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Dallas Stars Defense: Not Playoff Ready

By Topher Peters

Oct 22, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Dallas Stars goalie Antti Niemi (31) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Patric Hornqvist (72) as Stars defenseman John Klingberg (3) and defenseman Alex Goligoski (33) defend during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Stars won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Dallas Stars goalie Antti Niemi (31) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Patric Hornqvist (72) as Stars defenseman John Klingberg (3) and defenseman Alex Goligoski (33) defend during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Stars won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dallas Stars Defense: Not Playoff Ready

The Dallas Stars defense is not playoff ready, as evident in recent games.  Without an improved defense, the team will continue to struggle through the early playoff rounds.  Currently sitting in second place in the strong Central Division (behind the Chicago Blackhawks) the team has shown serious talent on offense and is receiving strong play from goaltender Antti Niemi.

The Stars issue has simply been their defensive game.  Jim Nill must address the team’s defense by the Trade Deadline or his players will be starting their summer earlier than most would hope for the highest scoring Western Conference team.  Below is a deeper look at the team’s defensive situation:

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John Klingberg (23 years old) started the season as a man on fire and quickly established himself as the team’s number one defenseman.  The young blueliner is only in his second season and is still learning to play a defensive role against NHL talent.  A young offensive-minded skill, such as Klingberg, should be complemented with a strong defensive-minded partner to avoid being caught out of position or over-pursuing.  The Dallas Stars have chosen to pair Klingberg with another offensive minded d-man, Alex Goligoski, forming an offensively threatening first pair.

While a veteran presence lining up next to Klingberg is the correct move, Goligoski’s play is simply too offensive minded to be paired with Klingberg at even strength or against the other team’s top talent.  The two form an ideal blueline on the powerplay, but the offensive minded duo has allowed for defensive weakness to be exposed.  Even on the powerplay, the defense has stalled and allowed four shorthanded goals in two weeks.  The second pairing of Jason Demers and Johnny Oduya has been performing well, but is leaned upon too heavily for shut down situations.  As for the third pair, the Stars have allowed for a revolving door to emerge.  Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Jyrki Jokipakka and Jordie Benn have been sharing minutes on the third pairing in recent weeks, which further destabilizes the Stars defense situation.

The Dallas Star's Defense is not Playoff Ready
Feb 9, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Patrik Nemeth (15) battles with Minnesota Wild forward Nino Niederreiter (22) for position in front of the net during the third period at Xcel Energy Center. The Stars win 4-3 over the Wild in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports /

So how does the team address the team’s defense?

Simply put, the team needs to address and stabilize the third pairing, while pushing the first pairing to play a defensively responsible game.  Nemeth, Oleksiak and Jokipakka all have talent and could be key defenseman for the Stars in the future, but they will likely need to take a developmental role at the AHL level for the remainder of the season or be used as trade assets prior to the deadline.  The third pairing for the Stars needs to be a stable defensive presence now and into the postseason, which will likely be supported via trade.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could prove to be a strong trade partner for the Stars at the deadline.  The Leafs have recently moved captain Dion Phaneuf, officially announcing they are open for business ahead of the Trade Deadline.  Both Roman Polak and Matt Hunwick are rumored to be available and could be acquired by the Stars to stabilize the blue-line.

The Dallas Star's Defense is not Playoff Ready
Dec 5, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Roman Polak (46) in action during a game against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. Toronto won the game 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports /

Roman Polak is a bruising right-handed defenseman that plays a defensively sound game and has managed a plus/minus of plus 10 on a struggling Toronto defense.  Polak’s physical game will prove handy in the playoffs and he is often talked about as a great voice in the locker room.  Polak’s attributes and $2.75 million dollar expiring contract will likely make him a sought after commodity at the trade deadline and have multiple teams vying for his services.

As for Hunwick, this is the veteran’s only season under Mike Babcock and he has simply excelled. Hunwick’s smart defensive game has paired nicely with the Leafs young star Morgan Reilly and the two have formed a trusted option in Toronto.  Reilly, like Klingberg, is a talented offensive minded defender who has struggled with adapting to the defensive play at the NHL level, but Hunwick has provided a stabilizing presence.  Perhaps Hunwick could be acquired to pair with Klingberg and allow for reshuffling of the blue line to stress defensive responsibility.  The 30-year-old has one season remaining on his contract at a very affordable cap hit of $1.2 million dollars per season.

Next: NHL Trade Deadline: The Crowded Basement

The Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks are other teams that may make a strong trade partner for the Stars to their defensive situation. The Stars have a surplus of strong offensive-minded defenseman in their prospect pool to facilitate a win-now trade for a Veteran defensive presence.  It is widely expected for the Stars make a move in the coming weeks, so who do you think is coming to stabilize the back and who will the Stars send the other way?

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