off a Brenden Morrow tip-in for the Stars lone goal in the game. Even special teams for Dallas was a mixed bag with the penalty kill going a perfect 4 for 4, but the power play looking anything but with an oh for four night.

*looks over last few paragraphs*

See what I mean here? Part of me wants to just blast the Stars for not playing to full potential and part of me wants to forgive the guys for just running into dumb luck and bad breaks and at least focus on the few positives that seem to spring up from every loss they've had this season as a beacons of hope that this isn't last season all over again.

I assume the solution to the Stars problems with inconsistency lay somewhere in the middle of all that. Putting in a full sixty minutes, not allowing themselves to let the bad breaks dictate their play and working hard enough to create puck luck in front of the opposing net.

On Saturday I listed off twelve Dallas Stars as either potential 2010 Olympians or at the very least were getting (or in Niskanen's case, had been getting) a look from their respective countries. The fine gentlemen over at Second City Hockey where they cover the first place in the west Blackhawks? They only mentioned nine players! Now it's not that I think Dallas is that much more talented than Chicago, but I do think it's an indication that these Dallas Stars do have a fair amount of talent on their roster.

This Dallas Stars season so far reminds me of that famous scene in the movie The Matrix where the Oracle breaks news to Neo by saying: "You have the gift, but it looks like you're waiting for something..."

We're still waiting.

Dallas Stars 2010 Olympic Hockey Preview

Art_M — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:00:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

It's very possible that come February these two could be on opposing teams and it's also very possible that it's Modano - not Morrow - wearing a C for his team.

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The Olympic games in Vancouver are 75 days away but most national teams for the much anticipated hockey tournament will be announcing their rosters around the January 1st mark and with that in mind, all the various hockey blogs of SBNation are taking a look at their own rosters and previewing who should be making plans for a trip to Vancouver to those who maybe can expect a couple of weeks off in February.

Today is our turn as we take a look at the Dallas Stars lineup.

Pack Your Bags!

Loui Eriksson (Sweden) - It could be in a third or even in a second line role depending on how the likes of Kristian Huselius and Daniel Sedin play the next month or so, but make no mistake that Loui - who is on pace for another 30 goal season this year - will be joining the defending gold medalists from Turin, Italy.

Karlis Skrastins (Latvia) - This is kind of a no-brainier considering how thin Latvia is in all positions. Still, as we've seen so far this season Karlis is a very steady defenseman who also doubles as a puck magnet when opposing players take shots. He's going to be on the team's top pairing, so unfortunately for Stars fans, we can expect him to have a few more bruises on his body after Vancouver.

We look at more players after the jump...

Nearly A Lock...

Brenden Morrow (Canada) - Before his knee injury last season and coming off his magnificent playoff run on 08, pretty much every hockey expert had Morrow as a lock to make Team Canada's checking line. Now coming off that injury not everyone is so sure and his recent goal-less drought has also had some people question his status. Still, Morrow is a prototypical Canadian player... hard nosed, gritty and still skilled enough to score goals. Unless he goes through another long goal-less stretch, he should be wearing a red maple leaf come Olympic time.

A Safe Bet...

Mike Modano (USA) - Sure the injury and his age are working against him, but since he's made his return he's played like a man on a mission with three goals and four assists in 11 games. It also helps that both US GM Brian Burke and head coach Ron Wilson are fans of Mike and have both suggested his leadership would be a welcome addition to the team. With that in mind, don't be shocked if Mike not only makes the team, but is the one wearing the captain's C when they hit the ice.

Jere Lehtinen (Finland) - It was hard to say if Jere should have been here or in the "Work To Do" section we'll feature in a moment... Jere not being a part of Team Finland almost seems crazy, but he's been injury prone the last couple of seasons and since his return this season he hasn't put up any numbers of note and is actually a -2 as I write this. Still, Finland on wing isn't as deep as other teams and his leadership and dedication to Finnish hockey should land him a roster spot.

In A Battle...

Stephane Robidas (Canada) - If he was from any other country (save for Sweden as we'll talk about in a moment...) he'd probably be a lock, but sadly he's from Canada where the country could ice three teams for the tournament and all three would contend for gold. His offensive numbers both five on five and on the powerplay and his hard nosed play (pardon the pun) have justified Hockey Canada's choice to have him as part of the September orientation camp, but with so much big name talent in front of him, Robi will have to play near flawless hockey from here until the end of the year to get a shot at making the team.

Nicklas Grossman (Sweden) - Grossman faces the same problem Robidas does, Sweden is pretty deep on defense and while Grossman has had a solid year defensively, the lack of any kind of offensive numbers may hurt his chances overall. If Sweden though is interested in having a defensive corps of large stay-at-home defenders that can hit , Grossman may just get the call.

You Have Work To Do!

Marty Turco (Canada) - The Carolina Hurricanes Cam Ward may have been a lock for Team Canada before his injury and Steve Mason of the Blue Jackets also had some early buzz going for him, but he's struggled so far this year. Turco has been a loyal Team Canada soldier for years and his puck playing ability does make Team Canada management salivate at the idea of constant breakout passes. Problem is Martin Brodeur is a near lock as starter and unless they really stumble, Roberto Luongo and Marc-Andre Fleury are pretty much penned in as his backups, so Turco needs to continue to improve and stay as far away from games like he just had against Phoenix last night.

Moving On Up!

Brad Richards (Canada) - Five years ago coming off a Conn Smythe Trophy winning playoff, Richards would have been a lock to make any kind of Team Canada, but as you may be well aware his stock has dropped considerably. This season though his play making ability has caught the eye of more than a few Canadians and while Canada is very, very deep at center, if Brad keeps up his MVP like play for the Stars, he will make it very hard for Team Canada officials to look away.

James Neal (Canada) - If Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dustin Penner of the Edmonton Oilers are causing many Canadians to take a second look, then you can throw James Neal into that group as well as his offensive numbers are comparable to the two not to mention Neal brings a physical side that Stamkos lacks and speed that Penner lacks. Maybe in four years if NHLers are part of the 2014 games, The Real Deal is a lock for Team Canada, but for now it's a long shot.

Tom Wandell (Sweden) - Speaking of long shots, that brings us to Tommy who is a very long shot to make Tre Kronor. Still, Wandell has shown a slight nose for the net and more importantly has shown he can play a solid two-way game and has been on the ice many times for Marc Crawford in critical situations at the end of the game where the Stars lead by one and need a defensive stop. Sweden has too much depth at forward for Wandell to crack the lineup, but he's still managed to catch some eyes this season.

Headed On Down...

Matt Niskanen (USA) - Last year coming off a solid second season, Matt was part of the US National team for the 2009 World Championships and was pretty good for them in the nine games he played with the team and many thought he had a solid chance at making the Olympics. Since then though he wasn't invited to the US orientation camp and this season has been a rough one for the young Nisky. Team USA will probably decide to pass on a player who is starting to look more and more like a defensive liability this year.

Columbus Blue Jackets 2010 Olympics Preview

Mike MacLean — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:30:34 -0000

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SBNation is doing a series of Olympic Previews, taking a look at each team and which of their players may be suiting up for their countries in Vancouver. As a baseline, we are going to give an indication of their chances of making their team by using these arguments: "Pack Your Bags", "Nearly a Lock", "Fairly Safe Bet", and "In a Battle". The Jackets have a few players who could become Olympians, here's a look at them:

Rick Nash (Canada) - Pack Your Bags
There is almost no way, outside of injury, that Nash will not be a member of Team Canada. In fact, he is penciled in by most as the man riding shotgun to Sidney Crosby. Nash has plenty of international experience in his young career, including being a member of the 2006 Olympic Team, which failed miserably. He is a more mature and complete player now, and will look to be an offensive leader for the Canucks at home in Vancouver. My favourite Nash goal at an international tournament didn't take place at the Olympics, it was at the World Championships, but here it is anyway:

Steve Mason (Canada) - In a Battle
At least he was at the beginning of the season, that is. Before the start of the regular season this year, many experts thought that when it came to Canada's goaltenders, Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur were locks. The battle was for who the third goaltender was going to be. The three main contenders were Mason, Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward. With Ward's injury, that made it a two-horse race. The problem is, Mase never showed up. His play this season has been downright awful. I'm not a believer in sophomore slumps, but the proof is in the pudding here. Look for Fleury- who is coming off of a Cup win and is playing great right now-to get the third goalie nod.

Kristian Huselius (Sweden) - Fairly Safe Bet
The man we call Juice may not be on the top of the list of skilled Swedish forwards, but he is a strong candidate to be on the Swedish team. His last international exoerience was at the 2002 World Championships, where the Tre Kroner won the bronze medal. He has never played in an Olympics, but he is on the Swedish short-list for 2010.

Samuel Pahlsson (Sweden) - Nearly a Lock
Sammy will almost definitely be on the Swedish team in 2010. He helped the Swedes win the Gold Medal back in 2006 in Torino, playing on a line with Freddy Modin (more on him in a minute). A dedicated checking center like Pahlsson will be very important this time around, with the Olympics being in Vancouver, the games will be played on NHL-sized ice, meaning tighter checking.

Fredrik Modin (Sweden) - In a Battle
I saw that Freddy is in a battle, not necessarily with other players trying to make the team, but with his own body. After being lauded for his amazing durability, the last couple of seasons have been near write-offs for Freddy as he has been hit with injury after injury. That said, if he is healthy I can't imagine him not playing for the Swedes, even in a fourth line role. He is after all, one of the very few players who are a member of the Triple Gold Club.

Anton Stralman (Sweden) - Nearly a Lock
Stralman is off to a great start since joining the Jackets, putting up good point totals. He is one of the main reasons the Jackets' powerplay has gone from last in the league a year ago, to best so far this season. He has played in three straight World Championships for Team Sweden, from 2007-2009. The Swedish defensive corps are a talented group, with Anton fitting in nicely. With the injury to Kronwall, Stralman may see top line duty with Nick Lidstrom.

Jakub Voracek (Czech Republic) - Nearly a Lock
The Czechs are a team that always seems to surprise at international tournaments. Look no further than the '98 Olympics, where they took home the Gold based on the amazing play of Dominik Hasek. In 2010, the Czechs are a good team, and Voracek should be a member. He likely will play a third or fourth line role, with the top six wingers likely being Jagr, Hemsky, Prospal and Hejduk/Havlat.

Rostislav Klesla (Czech Replublic) - In a Battle
Rusty is a fringe player in terms of the Olympic team. He does have international experience, but he is in tough this time around. He has to beat out the likes of Kaberle, Kubina, Rozsival, Hamrlik, Spacek and Kuba. It's not completely impossible though, and with the smaller ice a rugged player like Rusty could shine.

Jan Hejda (Czech Republic) - In a Battle
Like Rusty, Jan is fighting for a spot. He's defense-first, which may help him because the guys he is fighting for a spot against are generally puck-moving types. He has international experience, his most recent was at the 2008 Worlds. Given the play of Jaro Spacek, one of Hejda or Klesla could make the squad.

Fedor Tyutin (Russia) - Nearly a Lock
The Russians have scary forwards, plain and simple. They are the most dynamic group in the world, hands down. That said, they don't have spectacular defense. A hybrid defenseman like Tyutin will fit in very well on the Russian squad, and he could see powerplay duty with Sergei Gonchar.

Nikita Filatov (Russia) - In a Battle
Filatov wasn't at the Russians Olympic came this past summer, but he is no doubt still very much on the radar of the National Team. With his recent return to Russia, his stock has certainly risen, but he is still in tough to make the squad, given their amazing talent and depth up front.

R.J. Umberger (United States) - In a Battle
I wanted to include Umby mainly because I believe that it is wrong that he wasn't invited to the Team USA camp. He is a much better player than a handful of guys who did get the invite, but it all has to do with his history with USA GM Brian Burke. Umby didn't sign with Vancouver, who drafted him in the first round when Burke was the GM. This led to bad blood, which has clearly carried over to the Olympics. RJ's play hasn't done much to convince Burke otherwise either.

To finish things off, being a Canadian I am excited as hell to have the Olympics here in my home country. After the disappointment of Torino, I, like every other Canadian, want to see the Gold come back to Canada. Here's my prediction of the Team Canada Olympic Roster:

Rick Nash - Sidney Crosby - Jarome Iginla
Dany Heatley - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Brendan Morrow - Mike Richards - Shane Doan
Patrick Marleau - Joe Thornton - Martin St. Louis
Steven Stamkos

HM: Jonathan Toews, Jeff Carter, Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards

Chris Pronger - Scott Niedermayer
Dan Boyle - Duncan Keith
Shea Weber - Jay Bouwmeester
Drew Doughty

HM: Brent Seabrook, Mike Green, Stephane Robidas

Roberto Luongo
Martin Brodeur
Marc-Andre Fleury

HM: Marty Turco