Falling Stars

Things are always bigger in Texas. Including disappointment. The Dallas Stars were the top team in the Western Conference during the regular season last year and now find themselves falling out of the playoff picture, three games under five hundred and eight points out of the last Wild Card spot, (currently held by another slow starting team in LA.)

The scapegoats have generally been (and not unfairly) their mediocre goaltending tandem of Keri Lehtonen (or let-it-in) and Anti (no matter) Niemi. The team ranks near the bottom of the NHL in many goaltending categories (GAA, Save %) and  are in desperate need of an occasional save. But, like shots from a Texas mickey, there's plenty of blame to go around.

This once high powered, gun slinging offence only ranks 13th in the league in goals scored and a measly 20th of the power play. One would assume all that fire power with the like of Seguin, Benn, Spezza, Sharp, Klingberg, Odyua, etc. could must a better push but so far it's been all quiet on the western front. In fact the strongest part of their game, their Lone Star as it were (sue me) is their twitter account, or in arena scoreboard. Both among the leagues best. Re: funniest.

They haven't got contributions they'd expected from other guys they need to step up like Cody Eakin, Jiri Hudler or big free agent signing Dan Hamhuis. The breakout season John Klingberg had last year seems but a distant memory as his struggles on the blue line have coincided with the departure of veteran partner Alex Goligoski. And while the goaltending stinks like a dead horse, the penalty kill hasn't helped mush either ranking 29th, 2nd to last in the league.

They've had some injuries this season to the like of Ales Hemsky, Eakin and Seguin to start the year, but on the whole this generally isn't what's held them back. And with Patrick Sharp set to be an unrestricted free agent at seasons end, big d may sand for deadline. GM Jim Nill will have a lot of decisions to make and patching up his porous back end should be paramount among them, Either Niemi or Lehtonon will be no easy task to move, they each carry a fairly significant cap hit, though when you wish upon a star...