Stars Win Tonight!

KingDL1 · February 3, 2010

Marty Turco had a win wow, I went to 3 games in the last 6 days and I was not sure Turco would even play again before the trade deadline.

Man Dallas has slipped, they don't really play as a team most of the time. 31 minutes into tonight's game we had only 5 shots on net. It is amazing we won 4-2 with only 18 total shots, Minnesota had 42 shots they out shot us 2 and a third times. But we won and if I read it right we are only a point out of the playoffs.

After really paying attention this last week man the Stars play uninspired hockey, they play as single players as if it was a pick up game, or a drop in. We have a ton of talent but I just don't see any desire as a team.

The saving grace for me is Ott, I love that guy he plays hard he fights hard. Richards looks good at times and a couple others. But I want to see team play. Back to Ott he kicked the shit out of a couple of guys tonight.

Edited February 3, 2010 by KingDL1

Mean Green Matt · February 3, 2010

I am big fan of the backup goalie Alex Auld. I've seen a couple of his games, and a couple of Turco, and I much prefer Auld. Granted, my hockey knowledge is not vast...although I am much more informed when it comes to hockey than when my girlfriend asks me what dress she should wear to the UNT Football Banquet.

Quoner · February 4, 2010

Marty Turco had a win wow, I went to 3 games in the last 6 days and I was not sure Turco would even play again before the trade deadline.

Man Dallas has slipped, they don't really play as a team most of the time. 31 minutes into tonight's game we had only 5 shots on net. It is amazing we won 4-2 with only 18 total shots, Minnesota had 42 shots they out shot us 2 and a third times. But we won and if I read it right we are only a point out of the playoffs.

After really paying attention this last week man the Stars play uninspired hockey, they play as single players as if it was a pick up game, or a drop in. We have a ton of talent but I just don't see any desire as a team.

The saving grace for me is Ott, I love that guy he plays hard he fights hard. Richards looks good at times and a couple others. But I want to see team play. Back to Ott he kicked the shit out of a couple of guys tonight.

Hockey talk - yes!

I've been to 5 games this year, and, until my last two, the Stars have been drubbed in all of them. I wanted to blame the forwards and coasting Mike Modano, but I think I know why the forwards are doing too much: the defensemen are not very good. We were spoiled for years with top flight blueliners that were perfect for the system, but really, ever since we decided that Willie Mitchell wasn't worth keeping around after the big trade and Zubov suddenly died last year (I don't think many people appreciated that they were watching one of arguably the top 15-20 d-men to ever skate in the NHL), the backline is just an assortment of 3 and 4 level guys. I have a fan's affinity for all of them, but they can't impose there will on games, they don't play in good position most of the time and half of them can't even shoot the puck on net from the point.

The team just needs a few more good weeks to climb as high as 5th, but unless Hicks decide his team shouldn't be $10M under the cap, it's going to be tough to win a playoff game, let alone series. The forwards are great, but they often try to do more than their system because they don't trust their D on either side of the ice. The D is full of young guys who might pan out, but they're really the equivalent of the 2004 Rangers pitching staff -- it's one good guy who should be a third starter (Robidas) and kids who might make the leap or flame out completely. I guess that makes Trevor Daley my new Kam Loe (minus the snakes).

Also, I think if Turco had a B-B+ grade blueline in front of him, he could go right back to doing what he did for us. In fact, if he is traded to Philly or signs with, say, Detroit next year, I imagine we'll all curse him for being good again.

Bottom line from this crazy person rant: Tom Hicks sucks.

Censored by Laurie · February 4, 2010

Tom Hicks sucks.

Bold stance.

Quoner · February 4, 2010

Bold stance.

Up next: Tony Romo needs to turn his hat around.

Green P1 · February 4, 2010

Up next: Tony Romo needs to turn his hat around.

Leave Tony out of this thread brah.

yyz28 · February 4, 2010

This is a good clean Hockey thread. Why drag Tony Romo into it?

Quoner is right on, except to say Hicks Sucks... not that I'm asserting he doesn't, in fact, suck, but that I don't think we have enough information to determine if he "sucks" or not. Historically, he has been a good owner and I believe has a good core in the clubhouse for this team. However, his financial troubles with the Rangers and the Stars has made it hard for him to fund either team properly. Now that it appears that his issues with the Rangers are behind him he can focus his attention and revenue on the Stars. Will he do what he has to do in order to make the team a success again, and thus a revenue generator, or will he simply allow this team to exist at the level it does today because he's unwilling to take a risk? We'll know by this time next year if he's serious, or if he does, in fact, "suck".

I've been to 5 games myself with 2 left to go to (my partners and I get season tickets and split 'em up) and aside from the Detroit game that we actually won, they have all be yawners. I'm hoping the pulse the team shows is still there after the Olympic break so the last two games I have this season aren't boring as 4 of the first 5 were.

GO STARS!!!

Quoner · February 5, 2010

This is a good clean Hockey thread. Why drag Tony Romo into it?

Quoner is right on, except to say Hicks Sucks... not that I'm asserting he doesn't, in fact, suck, but that I don't think we have enough information to determine if he "sucks" or not. Historically, he has been a good owner and I believe has a good core in the clubhouse for this team. However, his financial troubles with the Rangers and the Stars has made it hard for him to fund either team properly. Now that it appears that his issues with the Rangers are behind him he can focus his attention and revenue on the Stars. Will he do what he has to do in order to make the team a success again, and thus a revenue generator, or will he simply allow this team to exist at the level it does today because he's unwilling to take a risk? We'll know by this time next year if he's serious, or if he does, in fact, "suck".

I've been to 5 games myself with 2 left to go to (my partners and I get season tickets and split 'em up) and aside from the Detroit game that we actually won, they have all be yawners. I'm hoping the pulse the team shows is still there after the Olympic break so the last two games I have this season aren't boring as 4 of the first 5 were.

GO STARS!!!

Why do I think Hicks sucks? Well, because the Stars and Rangers are my favorite local teams, and he has done his best to piddle with both.

He responded to the Rangers sale by doing everything he can to sabotage the deal and negotiate with other potential ownership groups to sabotage Greenberg and Ryan. Today the DBJ is saying he now wants to sell the Stars. We have one of the lowest payrolls in hockey despite our market. He played GM in the mid-aughts and slowly dismantled everything this team was known for with poor free agent signings and pushing for terrible trades (Langs and Newy for Arnott and McKay still tightens my anus). He ran off good hockey minds for a playground for Brett Hull bc he wanted a name to sell tickets. He helped the model Sun Belt hockey squad become uninteresting even to many of its biggest supporters.

For more on the lack of an investment in defense, see this excellent Bob Sturm post from January: http://sturminator.blogspot.com/2010/01/problems-with-stars.html

As for what he does now, see this from a recent chat on TSN:

Adam, Calgary: Hey Darren, just wondering if
there's anything you think the Dallas Stars will do on or leading up to
the deadline? I know they are cash strapped due to Tom Hicks' finances,
but there are some definite holes on the team!

Darren Dreger: Adam, Dallas is going to be an
interesting study. The word is the Stars are likely to cut payroll for
next season. To what degree, we can't be sure, but if Dallas stumbles
in the coming weeks and falls out of the playoff picture, all bets are
off. Turco's name is out there, but there will be others if Joe Nieuwendyk
embraces a full culture change. Ribeiro, Ott, Brunnstrom...go down the
list, the Dallas Stars could be among the most active at the trade
deadline.

Bottom line: We're effed barring a drafting miracle or a team sale.