Minnesota Wild: Central Division Preview; Dallas Stars
The Minnesota Wild had a hard season in their matchup with the Dallas Stars as they went 1-4-0 against them in the regular season and were bounced by them in the first round of the playoffs in six games. This season though the Wild will look to improve their record against another strong Stars team.
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The artist formerly known as the Minnesota North Stars, the Dallas Stars finally had the great season that everyone predicted last season. After failing to deliver on the predictions of a division title, 2014-15 was really bad for the Stars as they didn’t even make the make the playoffs finishing just above Colorado to stay out of last place in the Central Division.
This last season though the Stars delivered in the regular season with a 50-23-9 record and Central Division title. Against the Minnesota Wild the Stars dominated the regular season series with a 4-1-0 record. And it that wasn’t enough the Stars would also vanquish the Wild in the first round of the playoffs in six games. That would be the pinnacle of their season though, as the Stars would lose in seven games to the Blues in the second round.
The Stars knew this offseason would be tough, but manageable and still were able to add a few modest pieces to help out. Their notable free-agent pick-ups were defenseman Dan Hamhuis, forward Adam Cracknell, and defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk. Hamhuis is a solid pick-up and will no doubt add veteran known how and will be a solid top four defender for the Stars.
But the best free-agent move GM Jim Nill made this summer was to sign All-Star and 2014-15 Ross Trophy winner Jamie Benn to an extension. Benn’s extension is an eight-year deal worth $76 million (a $9.5 million annual cap hit), and insures the Stars’ best player won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Benn is so important to the identity and scoring punch of this team to let him even go to free-agency at the end of this season would have been a mistake, as the bidding for his services could have driven his annual cap hit well over $10 million.
May 1, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski (33) shoots the goal on the St. Louis Blues net during the second period in game two of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the American Airlines Center. Goligoski scores a goal in the first. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The losses this offseason for the Stars were a significant, but still are not enough to really change the landscape of the team. The Stars lost defensemen Jason Demers, winger Colton Sceviour, center Veron Fiddler, winger Travis Moen, and defender Kris Russell. Most impactful though was the loss of defenseman and former University of Minnesota standout Alex Goligoski. Goligoski was a great two-way defender for the Stars whose loss will be felt, but Nill made sting a little less when he traded his negotiating rights to Arizona for a fifth round pick when it became obvious he would not sign with Dallas.
The core of the Stars is still intact and that still makes them a threat to repeat as division champs. When you have two of the best scorers in the league in Benn and Tyler Seguin it’s really hard to say that you won’t be power to contend with. In the last two seasons Benn and Seguin have combined for 146 goals and seem to be a one-two scoring punch that might even be better that Chicago’s Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Also further down the lineup you have deadly scorers like Jason Spezza, Cody Eakin, and Ales Hemsky to make life a little more difficult.
May 11, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) watches the puck against the St. Louis Blues in game seven of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Blues won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Still the weak point for this team is goaltending. Last season the platooning of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi looked to be a good plan and on the surface seemed alright in the regular season as the two netminders each racked up 25 wins. Looking at it closer they both seemed to be riding the benefit of the Stars’ scoring as they both only registered .906 and .905 save percentages respectively. In the playoffs that was even worse as Lehtonen posted a .899 save percentage and Neimi put up a .865 save percentage. The Stars probably needed fix that situation, but they didn’t and it could be the Achilles Heel that downs them again.
To beat the Stars the Wild offensively must get to the goaltenders of the Stars quickly. They’ll need to shoot the lights out and with both of them having such bad luck in the save percentage department the Wild will defiantly get a few pucks through. The defense of the Stars is good, but they can only block so many shots and really in the end they are a weaker group without Goligoski.
Countering the Stars offense is a much harder thing to do for the Wild. The scoring punch of Stars is potent, so the Wild defense will need to center around harassing Benn and Seguin. Also if they can keep the forwards of the Stars pinned in their zone playing defense, then they can tire them out. That means the forwards of the Wild pressing the play might actually be the best defense there is against this team.
The Wild will more than likely have a hard time again with the Stars this season. If they even the series with them that will be a win. As explained earlier, it’s no easy task to stop the offense of the Stars they still have a scoring punch that can overwhelm a team a steal a couple of games. But the Wild are improved and will be a tougher match so that makes me think they’ll steal a few from the Stars this season.
The Stars will compete again for the Central Division crown this season. The difference might be that they won’t be the favorites all year. They’ll be a playoff team for sure again and will almost certainly finish in the top three of the division and not have to sweat out a Wild Card berth. The Wild have a chance to get closer to them in the regular season, but finishing ahead of them in the standings will be challenge. Still though in the end the Wild will be better against this team, and that gives all of us former North Stars fans a big grin.
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