We all know the Dallas Stars have their sights set on a Stanley Cup run this year. But what are some of their other goals on the side?
The Dallas Stars are about to enter another season in the NHL. They’ll be defending their Central Division Title, while also aiming for a longer playoff run.
Those things are easier said than done, but the Stars are more than capable. This year they should set maintainable goals that reflect their abilities.
Get Healthy and Stay that Way
Based on how the end of the offseason and the beginning of training camp has gone, one of the Stars’ goals should be to get healthy and stay healthy. A number of key players to the line-up have fallen to the injury bug and a few are out for a while.
Cody Eakin sustained an injury that will have him out of the line-up for 6-10 weeks. Ales Hemsky hurt his groin, so he’ll miss 7-10 days. Tyler Seguin has a hairline fracture in his foot, but is expected to return for opening night.
Radek Faksa was pulled from the World Cup of Hockey due to concussion-like symptoms. Defenseman Devin Shore was hurt in practice and will miss “some time”.
The list goes on. Dallas, like any team in the league, can only be their best when their top players are able to play. That requires them to be healthy and able to keep up with the demand of the NHL season and it’s alarming that the Stars have already fallen victim to such a seemingly contagious epidemic.
Goaltending Consistency
Last season and over the past few years the Stars have failed to find consistency in the blue paint. Whether it was injury, miscommunication with the skaters or just plain mistakes by the goaltender Dallas struggled in net.
This season needs to see that trend die. Dallas is a great offensive team and it’s unfair for them to deal with all of the issues they’ve had in net.
The responsibility falls on Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi to step up their games and play the way they’ve both proven capable. It also falls on the skaters to be just as committed defensively as they are offensively.
Post-Season Success
The Stars have already proven they’re a good enough team to make the playoffs. That goal is beneath them now. Dallas is aiming high this season when it comes to their postseason play, like they rightfully should.
Anything short of a trip to the Western Conference Finals would be disappointing for this group. The Dallas Stars have arguably the best roster they’ve had at their disposal in the last fifteen or so years and it’s time to take advantage.
A Stanley Cup win is obviously the goal that the Stars have for themselves, and there seems to be no reason they can’t obtain it, but a Conference Final is the bare minimum. That says a lot considering this same organization that would’ve done just about anything to squeeze into the playoffs just a few seasons ago.
How they Succeed
The Dallas Stars have all the pieces necessary to get the job done. They don’t have to aim for unreasonable feats, like surpassing the number of points they had last year, because every season’s different. Some years it takes 90 points to make the playoffs, others it’s 100.
That’s how the game goes in the NHL and the Stars can’t concern themselves too much with that. They need to focus on playing their game and staying healthy so they can get the job done.
If they can fulfill all of their goals by season’s end, there’s no reason to not expect a championship from this club.
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