Dallas Stars a year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON OUTLOOK

A new GM in Jim Nill a new coach in Ruff and a huge trade netting Tyler Seguin from the Bruins created an optimistic outlook for a club that barely missed the playoffs last year. Hopes were high to sneak into a lower end spot and maybe more.

FINAL RECORD 40-31-11 91 points 8th in the West

STRANGE STAT OF THE YEAR

Tyler Seguin was a miserable 41.5 on faceoffs on nearly 700 draws.

HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR

They peaked at the right time and rode a solid finish to a playoff spot over the fading Phoenix Coyotes.

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR

Well Rich Peverley and his heart condition forcing them to postpone a game against the Jackets would have to rank up there. They lost to the Ducks in the first round in a tough fought six game series. No real fault there.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Seguin made Nill look like a genius (37-47-84) as he led the team along with Jamie Benn (34-45-79) in almost every category by a wide margin. Alex Goligoski (6-36-42) was a top producer fromt he blue line. Valeri Nichushkin (14-20-34) had growing pains but showed flashes. Ryan Garbutt had 17 goals and showed himself to be a nasty piece of work. Antoine Roussel with 14 goals and 209 PIMs did likewise.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Secondary scoring among forwards was awful, Cody Eakin is stagnant, Ray Whitney is at the absolute end of his road, Alex Chiasson took a step back, Eric Cole looked old and slow. On defense the play was very vanilla. Kari Lehtonen has still done nothing to justify any faith in him as more than an average goalie.

MVP

Going with my first tie with Benn and Seguin. They were interchangeably outstanding this year,

UFAs

Tim Thomas

Vern Fiddler

Ray Whitney

OFFSEASON QUESTIONS

Can the kids step up next year and push the team further or is this all their is? How do you find some quality d-men? Is Lehtonen capable of more or is this all their is?