MVN - Most Valuable Network

The Future Shines Bright Stars

Now that the series has ended, and the Dallas Stars return to their homes pondering another year come and gone without a Cup, there is a sense of great optimism that normally does not accompany defeat. Was it a moral victory? I do not think so, I always found that phrase to be cheap and misleading. On the other hand, perhaps it was a matter of simply accepting the reality that you had just been beaten by a better team, a team who’s time is now and more prepared to win than you. Often times defeat comes at the hands of opponents who you feel you could beat, and should have beaten. This kind of loss is devastating and infuriating at the same time. Yet in the case of this years Dallas Stars, I feel as though even without a Cup, the sense is that a championship is within their grasp and now this team, this whole team, knows what it takes to for the next step to win it all. Are they OK with losing to Detroit? Of course not. But it may be easier to swallow when one can clearly see that perhaps this Wings team is truly a team of Destiny for the 07-08 Stanley Cup.

So what do the Stars have to look forward to? Well first and foremost there is stability in the management and front office department. Something that has always been a bit iffy in past years. The team said Thursday that retired NHL great Brett Hull and longtime executive Les Jackson have signed three-year contracts, removing the interim tag they’ve shared since Hicks made the unusual move in November. “This unique combination of talents gives us many advantages for our hockey club,” Hicks said in a statement. “Signing Les and Brett to these contracts provides stability for the future.” Ah yes, stability for the future…. one might be surprised what this does for a franchise. I can think of three teams who excelled to new levels once the front office issues and internal issues had been put to rest and allowed the players and coaches the comfort of stability. Both Buffalo and Ottawa tinkered on the brink of bankruptcy, which allowed for new owners to emerge and lend incredible stability to the team, which then turned into some pretty amazing on ice products. Buffalo appeared in two straight ECF series and Ottawa went to the Cup Finals last year. The third team was the Pittsburgh Penguins. Of course it helped to have all those draft picks, but something should be said about the stability the team received when business issues were settled with the city and the looming threat of financial misfortune and relocation ceased to hang over the head of the franchise. The kind of stability that Dallas has now with permanent GM’s in place and with full confidence of ownership will go a long way in their success for next season and future seasons to come.

Also in lieu of stability, The Dallas Morning News reported Saturday that Tippett has agreed to a three-year extension that the team will announce next week. The new contract will keep Tippett with the Stars through the 2010-11 season. Tippett has posted a 235-127-48 record as Stars coach, guiding the club to five straight postseason appearances and two Pacific Division titles. Tippet has been a terrific coach in Dallas and he is the right guy to lead this team to another Cup Title. Locking him up for three more years is another bright spot for this franchises future. Good coaches are tough to come by, and right now Dallas has one of the current best standing behind the bench.

Perhaps the brightest light in the Stars future is the roster situation. Next year all the big guns are expected back, that includes franchise hero Mike Modano, who some believed was considering retirement. “I probably will, yeah, do it all one more time and see really where things are at,” said Modano, who admitted the Stars’ playoff run did spark him a bit.  “The playoffs were really fun, obviously with the success and how deep we went. We surprised a lot of people, surprised ourselves. It got the bug back in a lot of guys that wanted to play.” Aside from Modano, the rest of the Stars main force will be back as well. This list includes Morrow, Ribeiro, Lehtinen, Richards, Zubov and Turco. They should have little problem signing their most important RFA’s which include Ericksson, Crombee and Daley. Of their UFA’s there are seven that standout but perhaps the Stars could simply move on past all of them and use the money elsewhere. These seven include Mattias Norstrom, Toby Petersen,  Niklas Hagman , Stu Barnes , Brad Winchester, Johan Holmqvist and Antti Miettinen.

For Norstom to return, he will need to take a pay cut, as his current salary does not reflect what his on ice value was this past season. There are rumors that he may end up leaving the NHL altogether and return to Sweden. Hagman may have priced his way out of Dallas’ future with his 27 goals this year. There is a good chance that other teams will be offering Hagman a significant increase in salary, something Dallas probably will not be able to match. Stu Barnes is getting up here in age, and his effectiveness has to be weighed when considering if the ice time should go to a younger player. If the GM’s decide Swiss netminder Tobias Stephan is ready to step in as back up goalie, than Johan Holmqvist will not be returning. 

 One last final bright spot for the Stars next year is the signing of Euro sensation Fabian Brunnstrom. On May 8, 2008, the Dallas Stars announced that Fabian Brunnstrom signed a two-year entry level contract with them through the 2009-10 NHL season. Brunnstrom was highly courted during the regular season and the Stars managed to win the services of this highly touted player. Brunnstrom is described as an offensively gifted forward with a great scoring touch. Brunnstrom is a speedy skater with soft hands and exceptional technical skills. He is said to combines speed and stickhandling in an impressive way. Has a great hockey sense is also physically strong and tough to knock off the puck.

With a re invigorated franchise hero, a core of top notch talent all returning, a crop of young players now with deep playoff experience, a world class goaltender, front office stability, the addition of a Euro superstar and a team that now has been given a sample of the sweet taste of success, the Stars will certainly be early favorites next season to be in the running for to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.

In Dallas, One Man Stands Alone

Before we begin again, I just wanted to let you all know that I received a follow up phone call from the Fat Lady. She apparently was not happy that her time off was taken away from her so she could fly to Dallas for an emergency singing session which was cancelled, then flown out to Philly and Detroit for two more cancelled performances. She was leaving the Pits airport this morning and flying back to Dallas for another possible engagement tonight. However, she thinks her final show in this round is destined to be in Detroit.

The big news however surrounding this rejuvenated Stars team comes from two huge wins which have put them in a position to even up the series tonight after going down 3-0 in what looked to be a sure defeat at the sweeping hands of the Red Wings. What we saw in the first three games of this series was a truly flawless performance by the Red Wings. They did everything they were supposed to do to win, and they did it with near perfection. Dallas on the other-hand looked sluggish and out of sync. The pep in their step was gone and all they could do was seem to watch the Wings skate by them, around them, and a lot of times right into them (just ask Mike Modano). Worst of all the Stars couldn’t could not get the scopes on their sticks adjusted and constantly missed the net when an opportunity for a shot presented itself. Marty Turco however continued to stand strong in net, and with the exception of game three, kept his team in the game probably far longer than they should have. He has been called many things over the years in regards to his performance in important games. However if he did not dismantle those labels from the first two rounds of these playoffs and the first three games of this series, there is no doubt now that he has dispelled himself of such names after these past two wins.

In game four, an elimination game which would bring the Stars season to a screeching hault , Turco played like a man possessed and stopped 33 of 34 shots peppered on him by the Wings. With each big save, with each defiant block of the puck trying to reach the net, the team in front of him seemed to be energized. Say what you want about healing injuries, game-plan, desperation …. those skaters in front of Turco were, no doubt to me, inspired by his determination to live another day. They fed off this determination and found themselves able to score three goals, more than any other game yet this series, to pull off a win they needed to stay alive. It was the leaders of this team that fed off of this and scored two huge third period goals, Modano at 5:35 and Morrow at 14:34, and rallied their team to victory in a final 3-1 score. However, even though the Stars had one, Turco and the rest of the team skated off the ice that night with many people thinking “Detroit will win it at home, this was the Stars last game this year.”

Game five was much of the same for Marty Turco, more brilliant saves and more determination to live another day. Like a field general holding the gate as hordes of enemies swarm about wave after wave, Turco held them at bay wave after wave, shot after shot. The enemy would not be denied their victory, they pressed and pressed all night. While Dallas looked rejuvenated and focused more than anytime in the series, they could only manage to muster 6 and 5 shots in the 2nd and 3rd periods. The Stars battled and battled, but it was Turco guarding that gate which allowed them to find victory. Early in the second, Turco himself took to the attack and launched a pass down to Joel Lundqvist who managed to slip one past Chris Osgood on the other end and put Dallas up by one goal. This was all Turco needed, just a one goal lead and the rest was up to him now. Turco made 38 saves off 39 shots that night, including a barrage of 21 shots in the third period. If it could ever be said that “one man did it all”, clearly this was Marty Turco in game five.

Game six is tonight in Dallas, and with a home crowd frenzied for what could lead to an upset of tremendous proportions, Marty Turco and the Dallas stars look to keep fighting to live another day. The last two battles were exhausting and the Red Wings seemed more determined than ever now that the East has chosen its warriors for the final battle. Will the Stars hang on? Will Turco be hero yet again? Will the veterans rise to the challenge and find ways to win? Will the “little guys” find a way to contribute like Daley in game five? Tonight at 8pm we will all soon find out.

What’s that noise coming from Dallas? Oh its the Fat Lady….

Well what else is there to say really? As the photo caption says, the Fat Lady was in such a hurry to get to Dallas that she left her hat behind. Regardless if you thought the Red Wings would win this series, did anyone believe that they would possibly sweep?? The Fat Lady sure had no idea, and amidst her well deserved vacation which she believed she had ample time for, she got the emergency call on the Fat Lady phone, packed as quickly as she could, and is now on a plane to Dallas as we speak. The hat however is still home next to the sculpture of Cindy Crosby she was making. Fortunately I was able to get her on the phone for a quick interview before she was asked to turn her cell phone off for the flight. Here is a concise transcript of the call:

RR: Hello there! Should I call you …. Mrs. Lady? Or Fat? Or how do you prefer to be called in situations as this?

FL: Either is fine. Mrs. Lady reminds me of my mom. Oh, and Fat is ok, just don’t call me Fatty.

RR: Well, how bout we stick with Fat Lady?

FL: Sure, that works.

RR: So are you surprised about the emergency call you got to get to Dallas?

FL: Yes I was! I am a big hockey fan and love getting to go to all the series ending games. The drama, the excitement is terrific. After having to stay up for four OTs in Dallas last week, I was so exhausted I was barely able to sing. But one thing I did notice was that these Star boys had one hell of a determination. I saw something in their eyes that told me “Fat, you are not gonna be singing for these boys this year!” When I got the call that said they were down 3-0 and have been outplayed the entire three games…. I thought it was a joke! I said “Who is this?”

RR: Who was it?

FL: It was Alexei Yashin of course.

RR: Alexei Yashin?!?! Why was he the one calling?

FL: Well he is the one that always calls me now. Ever since he played his way out of the NHL, he has been looking for a part time job to keep busy while he collects all that money from the Islanders. Anyhow, when I asked who it was he said “Its me Alexei, Fat Lady. This is no joke we need you in Dallas right away, and possibly in Philly a couple days later.”

RR: What happened next?

FL: I didn’t believe him at first. I said “Who are you kidding? Who do you think I am Mike Milbury?” Eventually, after about 15 mins  he put his new associate on the phone and convinced me they were sincere.

RR: Who is his new associate?

FL: I have not met him yet, but I believe he said his name was John Ferguson.

RR: John Ferguson!?!

FL: Why do you keep yelling these names back at me? Are we gonna talk names all day or what? I gotta get on this plane. 

RR: Ok sorry. Well, you say you follow hockey, what do you think happened?

FL: Well normally I do, however I was taking a little break to work on my sculpting and relax. So when I was told about this I booted up my DVR (that’s a PVR for some of you folks in Canada) and watched the games. I record all the game you know.

RR: So after watching the games, what do you think?

FL: Well I think the ghost of playoffs past have come back to Dallas. This looks like the Dallas team that was playing the last few years, not the last rounds. Every year for some reason their offense stalls, and Turco gets peppered with shots and lets in too many. He gets blamed for it, but how can they win of the guys in front of him aren’t scoring??

RR: Very true. Are you a big Turco fan?

FL: Well I was in the dressing room warming up and eating pizza during the OTs in game six against the sharks. That poor boy was getting IV injection cause he was so tired. I tried feeding him some pizza but he really needed the IV.

RR: Do you think that could have something to do with why they are losing? Turco has all been spent??

FL: Now don’t you go blaming Marty for this mess! That boy is doing all he can do. If you want to point fingers point one at that Ribeiro guy, just watch out he dont swing his stick at you when you do. Point your finger at the defense on this team. Those Red Wings skate into the zone with such ease, no wonder they get so many shots on poor Marty. The defense is constantly chasing the puck. Chase, chase, chase, thats all they do other than let the Red Wings skate by them on their way across the blue line. Back the other way, the guys who get paid millions of dollars to put the puck in the back of the net cant even keep the puck on their stick before they turn it over, get knocked down or make terrible pass. Oh and those rare times when they do actually take a shot… those guys cant even hit the net! Poor Marty at the other end of the ice. Can you imagine what he is thinking?

RR: Well I bet he is thinking about a lot of things like “How come I cant stop a breakaway?”

FL: ……… (Silence)

RR: Fat Lady are you still there?

FL: I am done talking to you about Marty Turco.

RR: Ok I am sorry. Well tell me what you think the Red Wings have done right instead of what the Stars have done wrong.

FL: They have done everything right. Their passing has been crisp, they skate so fast, they have made the most of their power play time, they get shots on the net, but most importantly they are doing what no one expected them to do. They are playing aggressive.

RR: How do you mean aggressive?

FL: They are hitting and hitting and hitting. They are getting there butts planted right in front of poor Marty and making life hell for him. They are fighting for pucks in the corner, and they are pressing hard when they got the puck. It seems like they are constantly in control of the game from start to finish, and the Stars just holding on.

(I hear some muffled noises and another woman talking:

FL: I have to go now, the plane is boarding.

RR: One last thing Fat Lady, do you think you will be singing after game four.

FL: I hope not, but unless Dallas gets a priest to exorcise the damn ghost of playoffs past, Ill be doing a special late night performance at the AAC

Well there you have it. Dallas, take the Fat Lady’s advice and get yourself a priest and pray. It may be your only hope.

The tentacles of Detroit loom over the Stars

Image details: Dallas Stars v Detroit Red Wings - Game One served by picapp.com

Or was it the tentacles of the NHL Refs? News just recently broke about events surrounding game one of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday. Apparently, the NHL head office had sent an urgent fax to the offices in Joe Louis Arena @6:41pm. The attendant who normally oversees communications with the NHL from the admin office was not at his post. His whereabouts are unclear, but some believe he was working the phones in another office to secure that anyone with an octopus be admitted into the game for the traditional toss.

The staffer did not return to the office until after the game concluded. He had returned to power down the equipment and turn the lights off. Upon doing so, he noticed the fax machine, used exclusively for NHL communications, had received a fax transmittal and paper was sitting on the tray. The cover page was addressed to the officiating crew and labeled as “confidential.” Fearing for his job he attempted to erase the record of the transmission from the fax memory as well as shred the documents. After attempting to cover his tracks, the attendent closed the lights and went home for the evening.

The next day the NHL, under orders from Gary Bettman, launched an official investigation into the incident. Although they had no evidence the fax was not received or perhaps intercepted, the action on the ice that night was all the proof they needed to at least suspect some kind of tampering. The attendant did all he could to cover his tracks, but it was not enough. Investigators on scene were able to retrieve the shredded document from the shredder bin and were able to tape it back together as evidence. Furthermore, office administration was brought in, and with secure access codes, were able to log into the information on the fax machine and retrieve deleted transaction information. The attendant has been removed from his position and possible legal proceedings may follow. In lieu of the intrigue surrounding the information on the faxed document, the NHL and officials from Joe Louis Arena and Detroit Red Wings remained tight lipped. However, upon locating the dismissed attendant at his home, news sources were able to learn the contents of the fax. According to the attendant, the fax simply read:

“To the Officiating Crew,

Just a reminder about tonight’s game. Its the Western Conference Finals, not a Wednesday night regular season game. Let the boys play. ”

As we now know, the Refs never got the message.

Game two is tonight, and after taking a serious beat down by the boys in Red, the Stars are hoping to rebound. All credit must be given to Detroit on a great win in game one. They dominated from the start of the game right up until the end. The entire Dallas team looked sluggish and out of sync, including net-minder Marty Turco, hero of game six against the Sharks last week. Detroit’s speed just seemed completely unmanageable for the Stars, and the Wings had no problem getting into the offensive zone and getting good chances all night. Plus, the Red Wings came out with a vengeance and were hitting everything in sight. I suspect the Stars were not expecting this, and they paid the price for it. No doubt that their already beaten and bruised bodies felt a lot worse on Friday morning.

But one game does a series not make. I am confident in two things. First I believe that the Stars will respond well to the wake up call they got on Friday. Looking back at their last four playoff games they are 1-3, and they either have to step it up now, or face a the reality that the Red Wings can make quick work of them. I believe Dave Tippett is a good coach, and will have these guys ready to play and refocused for this game. Aside from game six of the Sharks series, this is perhaps their biggest game this post season. If they go down 2-0 tonight and lose in the same fashion as they did Thursday, Dallas should be very worried. Even if they lose tonight, but keep the game close and compete well, they might be a bit more relieved and feel better about their prospects at home; but I would still consider a loss tonight to be very detrimental for their overall success in this series.

I am confident however that the Refs for tonight’s game are going to officiate the game better. I am not crying that the calls were bad or one sided. I am just saying that its the Western Conference Finals! You have got to let these guys play hockey five on five and let the best team win. Of course penalties must be called, but can we put away the whistle like we do in overtime games or late in the third? A little incidental tug at this point in the post season should not be called. So much of game one was special teams that it was almost unbearable to watch at times. As a hockey fan, power plays can be exciting when they are few and meaningful. But when its 5-4 seemingly the entire game, it doesnt feel like I am watching a real hockey game anymore. Let these guys play five on five and see where the chips fall when its all over.

Game Two - tonight in Detroit, 7pm

My pick - Dallas 2, Red Wings 1