A new dawn in Dallas: Assessing Stars’ opportunities under a new staff

Spare time can make the mind wander. And since the Stars haven’t played a game in three months, there have been lots of “evening strolls” in the synapses of my cerebral cortex.

For instance, I was watching the Cowboys game on Thursday night, and the discussions concerning the new coaching staff and the shifts in both philosophy and execution made me think about the Stars. Go figure.

Critics and fans are wondering just what kind of head coach Brian Schottenheimer will be, and there has been a lot of analysis concerning the pressure of the job and the preparation during training camp. For one game, at least, the questions seemed to be answered in a positive manner. The Cowboys looked “well-coached.” They seemed to be prepared for a daunting challenge of facing the defending Super Bowl champions on the road. They did a pretty good job of handling the weather delay, as well as the heightened emotion of a crazy first play which led to an ejection.

At the heart of the “spitting” incident that led to the ejection of Jalen Carter was the fact that quarterback Dak Prescott wanted to protect his rookie lineman. Prescott said after the game that Carter was trying to mess with offensive guard Tyler Booker, and that he interacted with Carter because of it. That’s probably something Prescott would do anyway, but it got the discussion started on whether or not Schottenheimer’s attempts to improve the “culture” of the room had an impact in Game 1.

Schottenheimer has been in the Cowboys organization for three years, so he understands the inner workings. He made it a priority to improve the team’s culture by encouraging competitive spirit, increasing brotherhood, demanding accountability, pushing for a more physical identity and asking for leadership from everyone. Those are things every coach seeks, so it’s no newsflash when the words come out. But if indeed the new guys can do things the old guy couldn’t, then it really can result in a different performance.

Which leads us straight to the lads in Victory Green. It’s tough to criticize Pete DeBoer and his coaching staff. They had the best regular-season record in the NHL over the past three seasons and earned appearances in three straight Western Conference Finals. And yes, GM Jim Nill felt that a change was needed, so he hired Glen Gulutzan as the new coach. Like Schottenheimer, Gulutzan is no newcomer to the coaching game, but he also hasn’t been the head of a program since 2018 when he was in Calgary. So, just like Schottenheimer, he has the ability to voice new ideas and suggest different ways of doing things.

That’s why both are where they are…and each has a great opportunity to have open ears and willing hearts that will hear these ideas and put them into action.

Gulutzan said in his opening press conference that he wants his players to embrace even a one percent increase in physicality, and that the combined effect of that will indeed make the Stars tougher to play against. That’s a reasonable premise and it could result in a significant impact on the ice. The Stars were second to last in the league in hits last year during the regular season. Their hits-per-60 in the playoffs were dead last. That’s not the end-all stat for physical play, but it certainly was a criticism that has followed the team around the past three years.

Nill has added some size to help combat that in the form of Nathan Bastian and Radek Faksa, but Dallas lost Mason Marchment and Cody Ceci, so it is a bit of a wash on that front. Having a full season of Lian Bichsel (6-7, 231) and Mikko Rantanen (6-4, 215) should help, but again, this has to be a team answer.

Rantanen is an intriguing part of all of this. By contract alone, he is the team’s most important player. And when you consider that over the past four seasons, he’s the seventh leading scorer in the league, he is a true superstar. But intertwined in all of that is the fact he could be a true leader for this organization – and the tip of the spear for Gulutzan’s message. In the brief time we have been able to observe Rantanen at the rink, he is a dedicated worker who loves a routine. By working outside the norms of his fellow Finns, Rantanen often puts himself in daily contact with healthy scratches and backup goalie. He is comfortable with these interactions and he clearly has the look of a leader when he’s just walking around. Mix in the fact that he also seems to have an edge on the ice, and you can imagine his impact in the next eight years.

Rantanen is a big man who wants the puck. He will battle against the boards, he will get in the face of the opposition. He’s not going to fight or deliver huge hits, but you will definitely feel his competitive presence – and that’s a big deal for this team. Former Stars defenseman Craig Ludwig used to talk about how when Mike Modano was one of the hardest working defensive players on the ice, it definitely had a ripple effect. If the best offensive player was playing defense, then everyone had to play defense. Well, if the highest paid player is competing every shift, then you all have to compete every shift.

It’s just one of the things that will be different about this season.

Can Gulutzan push the right buttons to get the one percent change he’s seeking? Can he get even more if the ripples become waves?

It’s a fun discussion to have while you’re sitting on the couch watching a football game.

But what is clear in the comparisons between the Cowboys and the Stars is that change can be a good thing. Maybe the culture really is improving for America’s Team. Maybe the lads in Victory Green really will get a boost from the new coaching staff and new faces in the lineup. One thing I have learned is that every edition is different - and can even change from Game 1 of the regular season to Game 1 of the playoffs – so we’ll have to be patient.

But the mind is already working out the whole season, and that seems to tell you it’s time to get started.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.