Every NHL Draft Pick in the ECAC
The ECAC keeps bringing in talent, and with a ton of NHL draft picks in the conference last season, which teams are leading in terms of drafted players, and will it make a difference come spring?
Video Transcript
There's no team in the NHL more in favor of the conference playoff format than the Dallas Stars because of the way that their division is.
It's unfair that every year they have to play Minnesota or Colorado in the first round.
It pretty much eliminates any opportunity to them to win the Stanley Cup.
By the time they get to the Western Conference final, they're gassed.
You're right.
They didn't do much in the offseason.
In fact, they traded Maverick Bork, who scored 20 goals for them last year.
Age is starting to creep in, not only with the veteran guys like Duchesne and Sagan and Ben, but, you know, the Robertsons and the Rupe Hinzs are getting into their mid to late 20s.
They're in their prime, and they haven't won yet.
And Jake Ottinger hasn't stolen a playoff series when it really counted in the Western Conference final.
So, yeah, I think the window is closing, and I don't know how much they can really do about it.
And I think this is much like the Oilers, maybe not necessarily the same exact situation, but I do think this is kind of a make it or break it year for them.
Because, I mean, beyond the fact, I know a lot of people were talking about the Jason Robertson situation, him signing to that one year deal rather than signing long term.
I think there's a reason for that other than giving them more time to work out a long term extension.
I mean, I think he wants to stay in Dallas.
But I think it's also worth noting that, like Mike said, this team is starting to age out a little bit.
They have a lot of unrestricted free agents next season.
And also, too, some of these guys that are aging out still play key roles in their lineup, and they're not going to be easy to replace.
And they're going to be faced with a decision on whether or not they're going to bring some of these guys back and try to run it back with an older core or older players on the periphery of the roster, or if they're going to try to swap them out for younger guys.
And that's the whole catch here.
Do they have the, again, they're a team that doesn't really have much going for them in the asset pool.
So trading is going to be a little bit difficult without moving some talent out in the future.
So I do think this is kind of a make or break a year for them.
And it could determine what Robertson decides in January and if he's going to stay long term with the Dallas Stars.
Do I think they're going to be in the playoff picture?
Absolutely.
I don't think this team is going to suddenly regress and not be a playoff team.
But it's worth considering what those next years look like and where they go from here.
And I do think that this might be the last legitimate season of their contention window, their Stanley Cup contention window.
And they're going to have to get over that Colorado hump just one time.
They're going to have to hopefully get a quicker series or two leading up to the conference final in order for them to go all the way.
But yeah, I am concerned about the age of this roster and how they kind of work around that starting next season.
