All right troops, the first order of business for any team moving forward into an offseason in any sport is to look back upon what transpired in the campaign and determine what needs to happen for the franchise to take the next step. The Dallas Stars are in a very good place right now, as the core of their roster is comprised of young players that will only continue to mature and improve for years to come. I will outline exactly who fits into the definition of the core in a later post, but for now, it's time to dish out some grades for every member of this club. We'll start with the forwards. I have arranged them according to the grade they received. Without further ado, the verdicts are in!
#14 Jamie Benn A+ This season, the Dallas Stars had a new captain, and that man proved without a shadow of doubt that he is worthy of the title. Benn did everything asked of him and more this season; he put up career highs in goals and assists, he bonded with his new line-mate Tyler Seguin to forge one of the league's most potent top lines, and he set aside his natural reserved demeanor with the media to become a figure that the Stars could proudly present to the rest of the NHL. His solid numbers in the playoffs also indicate that he can thrive under pressure, an asset that some big scorers simply do not have. No questions asked, Benn has solidified his place in the Top 5-10 players in the league (the jury is still out on exactly where he ranks).
#91 Tyler Seguin A The Stars knew that they were getting a potential superstar from Boston when they acquired the 21 year-old Seguin from the Boston Bruins along with Rich Peverley in exchange for Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith, and a pair of prospects, but I don't think even Jim Nill expected his club to get a player so good so fast. I maintain that last summer's blockbuster trade was one of those rare deals in which both teams won. Seguin finished 4th in the league with 84 points and scored the fifth-most goals in a single season for the Stars since the team moved here from Minnesota. While he has had some problems consistently producing (meaning that his scoring can come in bunches punctuated by dry spells), this is a trait that could be easily corrected by him maturing in his role and getting more support from a second line.
#20 Cody Eakin A- The Ginger Ninja anchored a line that was all about speed for much of the season. Despite Coach Ruff deploying this unit to combat the opponent's best forwards time and again; Eakin and his crew were able to play as an offensive unit on top of being a checking line. This shows that Eakin has a lot of versatility and that his role moving forward with this team is still coming into focus. In the future, he could anchor a true checking line with more size and grit on his wings or a true scoring line with better shooters for him to set up. Regardless, Eakin, Ryan Garbutt and Antoine Roussel were a thorn in the side of every team the Stars played, and they deserve a lot of the credit for this team making it as far as they did this season.
#16 Ryan Garbutt A- Ryan Garbutt signed a new three-year contract during the latter part of the season, and he is looking like he might be worth every penny. His ascent up the lineup this year was truly amazing, as he went from a fourth line grinding player to a speed demon who finished third on the team in goals with 16. He has had some problems with discipline at times, most notoriously the incident involving Ducks man-lady Corey Perry in Game 5 of their playoff series and his hit on Dustin Penner that got him a ShanaBan for 5 games early in the season. Regardless, I have to give credit where credit is due, as Garbutt really proved that he will be a player to watch for years to come.
#43 Valeri Nichushkin B+ I have to admit, Big Val was a very raw rookie this year. But while he had his moments, he showed us at times just what he is capable of, and many around the league took notice. Jaromir Jagr himself predicted that Nichushkin will be one of the best players in the NHL in a few years. For an 18-year old that didn't speak English to play on one of the premier top lines in the league was something to behold, and if he can learn to protect the puck better in the open ice and use his large frame more effectively in the corners, he will stick on the top trio with Benn and Seguin. The Stars got a much more well-rounded and mature player than any of us expected, so the "Russian Factor" that surrounds players like him appears to be something that we won't have to worry about any time soon.
#17 Rich Peverley B+ A harsh grade, I know. Given everything that Pevs went through this season, he deserves an A+ for his efforts. He was, in my mind, the most versatile player that the Stars had this season, and his versatility will be sorely missed next season if his recovery process takes longer than we hope this summer. That said, he was bounced up and down the lineup constantly during the time he was healthy, and this probably took a major bite out of the numbers he otherwise would have put up. If he does return at some point next season, I anticipate that he will be deployed on one of the wings, given the fact that the Stars should attempt to acquire another center in the offseason. I really hope that he can return, because his veteran leadership is something that this team will desperately need moving forward.
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Who honestly didn't want to see this pic again?!
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#21 Antoine Roussel B+ The Dallas Stars are currently in possession of one of the most hated players in the National Hockey League. But that's okay if you're a fan of the Green Machine. Roussel racked up 209 penalty minutes this season, good for third in the entire NHL. But at the same time, he also put up 14 goals and 15 assists, the result of his blistering speed that he utilized time and again to cement his place on the second line. A Restricted Free Agent this offseason, he will undoubtedly be signed to a multi-year deal, as his ability to spark his team at a second's notice is something indispensable for a young club like the Stars.
#22 Colton Sceviour B+ For much of the middle third of the season, many of us were wondering what Sceviour was still doing down in the AHL, a league that he was absolutely tearing up points-wise. His first stint with the big club had gone well enough, but there just didn't seem to be a place for him at right wing in Dallas. When he signed an NHL-only contract for the next two years on February 28th, it was clear that either the Stars had plans to make room for him in the offseason or trade him to someone with a need at right wing. Then, less than two weeks after signing his new contract, Sceviour immediately was called up for good after Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench during a game. While I'm sure that he would have preferred getting called up under kinder circumstances, Sceviour made the most of his opportunity, carving out a niche for himself on the third line at even strength as well as on the second power play unit. Ever since he entered the Stars organization, he has continued to improve with each passing year. Stars management will think long and hard about his future with the club; because, if he stays on track with his development, he could be a very exciting player to watch in victory green for years to come.
#38 Vernon Fiddler B Vernon Fiddler gave the Stars exactly what they needed out of one of their bottom-six centers this season. He was dominant on the faceoff dot, extremely effective on the penalty kill, and he even chipped in some offense at times. An Unrestricted Free Agent this offseason, it is unlikely that he will return to Dallas in the fall due to the Stars' limited space on the 50-man roster and his likely desire for a multi-year contract. On a more positive note, take a moment to bask in the glory of the most awesome shootout move in the history of the NHL!
#12 Alex Chiasson B We all knew, deep down, that Toaster would be unable to keep up the insane scoring pace that he was on at the end of last season and the for the first few games of this campaign. However, Chiasson's numbers (13 G + 22 A) probably could have been considerably better if not for two factors conspiring against him. First, he was initially placed on the second line with Ray Whitney and Cody Eakin, a trio that initially meshed well together but eventually became a liability defensively, which in turn eroded their production at the offensive end. Second, a bout with stomach flu midway through the season made Chiasson lose fifteen pounds in a very short span of time. While he was able to get his strength back, the lost girth limited his physicality and thus his ability to drive the net. With the Olympic break, he was able to gain back most of the weight he'd lost and he returned looking like the player he was when he came up. He was a crucial component of the Stars' depth scoring during the stretch run to the playoffs, and by the end of it all, he was playing on the top line with Benn and Seguin. He could be destined for big things if given the proper linemates in 2014-15.
#10 Shawn Horcoff B- Perhaps I should have given Horcoff a C+, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt given his performance down the stretch and his solid production during the playoff series against Anaheim. Horcoff spent most of the season centering the fourth line, but towards the end of the campaign, he made the transition to left wing to play alongside Fiddler and Sceviour. While not his natural position, it shows that he has versatility, which greatly increases his value. His greatest asset for the Stars this season was his play on special teams, as he anchored the middle with a veteran presence on both a power play unit and a penalty kill unit for much of the season. He has by far the biggest albatross contract on the team, with a cap hit of $5.5 million for one final year on his current contract (although he will only receive $3 million in 2014-15). This means that the Stars will probably keep him as their fourth-line center for next year as they would probably have to keep some of his cap hit were he to be made part of a trade.
#72 Erik Cole C+ I could have given Erik Cole a slightly higher score, but he could have been so much more this year. His numbers were a significant improvement over what he put up in the shortened 2013 campaign, but he was a very streaky player this year, something that you do not expect out of veterans like him. His goals were good for fourth on the team, but the heavy majority of them came at home and many came in bunches. Don't get me wrong; that goal he scored on Modano night was one of the goals of the year in my book, but he could have been a true difference maker for this team this season. His status as a healthy scratch for several games during the playoff series with the Ducks raises a handful of red flags for me when analyzing what's next for him. Despite the fact that he only has one year left on his contract, his deal has been labeled an albatross, as his cap hit is $4.5 million. I am not opposed to him returning next year, especially as the Stars appear under-staffed at left wing, but he needs to step up his game if he hopes to play meaningful minutes for the Green Machine moving forward.
#13 Ray Whitney C- Was this season the swan song for the Wizard? I tend to believe that it was. The now 42-year old winger was highly ineffective at even strength for much of the year, especially during the latter months, when he was relegated to duty on the fourth line. He was still an important part of a power play unit with his passing ability, but he was not the player that he was in 2013. Since the Stars' playoff run ended, he has expressed his feeling that he was misused by the Stars down the stretch. I don't believe him, for he simply did not play at a level that warranted increased responsibility. It is unfortunate that such a distinguished career could very well have come to an end on such a low note.
NOTE: I created a separate categrory for the following four players because of their limited playing time with the Dallas Stars this season. I have taken into account their accomplishments with the Texas Stars in determining their grades.
#18 Chris Mueller B While signing Mueller was a bit of an afterthought in the early going this season, he certainly made his presence felt within the organization. We ought to rename I-35 the "Chris Mueller Expressway" because he was called up to Dallas and sent back down to Austin too many times to count, often making both transactions in the same day. During his time in Dallas, he centered a pretty solid fourth line, and his versatility was always on display. While he didn't put up any points this season at the NHL level, he put up 25 goals and 32 assists for the Texas Stars, and his four appearances in the Dallas Stars' playoff series against the Ducks is a major indication of how high his level of play was late in the season. He will be an Unrestricted Free Agent once the free agent signing period begins, but I would not be at all surprised if he is re-signed by Dallas. His presence gives the Stars a real safety net at center should injury occur, and the team's top center prospects are at least two years away from making an impact at the NHL level. He will be cheap and willing to accept a short-term deal. Why not bring him back?
39# Travis Morin B- Morin was one of the most dominant players in the AHL this year while anchoring the top line for the Texas Stars. The 30 year-old center put up 32 goals and 56 assists in the regular season in Cedar Park this year and played in four games for Dallas. His 88 total points were tops in the AHL in the regular season, and his line, featuring Colton Sceviour and the rookie Curtis McKenzie, was one of the most feared in the league. His numbers can be misleading, however, as he is a veteran AHLer and is not part of the plan moving forward for Dallas. Regardless, he provides crucial depth at the center position and is a key player for the young prospects to play alongside as they mature in Cedar Park. He will be a key cog in a deep playoff run for Texas, which is exactly what the Stars' most NHL-ready prospects need as they look to head into training camp in the fall with a chance to make the NHL roster.
#11 Dustin Jeffrey C+ Jeffrey is a tough player to evaluate because of his oft sporadic playing time and his use in a multitude of positions on the lower lines. Acquired off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the middle of the season, Jeffrey spent a lot of time in the press box as a healthy scratch and a lot of time with the Texas Stars, for whom he put up 10 points in 21 games. With all that working against him, perhaps this grade is a bit unfair, but his lack of production (just 3 points in 24 NHL games with Dallas) makes it hard to grade him otherwise. Still, he did have one breakout game with the Stars as he potted two goals in a 5-0 victory in Washington on April 1st. He will be an Restricted Free Agent this offseason, and it is questionable as to whether or not Jim Nill and his crew will bring Jeffrey back to Big D in the fall.
#28 Lane MacDermid D- This guy gets a D- for the time he spent in a Stars uniform, but Jim Nill gets an A+ because the Stars GM flat out hosed Calgary by trading this guy for a 6th-round draft pick. Why was that trade such a steal? Because the 24 year-old MacDermid retired from professional hockey shortly thereafter. So the Stars got a sixth round pick for about as little as you can pay. We the fans appreciate shrewd management moves like this.
Okay fans, that's all for now. I'll have another post assigning grades to the defensemen later this week. Keep Calm and Kari On, Everybody!
Christian Bussler
@c_buss15 Follow me on Twitter and follow @RiffRamSports
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