The Dallas Stars’ Defense: A Concern for the Future
The clock struck 2 p.m. on a typical Friday in Frisco, and Jim Nill and his staff were still nowhere to be found. As General Managers across the NHL addressed the media to break down all the moves they made on trade deadline day, Nill, hours after making the biggest trade of the day for Mikko Rantanen, remained in the war room on the phone with league officials.
The Dallas Stars walked away from the trade deadline as one of the league’s biggest winners, but Nill’s wizardry to bring in one of the NHL’s top scorers still doesn’t address the team’s biggest need of defensive depth.
The Stars already ranked fourth in the NHL in goals per game this season (3.40) and have been on a tear offensively as of late. However, injuries to Miro Heiskanen, Nils Lundkvist, and a concussion for Lian Bichsel depleted Dallas’ blue line and exposed its lack of depth.
Since Heiskanen’s injury, Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell have carried the load, both averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per night. Both are key pieces of the Stars’ special teams, with Lindell rarely sitting during the penalty kill, and Harley now leading the power play. Ilya Lyubushkin has been reliable on the blue line as well, and so has Bichsel, though he’s still inexperienced as just a rookie.
The Stars added defenseman Cody Ceci on February 1 in a trade with San Jose, and he’s been solid in a limited sample size. However, Dallas’ third pairing, which regularly features either Matt Dumba or Brendan Smith, has faltered at times. With the injury to Heiskanen, one of the two has to play each night.
Dumba and Smith are the only two Stars defensemen with a negative plus-minus since Heiskanen’s injury.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer said last week that he needs to see more from those two, especially when other players like Bichsel get hurt.
"It’s testing our depth," he said. "I think we’ve bent but haven’t broke. Everybody in the depth there has to find another level for us, and that includes those guys. They’ve had some good moments, but if we’re gonna get to where we need to get to, I think all those guys have to elevate down the stretch."
A quicker fix would’ve been bringing in a right-shot defenseman this week like Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen or Montreal’s David Savard for some extra support. However, Nill said Friday afternoon that he felt secure in where his team’s defense is.
"We talked about adding depth," Nill said. "I think the evolution of some of our defensemen kind of helps. Thomas Harley’s gone to another level. He’s showing that he’s an elite player now. I think some of our other defensemen, Lian Bichsel, we’ve added him, so we’re comfortable with the young guys around, and with the kind of veterans that are playing. And we have some pretty good depth down in Austin, too, so we’re pretty comfortable."
The Stars are banking on Heiskanen returning either late in the regular season or early in the playoffs, but still weeks away, it’s unclear if he’ll be 100% once he does. It also seems they’re banking on no other injuries occurring, which isn’t guaranteed either.
DeBoer is known for benching players he doesn’t trust down the stretch of a season. He did so with Lundkvist the last two years, bringing up Alexander Petrovic from the AHL to play during the Western Conference finals last year.
In a long playoff run, it would be shocking if the Stars don’t have to tap into their defensive depth, and if DeBoer can’t trust Dumba or Smith in those critical situations, the Stars will be put in a tough position. A team contending for the Stanley Cup shouldn’t have to rely on blue liners from Cedar Park like Petrovic or Kyle Capobianco.
This isn’t to say the Stars didn’t try to bolster their blue line. As Nill said, they talked about adding defensive depth. There weren’t many great options available, and it was a seller’s market, meaning the asking price was probably too high after already sacrificing Logan Stankoven and six draft picks over the two trades they made in the last five weeks.
It’s ultimately too late to change now. The Stars just have to hope that it was a generational talent separating them from their Stanley Cup hopes, not a depth piece on their defense.
Conclusion:
The Dallas Stars’ defense remains a concern for the future, despite adding Mikko Rantanen to their lineup. The team’s lack of depth on the blue line has been exposed by injuries to key players, and it’s unclear if they’ll be able to address this issue before the playoffs.
FAQs:
Q: What is the current state of the Dallas Stars’ defense?
A: The Stars’ defense is a concern, with a lack of depth and injuries to key players.
Q: What is the team’s plan to address this issue?
A: The Stars tried to add defensive depth, but there weren’t many great options available. They’re banking on Heiskanen’s return and hoping they won’t suffer any more injuries.
Q: What is the team’s strategy for the playoffs?
A: The Stars are banking on Heiskanen’s return and hoping to get through the playoffs with their current roster.
Q: Can the team rely on their current defense?
A: The Stars are known for benching players they don’t trust down the stretch of a season. It’s unclear if DeBoer will be able to trust Dumba or Smith in critical situations.
