30 for 30 in 30 - Dallas Stars

**AS OF TIME OF WRITING**

TJ Molland: With a new coach and new ownership, the Stars had really hoped to make the post season for the first time since 2008. It was a good year for the team.....but not good enough. Like the Avalanche they finished with more wins than several playoff teams but didn't have enough points to get to the second season. It was a promising season for the Stars though, lots to look forward to. Jamie Benn will be receiving a hefty raise, and he rightfully deserves it. Improving his point totals in each of his first 3 seasons while showing he is capable of playing in all situations has earned him the right to call this his team. Kari Lehtonen gives the team a chance to win every night but he has got to find a way to stay healthy. Losing him for chunks of the season is only hurting the Stars chances at the post-season. 

I have a soft spot in my heart for this Dallas team (not the ones of the past....here's looking at you Brett Hull *shakes fist*) and really hope they make the playoffs this year. They have a good prospect pool to choose from, which may get raided to keep costs down. The Stars hovered just above the cap floor last year, and I don't imagine they want to venture too far from it this year either. The fact they were that competitive last year with how little money they spent should show they don't need to go out and sign big names to get to the next level. 

To do that the focus should be on the depth up front with this team. The line of Nystrom (-10) - Dvorak (-16) - Fiddler (-13) were the only regular players to finish worse than -5. They each put up 21 points which is not bad for your depth players, but not when they are giving up that many goals against. Oh and did I mention they ALL PLAYED ON THE SAME LINE!! The good news is upgrading on these players won't be expensive and can be done via free agency, so it won't cost you any players/picks (Tom Kostopoulos or Jordin Tootoo)(I know not the prettiest of names but cheap and reliable).

Sidebar: These next couple posts are the toughest ones because you are trying to say what a team that is average in nearly every stat category should do to improve. There aren't any real GLARING holes, no must do's, just get a little better....everywhere. It was a lot easier just to say "Your defense sucks. Fix it"

Bik Nizzar: Step 1: Sign Jamie Benn to a long-term deal.

Step 2: Sign Jamie Benn to a long-term deal.

Step 3: Sign Jamie Ben...... you get the idea........ Man alive is this guy good. He is so much fun to watch, gives it his all. Plays a very contagious game, just a bruiser, and people follow his lead. It’s kind of a shame this team has been toiling in virtual obscurity the past few seasons, because I think they’re a lot better than people realize. Benn is an RFA – so sign this guy up long term. He really strikes me as a player that others are going to want to play with. Lock him up for 7 years and send a statement to the league and other players that you’re here to win.

There are no glaring needs on this team, but the makeup of the defense could be a bit more elite. I think Kari Lehtonen’s play made it look a bit better than it actually is, but then again, that’s exactly what you pay a goalie to do. They do have Phillip Larsen and Jamie Oleksiak coming up on the blue-line so that’ll help. Their prospect depth on the wings is great, which right now might be their biggest need. There’s no piece that screams out to you as an ELITE scoring winger who’s going to wow you, but there’s so many prospects that they can work with, that they’ll form a solid foundation with their wingers. In the center, prospect wise, it gets rather light but when you already have Benn (who played LW but can move into the Center spot), Ribeiro (who I cannot even begin to tell you how much I despise... not as a player, just as a person), and Ott – I think they’ll be ok, but perhaps going center in this draft to groom someone into a future #2 center role would be beneficial.

TJ Molland: It's a good thing I only wrote one line about Jamie Benn or you might not have had much to talk about. One word you said pretty much summed up what this teams need. Elite. Benn, Ribeiro, and Ott just don't have that extra....umph I guess is the word I am looking for (although Benn is close to getting there). You know that extra bit that makes them the MUST HAVE player a Parise Stamkos or Suter pulls down. Same with the defense, you don't look and go "oh man these guys are awesome/suck." They are just...there....doing their job.....doing it well. Of all the non-playoff teams the Stars are one of the better structured. No glaring needs to address but it is time to take it to the next level.

I don't think going out and signing one of the top free agents is going to push them over the top. But they should target at least another top 4 defenseman and a top 6 forward. Not the big names but the under the radar help (Brad Boyes/Dennis Wideman combo?). It will be unlikely that you will see the owners open up their wallet. With the financial disaster this team has been you can bet after signing Benn (which is what they should do right Bik?) there won't be much more cash thrown around. Even though new ownership said they would spend money for the right cause, there is that hesitancy to spend the big dollars. Maybe we see a few more prospects crack the lineup because of that. Depending on how they pan out it could be a move in the opposite direction for them.

Bik Nizzar: I can’t believe we’re into our 4^th e-mail and we haven’t mentioned this player, although he is VASTLY underrated..... Loui Eriksson. Back to back to back 70+ point seasons, 118 goals over the past 4 seasons (which is better than Selanne, Parise, Kesler, Kane, Backes, Kopitar, Datsyuk). A quiet dude who just quietly goes about his business and now has morphed into a new version of Jere Lehtinen (for those mid 90’s stars fans) because now he’s playing well defensively and become a responsible two-way player. I’m a big fan of his game and he and Benn really add different elements to different scoring lines.

You’re right about how this team just goes about and does its job, so when you look at the targets available in free agency or via the trade route.... Perhaps this isn’t the most attractive off-season for Dallas to make a big splash. There’s nothing wrong with staying the course and continue to cultivate talent like they have been doing. This will only provide them with more assets down the road if/when they feel they’re ready to make a push. It’s a young core and still an emerging team. 

TJ Molland: It was just typical of us to not look at Eriksson until this late. The man has flown under the radar for years, and probably prefers it that way. One other man that doesn't get enough respect in my opinion is Stephane Robidas. The quiet leader on this back end will be asked once again to be a mentor for the younger players, and help groom them into NHL regulars. His calm demeanor and hard work ethic are the kinds of things you like to have in your organization. I would really like to see the Stars make the playoffs this year but they will be in tough against the rest of the Western Conference.