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Tom Hicks might be selling the Stars, but he gave the team a good paint job and a solid cleaning before putting it up on the market. By adding Bill Guerin, Scott Young, Ulf Dahlen, Philippe Boucher, Aaron Downey and Ron Tugnutt in the offseason, Dallas remade not only its lineup, but its personality. This no longer is a wily veteran team ready to play a smart game of conservative hockey. It's now a team with size and speed that can bring a little more heat offensively.
Mix into that a new coach, a new general manager, a new No. 1 goalie -- and the prospect of a new owner -- and you have a team that will draw plenty of attention from around the NHL. Dallas wants to be seen as a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup in the West, but it has a lot to prove after missing the playoffs last season.
Playing it by ear: Even new coach Dave Tippett is wondering what kind of system he will run. Tippett, who was an assistant with the Kings last season, will get his first chance to run an NHL team. And while he was a defensive forward when he played, Tippett has gained a reputation for knowing how to put together a solid offense as a coach. Tippett says he wants to be able to stress puck possession, he wants to be able to take a few chances with passes through the neutral zone and he wants to be able to allow players like Sergei Zubov and Mike Modano use their natural skills. That said, he also wants to be able to play smart defense and dump the puck if necessary. Let's just say Dallas has a lot to learn in training camp.
Room for one more: The Stars' lineup seems to be filled with veterans. Still GM Doug Armstrong is excited about his young forwards and would really like one or two to step up in training camp and during the preseason. Among the players fighting for a spot in the bottom six are: Jon Sim, Steve Gainey, Steve Ott, Barrett Heisten and Marcus Kristoffersson. Sim should get a breath of life with the new coach. Gainey made strides in the minors last season and Ott is coming out of juniors with a head of steam. But Heisten (acquired last season from the Rangers) might be the best bet. His mix of skill and grit is impressing coaches.
It's all your's kid: OK, at age 27, Marty Turco is no kid. And his numbers as a backup last season (15-6-2, 2.13 GAA, .921 save percentage) suggest he's more than ready for his shot as a No. 1 goalie. Still, there is the question of what happens when you hand a guy a team with a $60 million roster and the expectations that anything short of the Stanley Cup is a disappointment. New backup goalie Ron Tugnutt should be able to diffuse some of that pressure, but rest assured there are some in Dallas who are a little nervous without the security blanket that Ed Belfour had been for five seasons.
Preseason schedule
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DATE
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OPPONENT
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TIME (ET)
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Thu., Sept. 19
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at Colorado
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9 p.m.
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Fri., Sept. 20
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Detroit
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8:30 p.m.
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Sat., Sept. 21
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at Chicago
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8 p.m.
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Tue., Sept. 24
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Chicago
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8:30 p.m.
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Thu., Sept. 26
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Washington
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8:30 p.m.
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Fri., Sept. 27
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at Detroit
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7:30 p.m.
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Thu., Oct. 3
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Colorado
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8:30 p.m.
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Sat., Oct. 5
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St. Louis
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8 p.m.
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