Stars can’t have delusions of grandeur

 Dallas Stars, NHL  No Responses »
Mar 292013
 

The Stars have been pretty up and down this season – looking like a playoff caliber team one week only to look like a lottery team the next.

So which one will management view this team as now that the 2013 trade deadline is just days away?

Obviously the goal at the start of the season was to make the playoffs. With less than a month to go in the regular season, that goal is within reach. But should that still be the primary focus?

Playoffs would be nice, but…

Too often GM’s let delusions of grandeur get in the way.  ”All you need to do is get to the dance”, or, “The playoffs are a brand new season”. Save the cliches, please. That Cinderella run back in 1991 was nothing short of amazing and I cherish those childhood memories, but it’s much better to build something lasting like our teams of the late 1990′s and early 2000′s.

This is an opportunity for this franchise to make some real moves for the future. Trading Brenden Morrow to the Penguins last week for 20 year old defenseman Joe Morrow was a heckuva start, and it’s the exact kind of deal management should be seeking for the other veterans who are not in the long term plans.

You can’t go out and sign good prospects (Brenden Dillon being the exception), but you can sign veterans in the off season that can be traded for them. So whether acquired last summer (Jagr for example) or long time fixtures (Morrow), none should be exempt when it comes to sacrificing for the the future core.

The worst thing this team could do is forego anymore veteran sell-offs in hopes of a miracle run, then go on to win enough to miss out on a  high draft pick but lose enough to miss the playoffs once again. That ladies and gentlemen is purgatory. We’ve managed to add some high end prospects in Jack Campbell and Jamie Oleksiak drafting from that area recently, but there’s a glaring need for a top end skilled forward and typically the best ones are plucked by then.

Now I’m not suggesting this team wave the white flag or lie down and play dead, I’m suggesting that in the next few days management really sets precedence on long term stability and success rather than the possibility of a few short term hurrahs – then let the chips fall where they may.

 

Thanks for reading. Comments very much appreciated. Check me out on Twitter at travcurrie

 

 

 

 

 

 Posted by Starstud at 10:04 am  Tagged with: ,

What should the Stars do with the veterans?

 Dallas Stars, NHL  4 Responses »
Feb 182013
 

 

There are three ways to acquire assets: via free agency, via draft, and via trade. Some teams attract the big name free agents – the Dallas Stars aren’t that team. Some have had the fortune (if you want to call it that) of drafting high enough to add high end talent to their lineup to build around immediately – the Dallas Stars haven’t been that team.

They’ve remained in or around the middle of the pack for some time now and although they’ve been able to add some nice pieces, the high end talent in the prospect pool runs a little thin after the top three or so, especially at the forward position.

So how do they go about adding to the future core of this team?

Regardless of how you want to rate the current prospect pool, and it does have its gems, the fact is there are some veterans on the current roster that are not and should not be in the team’s long term plans. They could be flipped in to younger talent.

 

Brenden Morrow – Years of sacrificing his body has caught up to him, and he’s just not the same. Even if that’s the case, his reputation still follows him so you can bet there would be teams interested in adding a warrior like that for a long playoff run. He’s scheduled to be a UFA at the end of the season and at age 34, he’s likely not in for another long term contract. What he has left in the tank to offer this team over say the next couple years should he be re-signed, may not match the value of what he could bring in return via trade. Is it finally time to part ways? Morrow has a NTC so he has a say in that too.

Michael Ryder – A good signing by Joe prior to last season, Ryder has brought his goal scoring prowess to the Stars and has rounded out the top six nicely. He’s worked well with Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson, but has yet to really find his game this season playing mostly with new center Derek Roy. He’ll be 33 at the end of March and like Morrow, is scheduled to become a UFA. He still has his shot and would definitely help round out someone else’s top six, or even just add some scoring depth like he did so well with Boston when they won it in 2011.

Jaromir Jagr – I know I know, trade Jagr? Well, let’s be realistic here. If this team isn’t in a playoff position come deadline, what do they need him for? He likely attracts the most offers out of anyone. He’s only signed on for this season and at age 41, will he even want to come back ? He’s still in phenomenal shape and by all accounts can still play, not to mention the experience  and work ethic he’s brought is invaluable and should leave an ever lasting impression on the youngsters. I’m certainly not opposed to keeping him around and re-signing him if he wants to return, but that’s something that he and management will have to discuss ahead of time.

Ray Whitney – Like Jagr, his experience and work ethic is appreciated and he can still play the game. He was also brought in to round out the top six and help with the power play. The 40 year old is currently on IR with a broken bone in his foot, but has been productive in his eight games so far notching two goals and six points. It’s unlikely he goes anywhere as he is signed for another year and there really isn’t any top six talent pounding on the door to take his spot.

Stephane Robidas – He’s given his heart and soul to this  franchise for the better part of his career, but he’ll be 36 on March 3 and could attract takers come deadline. Defensemen are always a sought after commodity for any playoff team and Robidas should be that. Like Whitney, he still has another year left on his contract and that means he wouldn’t be just a rental for any potential trade partner. That also means management will have to decide if he has a place on this team come next season or if it’s time to turn the page. His return likely wouldn’t be substantial so barring this team really derailing, it could be more worth it to keep him around at least for the rest of the season then re-evaluating in the off season.

 

This is not a knee-jerk reaction to just blowing a 3-1 third period lead to Calgary. I’m certainly not suggesting we fold our tent or completely decimate the roster of its veterans and void any potential miracle run. This is about evaluating and being one step ahead of the game – turning assets in to assets rather than letting them diminish or disappear in to thin air.

The likes of Jamie Benn; Jack Campbell; Jamie Oleksiak; and Cody Eakin, will need others like them to be on board if the Stars are going to compete with teams currently ahead of them in the young talent department. And those “others” have to be acquired somehow. For the Stars, turning older assets in to younger ones (Mike Ribeiro for Cody Eakin for example) could very well be its saving grace.

Whether this team is barely in or barely out come trade deadline on April 3, Joe and co. absolutely have to do their diligence and weigh out what a player can still bring versus what he can bring via trade. The only real problem is, this team hasn’t played a playoff game in five years and trading away veterans if a playoff position seems attainable won’t go over well with anyone.

Tough decisions will need to be made, regardless.

 

Thanks for reading. Comments always appreciated. Check me out on Twitter at travcurrie

 

 

 Posted by Starstud at 10:11 am  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Steve Ott on the trade block?

 Dallas Stars  4 Responses »
Feb 222012
 

Steve Ott’s name has recently been thrown around as potential trade bait for the Dallas Stars. It’s been reported that several teams have shown interest in him, and so they should, but would Joe Nieuwendyk part with him?

To answer that question, I would have to say yes – but it would have to be for something that helps the Stars out with their glaring needs ie. top end prospects/young players or a top six forward, and it would probably have to be an over payment.

Ott is a $2.95 million cap hit for two more years, so the fact that he’s both locked up and doesn’t really carry a hefty price tag would make him a very move-able asset.

The truth of the matter is, about anyone off this roster can be had if the price was right.  With the exception of a couple obvious players, why shouldn’t Joe at least be open to offers? Yesterday Kyle Quincy was acquired by the Lightning and then flipped to Detroit for a 1st round pick  - that should suggest that this is a sellers market. With big name players like Rick Nash and Jeff Carter carrying big contracts, and Nash commanding a ton in trade, teams looking to add could very well shy away and look at the next best options out there – which would mean some of the Stars veterans could be targeted and if it is a seller’s market, this could be the time to get maximum return.

Steve Ott has at times frustrated everyone with untimely penalties due to over aggressiveness, but overall he’s worth having around and does bring a lot to his team – hence the interest shown by others. He kills penalties, is one of the better faceoff men in the league, adds a physical element and also chips in on the offense at a decent rate. Some have been critical of the Stars for having him play up on the second line, but that’s what a lack of depth will force you to do. He can fill in nicely when needed, but he is best suited for the third line. If the Stars can add some depth up front,  he will be moved down and fill his natural role.

Any good team needs a player that plays with Ott’s gumption, and we would miss that. Management should also take in to consideration that he is a fan favorite and getting people to the rink has proven difficult the past few seasons. Shipping him out could be another blow to the fan base and local familiarity with the franchise.This team does need to hang on to some veterans and considering everything Ott brings to the table as well as the fact that he’s still on the good side of 30, he can still be a vital part of this team moving forward.

It’s difficult to say what veterans will or won’t be traded –  it simply has to depend on what offers are on the table. In no way would I suggest that this team needs to unload Steve Ott because as I stated above, he plays a very important role, but Nieuwendyk does have a responsibility to make this team better any way he sees fit and that means at least listening to any offers that may present themselves.

Ott does have a no trade clause so he would also have to approve any deal.

 

Thanks for reading. Check out my twitter at travcurrie

 Posted by Starstud at 11:28 am  Tagged with: , , , ,
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