Stars defensemen use preseason to search for perfect pairs

The Stars defense could very well be a work in progress in the season ahead.

Coach Pete DeBoer said he likes consistency in his lineup in all areas, but acknowledged that there might be some experimentation in getting his defense pairs right. With Colin Miller traded and Thomas Harley getting a chance to start the season in the NHL, the opportunity to test out and sort through different options seems pretty clear.

“You’d like some consistency, but injuries and tweaks have a say in that,” DeBoer admitted.

The plan in preseason play has been a bit all over the place. On one hand, there have been injuries. On the other, it looks like the coaching staff simply wants to see how different pairings function in a game setting. Esa Lindell and Jani Hakanpää played together most of last season, but Lindell has been partnered with Nils Lundkvist while Hakanpää has played beside Harley for much of this preseason. Miro Heiskanen has skated with Ryan Suter, just as he did last season, but has also been plotted beside Lundkvist, Harley, Lindell and Hakanpää.

“I think we can play with anyone,” Hakanpää said. “The structure and the details are all the same. I played with Esa a lot last year and we talked a lot and made a plan, so now I just have to communicate a little more and make sure you’re on the same page. By now you kind of know everyone around here. I feel comfortable playing with anyone. We have a great group.”

When the new coaching staff came in last season, the plan was to spread out minutes in hopes of keeping players fresh. Heiskanen added a minute per game, going up to 25:29, but almost everybody else cut their minutes. Ryan Suter went from 23:39 to 20:43. Lindell went from 22:03 to 19:55. Hakanpää saw a rise from 16:13 to 19:20, but that could change this year as the push to give more minutes to Lundkvist and Harley evolves.

Harley played almost all of last season in the AHL before being called up for the last six games of the regular season and the playoffs. Lundkvist played in 60 NHL games during the regular season, but turned into a healthy scratch late in the year and didn’t play in any playoff games. There was a lot of learning going on for the 23-year-old former first-round pick.

In preseason, the defensemen have been shuffled on a regular basis, but that seems to have only helped in building a sturdy connection on the blue line.

“I enjoy playing with everyone here,” Harley said. “Everyone brings something a little different, so it’s a learning process. You feel them out and sooner or later you start anticipating what they’re going to do.”

As much as everyone can play with everyone, there are certain unique traits among each pair. Lindell and Hakanpää are both from Finland, so they often converse in Finnish on the ice. Hakanpää said he can change how he talks depending on the partner, but added that he felt he and Lindell could sometimes hide their strategy from opponents by speaking in Finnish. Playing beside Harley or Lundkvist not only changes the language aspect, but also puts the 31-year-old in more of a leadership role.

“I try to help as much as I can,” he said. “Even with Esa, we talk about a bunch of situations. `Do you think I should go here or there?’ You try to pass on the knowledge as much as you can and help those guys so they don’t have to go through every single struggle I went through. Make their path a little easier. And then they do a lot of good things out there and maybe I can learn from them.  It’s always a two-way street.”

That’s been a fun process during camp. Harley is preparing for his first full season in the NHL. Lundkvist is trying to take the next step after being acquired in a trade from the Rangers last season. There is growth in individuals and there is, hopefully, growth in the group itself.

And as everyone grows, the search is on to find consistent pairs.

“Like line combinations, defense pairings, in a perfect world, every coach would love to set them in stone in camp and have them work all year,” DeBoer said. “That’s our goal. But in reality, that’s not the way it works. You have to be able to pivot. One thing this camp has given everybody is an opportunity.”

Harley has played on the power play at times even though he will more than likely serve as a penalty killer. He said he likes trying both right now.

“It’s been fun,” he said of the power play. “I didn’t get to do it very much last year but to be back on it and play some offense is definitely something I enjoy.”

And as for what he’s learned about the penalty kill he said, “First off, you’ve got to take pride in it. And then it’s more skill than you think it is.”

Lindell could be a partner on the penalty kill, so Harley will need to build that relationship. Lundkvist might see power play time with Heiskanen, so that pair might have to work together some. Anything seems possible right now.

“Situations change, injuries happen, you just have to be ready to play with anyone, whether it’s Miro or Esa or whoever it is,” Harley said. “You know how to play with them and you just go out and do your job.”

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 Twitter @MikeHeika.