Even though the NHL is in the middle of a nasty lockout right now, with no apparent end in sight, the junior hockey leagues’ (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) regular seasons are in full swing and some of the Dallas Stars prospects have had hot starts. Below we will look at some prospects and their current progress and how their team is doing.
Radek Faksa- Center, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
It’s been a pretty hot start for the Stars first round pick in this years entry draft. In four games this season Faksa has registered four points (3g, 1a) and registered these points in three of the four games. Faksa scored two goals in Kitchener’s opening game agianst the Mississiauga Steelheads, and scored another goal in Kitcheners victory against the London Knights. Kitchener is 3-1-0 to start the season.
Brett Ritchie- Right Wing- Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
The IceDogs are 3-0-0 to start of the season and Ritchie has been a big part of his teams success registering four points in the three games (1g, 3a) with a plus minus of +3. Ritchie struggled last season playing for the Sarnia Sting and was traded mid season to Niagara where his game picked up completely and he became a big part of their success. Ritchie looks to continue that success this season.
Gemel Smith- Center- Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Drafted by the Stars in the fourth round of this years draft, people compared Smiths game to that of a young Steve Ott with his grit and physical play, along with his physical stature (5’10 164 pounds) . Last season with Owen Sound Smith scored 60 points (21g, 39a). This season Owen Sound is off to a hot start after 3 games as they are 3-0-1 to start the season and in these four games Smith has registered three points (1g, 2a) in helping his team look for a successful year this season.
When the regular season begins the Dallas Stars will be looking to make the playoffs, after missing the postseason in four straight years. This off season was very productive for the Stars in free agency and in the trade market, as they completely changed the look of the team, with the free agency signings of Jaromir Jagr and Ray Whitney, plus the off season trade acquisitions of Cody Eakin and Derek Roy, Dallas looks to roll with a deep lineup game in and game out to push for the playoffs. So what questions do the Stars have to answer? What do people say when they look at our organization?
Another big season lies ahead for Stars centreman Jamie Benn, who continues to carry a lot of pressure on his young shoulders. A couple of injuries last season reduced his ice time slightly, but the Canadian ended up with 63 points. With the Stars adding several recruits as well as moving players on, I feel Jamie could be in for a slightly different campaign in 2012/13.
Firstly, Jamie is likely to be on a fresh line for next season, as he will probably center Loui Eriksson and Jaromir Jagr. The addition of Jagr should benefit the Stars as well as hopefully attracting a few more people to the American Airlines Center to support the boys.
Jagr has shown over the course of his phenomenal NHL career that he is more of an assist man rather than a big goal scorer. He has 988 assists in his career and I think he is going to be a big boost for Jamie Benn. Jamie is still young and learning a lot about the game and Jagr will aid his game a lot, putting him in the places he needs to be and providing him with the puck to score a lot of goals.
Another factor in Benn’s season will be down to the departure of Steve Ott, who headed East to the Buffalo Sabres in a trade for Derek Roy. This means Jamie’s game will require two things; physicality and leadership. I was impressed with Benn’s physicality on and off of the puck last season, and without Steve Ott, Benn will be getting stuck in more than ever next season.
Steve Ott also brought huge leadership to the Stars. Jamie Benn is starting to turn into the face of the franchise, and with it brings leadership. Last season Benn was the guy everyone looked at when the Stars were desperate for a goal and he became much more respected within the team and the league.
So, my predictions for Jamie Benn in 2012/13 are as follows:
- More goals through playing alongside Jaromir Jagr
- More physicality after the loss of Steve Ott and potentially Brenden Morrow
- A more dependent leadership role
In the video below, Loui Eriksson sets up Jamie Benn for his 3rd of the season with a perfect no-look pass from behind the net.
On July 2nd, the day after the free agency frenzy, the Dallas Stars traded fan favorite Steve Ott and defensemen Adam Pardy for center Derek Roy, who will take the spot of departed center, Mike Ribeiro who was traded to the Washington Capitals. A few weeks later after the trade, the Stars learned that Roy needed surgery for a posterior labrum on his shoulder and he will be out until November. The situation with trading Roy for Ott showed confidence of the front office and a risky trade but maybe after Roy comes back from surgery, he will prove to the NHL that he can be that second line center, the Stars have been looking for. Derek Roy did tell the media that he was willing to play with the shoulder injury but the Stars didn’t want to take a risk with him, making the injury worse. Here’s more on Roy talking about the shoulder injury via from Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News:
Roy will likely be out until late November after he had surgery to tighten up a loose shoulder he had been playing through since last season. Roy had a very difficult season injury-wise, and he spoke with John Vogel of the Buffalo News in April as the Sabres were cleaning out their lockers. Here was his quote:
“Doc said it was going to take two years to get back to 100 percent. I had a tough stretch. I missed the exhibition games when I got injured (shoulder), and I got injured in July working out (a hamstring injury before last season), as well. Nobody knew about that one, but I took maybe a month off this summer. I pulled my hamstring in the summertime. That was tough working out. I took some time off and had to come in and do therapy every day on it. That was a tough stretch, then training camp came around and I got injured again (with the shoulder). Usually, I’m not injury prone at all, and it was tough to start the season off with those two injuries. I had a hard time going, and it’s still bothering me now to this day with both injuries. I’m going to take a month off and do absolutely nothing and try to rest and get back into shape and get ready for the season.”
NHL players always say the same thing: the three things that get fans to their feet are goals, hits, and fights. So one thing that is always a given in the NHL are the goals or otherwise how are you supposed to win? So that leaves hits and fights, last season the Dallas Stars finished with 28 fighting majors the lowest total in the history of the franchise, and players leading in fighting majors were Jake Dowell with nine and Steve Ott in second with six. One big reason for the big drop in fighting majors was the departure of Krys Barch in early December who had been the Stars resident tough guy since his arrival in the 2006-2007 season. Now a look at the Stars roster you won’t really have a “tough” team as far as when it comes to dropping the gloves as they have more of a skill lineup since the two players who led the Stars in fighting majors last season, Dowell and Ott, have been moved or have moved on to other teams. So that leaves the question is fighting necessary for an NHL teams success and are enforcers necessary?
Alongside fights, headshots have been the question of controversy the past few seasons as well. So much that the NHL hired Brendan Shanahan as the Czar of discipline regarding player safety. Shanahan this year held nothing back as numerous players whether they were a star player or just a role player felt the hammer come down on them with suspensions on questionable hits or plays that endangered another players health. So another question is can headshots be completely taken out of the game.
Brenden Morrow has been very loyal to the Dallas Stars and has become one of their most successful and well-liked players in the franchise history. Now aged 33, a lot of Stars fans feel that Breden’s time in Texas is over, as he is becoming less effective on the ice and starting to pick up more injuries as time goes on.
However, with the recent loss of Steve Ott to the Buffalo Sabres, I think it is crucial that Morrow stays in Texas with the Stars for the 2012/13 season.
Steve Ott was the enforcer in Dallas, and a great one at that. He was a player that every team wants, but a player that no team wants to play against. He got under the opposition’s skin and forced them to make mistakes and give up penalty minutes.
Brenden Morrow plays an enforcer role to an extent, but not to the degree that Steve Ott did. However, with Ott now in Buffalo, Morrow’s role has just become a whole lot more important. His physicality will be absolutely crucial next season. He is not afraid to put in a big hit, go hard at the goaltender or to drop the gloves. He backs up every single one of his team mates and his experience within the changing room is invaluable. Every team needs one of these guys to be a successful outfit.
The one thing that the Stars now perhaps lack is physicality. Ott and Souray were the main men for Dallas last season in terms of putting in big hits. Sheldon Souray is looking unlikely to be in a Stars jersey next season, meaning the rest of the defensive unit need to work together to roughen opposition up.
Morrow is not the big points scorer he once was. He still seems to have the ability to score goals, and they seem to big goals in big games. Goals for Morrow now seem a bit of a bonus on top of the role of backing up his team mates. Morrow will be given new line mates for next season and it will be interesting to see how he clicks with them.
Now that Ott has departed, I think it is crucial for GM Joe Nieuwendyk to keep hold of Brenden Morrow for at least another season! At the end is a video of Morrow discusses his childhood hockey experiences in Carlisle, Saskatchewan, being able to give back to children in his hometown the NHLPA Goals & Dreams program and the feeling of capturing a gold medal for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Stars shining bright (Photo taken by Melissa Grissom)
Times were hard in Dallas at the end of last season, as the Dallas Stars failed to clinch a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season. However, with Tom Gaglardi at the helm, Joe Niuwendyk was assured that he would be provided with the funds to bring in some much needed talent over the course of the off-season.
GM Joe spent his money wisely. Not only has he brought in 3 forwards through free agency, but he has brought in 3 elite forwards in the form of Derek Roy, Ray Whitney and Jaramir Jagr. In my opinion, these 3 additions have made the Stars a genuine title contending team.
Why have they turned into a title contending team all of a sudden? Well, take a look at the first 2 lines. A first line of Loui Eriksson-Jamie Benn-Jaromir Jagr is full of talent, skill and goals. On paper, it looks like one of the best in the league, and if these guys fire on all cylinders, we should expect big things from the boys.
A second line of Ray Whitney-Derek Roy- Michael Ryder looks a devastating one on paper. Whitney arrived from Phoenix, being arguably their best player, and Roy arrived from Buffalo in return for Steve Ott and Adam Pardy. These 3 guys will form a brand new second line, which may take some time to gel, but I think they will play a pivotal offensive role throughout the season.
With lines 3 and 4 containing some offense along with the nitty gritty factor, a nice blend of youth and experience in the defensive unit and a very decent goaltending unit, I think success could be right around the corner for the Dallas Stars.
The lack of success lately has meant some pretty poor crowds at the American Airlines Center in the recent past. The new signings are definitely going to attract more people to come and watch the Stars play and the AAC will hopefully become the fortress it once was.
Joe Niuwendyk and Tom Gaglardi have worked well together so far and brought in the desired players. There could be some more activity yet to happen, so keep your eyes peeled. Either way, bring on October to watch our new Stars have a good shot at the playoffs!
Jaromir Jagr Portrait (Drawn by Que-ink from deviantart)
Right Winger/ #68
February 15, 1972 in Kladno, Czech Republic
6’3″/240
GP: 73
G: 19
A: 35
P: 54
+/- : 5
Contract Status: 1 year deal worth $4.5 million
Today the Dallas Stars signed yet another player after acquiring center Derek Roy from the Buffalo Sabres yesterday in exchange for Steve Ott and Adam Pardy. They signed Jaromir Jagr to a 1 year deal worth $4.5 million dollars that shocked the hockey world. It even shocked me but then I realize that Nieuwendyk is going for the rebuilding phase of the Stars and maybe the veterans like Ray Whitney and Jagr will help the youth movement. Also help Jamie Benn and the rest of the younger players. Here is the article from Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News on the Dallas Stars signing Jagr:
Mark Fistric has had a main objective in this league since his rookie season in 2007-2008, and that objective is to move play the puck second and deal with the opposing player first most of the time with a hard body check hence his high hit total which was second to only Steve Ott (278) and Ott played in 14 more games than Fistric this season. Fistric also was suspended for 3 games this season for a high check and leaving his feet while hitting New York Islanders forward Nino Niederreiter, also resulting in a concussion for Niederreiter. Fistric’s game is obvious, big stay at home defenseman who will clear the goalie crease of any opposition player with force, he moves well for a real big man, but can get himself outta position attempting to go for all those hits. He doesn’t score a lot of points but he makes up for it by helping keep the puck out of his teams net, big proof of this was in the 2009-2010 season when in 67 games Fistric finished the season with a +27. Fistric is the biggest Dallas player on roster and losing him would be a huge blow to the physical game of the defenseman as the next leading defenseman in hits was Stephane Robidas who had over 100 less hits than Fistric. Fans should look for Fistric to continue his stay at home style of play and keep forwards away from his net, and hopefully he gets a good deal and can be a household name for Stars fans for years to come.
Mark Fistric is on Twitter you can follow him @Fistric28
Mike Ribeiro might be traded (Photo taken by Melissa Grissom)
Finally draft day has arrived and many young NHL hopefuls will see their dream come true today, but behind the scenes NHL General Managers are also allowed to open trade talks between each other to move up spots in the draft or also trade players on their roster.
So now that brings us to Dallas, yesterday ESPN hockey analyst Pierre Lebrun posted an article stating that Dallas forwards Mike Ribeiro and Steve Ott are “getting attention”
In reality this is nothing new here in Dallas, almost every season since he came in the 2006-2007 season Mike Ribeiro‘s name has been circulating in offseason and trade deadline rumors. Here are a few examples:
There are plenty more out there and some of those rumors were way out there, but would Dallas trade Mike Ribeiro or/and Steve Ott?
These trade rumors really started around trade deadline in February and really have never stopped since, but why didn’t Joe Nieuwendyk pull the trigger back in February when he had the chance, well obviously the right deal wasn’t in place. When shopping Steve Ott we are shopping a guy who plays center or wing in all situations, is capable of putting up 20+ goal seasons and one of the top faceoff guys in the league, not exactly a guy you trade just for the sake of making a trade or shaking things up. So what would be the right deal that would ship Steve Ott out of Texas. Joe Nieuwendyk has pledged that he is looking to get younger and better so lets say James Van Riemsdyk or Jordan Staal’s names came across for Steve Ott would you say yes? (Both Staal and Van Riemsdyk have been involved in numerous trade rumors this past week)
And now Mike Ribeiro, in 461 career games as a Dallas Stars Mike Ribeiro has 407 points and in 31 career playoff games as a Star Ribs has 22 points so that is really close to a point a game player. So in a trade Stars are shopping there real #1 center, so in return you would expect the same back. Ribeiro was key in the production of Michael Ryder’s career year and the sometimes unstoppable chemistry between him and Brenden Morrow. So in Dallas they are really thin at elite centers professional and prospect wise, so trading your best one available before the season even starts already puts you in a hole production wise. So unless the deal is exactly how General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk wants it I do not see Ott or Ribeiro traded during this offseason.
Steve Ott and Mike Ribeiro are on Twitter: Follow them @Otter2nine and @Ribz63
