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Arizona Coyotes 2015 Opponents: Dallas Stars

ByWilliam Grigsby|

The Arizona Coyotes have not always gotten along with the Dallas Stars. We have to play them three times this season, one in Dallas

We take a look at the Texas team:

Today we look at: Dallas Stars

2014-15 record: 41-31-10, 6th in the Central, Didn’t make the playoffs

How the Arizona Coyotes did: 3 games, 0-3-0 (outscored 13-4)

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Schedule this year against the Arizona Coyotes: Thur, 2/18 Home, Thur 3/24 Home, Thur 3/31 at Dallas

Notable additions: G Antti Niemi, LW Patrick Sharp, D Johnny Oduya

Notable subtractions: D Trevor Daley, LW Ryan Garbutt, G Jhonas Enroth, C Shawn Horcoff

Coached by: Lindy Ruff (3rd year)

Who’s in Net:

The Stars will have the most intriguing and perhaps the most expensive goaltending tandem in the NHL this season. After watching starter Kari Lehtonen struggle for most of last season, they brought in Antti Niemi, who also struggled in parts of last season to help bolster the crease. They are both 31-year-old vets from Finland, and it will probably drive everyone crazy to determine the hot goalie.

Quick thoughts about the Stars:

  • No matter who is in net, they should be able to score.  They were second in the league last year and added Patrick Sharp and get back Valeri Nichushkin who played only eight games last season due to injury. Any team with Tyler Seguin has no trouble putting the puck in the net.
  • The problem is a sieve-like defense and back-end (which we can unfortunately relate to). They gave up 3.13 goals per game, while scoring at the exact same 3.13 goals a game, and exchanged out Trevor Daley for Johnny Oduya.  That isn’t a big step up and the goalie situation just seems more muddled, and uncertain.
  • With the big splash with the off-season additions, the fans are ready for a deep playoff run perhaps culminating with the Stanley Cup.  We just don’t see it. They need more defense, and back checking by the forwards.

Why the Stars will win the Stanley Cup:

For the second year in a row, they went out and brought in some big names in the offseason, but it remains to be seen how they fit in and if it will be a big improvement. It never hurts to bring in veteran players from an organization who has won three Cups in six years. They disappointed last year, and if they can get it all together they could make a run. They may win some track meet games, and that should be fun to watch.

Why the Stars won’t win the Stanley Cup:

Defense wins championships and Dallas doesn’t have much.  Their forwards score, and don’t back check plus their defense is horrid.  There I said it. Add a couple of big name aging goaltenders that have struggled, and things could get ugly. Until Tyler Seguin learns to stop being a party animal, and act more maturely, he could cause more trouble like a problem child.

Three Things We Like About You:

  1. You haven’t been the easiest team to beat last season, and in one game you knocked the snot out of us 6-0.
  2. We kind of feel sorry for you that you are in the same city as the Dallas Cowboys.  No one should have to go against that media machine.  You should try not to compete with Jerry Jones, it isn’t worth it.
  3. There is a soft spot in our hearts for all of the Southern Hockey teams in the NHL. Even if they are in Texas. There, that wasn’t so hard.

Three Things We Don’t Like About You:

  1. You scored 1.12 more goals per game than us. We sure could use some of that scoring, care to share?
  2. You actually went out and added some nice pieces to your team. Whereas we still are sitting on over $13M we could use under the salary cap limit. The owners keep saying they want a winner, well… spend the money!
  3. You stole Ray Whitney from us again. Just when I thought he’d be a good candidate to replace GM Don Maloney, who’s really not in this century at times, and is way too conservative with money and progressing young talent.

Prediction:

We think that the Stars did plenty in the off-season to make the playoffs this year.  It won’t be pretty, and there might be a lot of 7-4 games, but they should be fun to watch. That being said, we don’t see a deep playoff run. That suits us fine, because we probably won’t make the playoffs AGAIN.

Next: Arizona Coyotes 2015 Opponents: Edmonton Oilers

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