Defensemen to play significant role on offense again for Stars

FRISCO, Texas --During the NHL's stoppage in play last season, the Stars coaching staff decided the team needed a significant change in strategy to help a scoring drought that had lasted almost two years.
They pushed a plan in which defensemen would "activate" and join the play both on the rush and in the cycle in order to force the opposition to get outmanned, and also in order to make use of the team's talented defense corps. It worked brilliantly, as once the league returned to play in the bubble in Edmonton, the team's two leading scorers were defensemen Miro Heiskanen (26 points) and John Klingberg (21 points).
In fact, Dallas defensemen totaled 67 points in 27 games, breaking the franchise record for most points by the defense in the playoffs.

Now, with that information in their pocket, Dallas plans to rely on the defense again when the season begins Jan. 14 against Florida.

"Absolutely," Stars coach Rick Bowness said Tuesday when asked if they were going to build on the philosophy of active defensemen.
"If you're watching our drills, in every drill we do, our D are coming. We're not changing from that. Our defense are a huge part of our offense. Our defense are a huge part of our forecheck. We can't spend any time in the offensive zone unless we get our defensemen involved. So in that regard, a lot of the drills we did in July are the same drills we're doing now."
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The Stars in the playoffs upped their scoring totals to 2.85 goals per game from 2.58 during the regular season. Heiskanen went from 0.51 points per game to 0.96. Klingberg went from 0.55 points per game to 0.81. Both defensemen found a way to involve their teammates more and challenge the opposition.
"I think it's important that you do activate your defensemen," Klingberg said. "I think a lot of scoring chances and a lot of offense comes from playing good D. That's what we want to do. And when you turn the puck over and go the other way, you need a fourth man joining in the rush. That's something we worked on a lot in camp before the bubble and I think you saw that it was pretty successful in the playoffs."

In fact, players like Esa Lindell, Jamie Oleksiak and Andrej Sekera contributed key plays in the post-season. Sekera and Oleksiak had the assists on Joel Kiviranta's overtime goal to beat Colorado in Game 7. Oleksiak took the puck behind the offensive net and skated it out, handing off to Sekera, who went behind the net and fed Kiviranta in the slot.
It's a strategy that does open up the ice.
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Lindell said he enjoyed the opportunity to create offense. He finished with eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 27 playoff games, and said he believes the team has dangerous defensemen beyond Klingberg and Heiskanen.
"I feel completely comfortable doing it," Lindell said. "I think it's one part of my game I can still improve and get better. I wouldn't say it's just Miro or Klinger to do that, I would say it's for every D."

Now, the challenge to the strategy of active defensemen is that the team has to be able to adjust and not lose the defensive structure that has put the Stars among the goals against leaders for the past two seasons. Dallas was second in goals against average during the regular season at 2.52. That slipped to 3.04 in the postseason.
"The focus is our D are coming," Bowness said. "Our focus is D go, forwards play defense for him until he gets out of there. We're not changing that style at all."
The hope is that after the playoffs and another training camp, they will be even better at it.
"That's something we're going to keep working on," Klingberg said. "You need all five contributing offensively and defensively."

Pavelski practices after missing first day of camp, Hanley ruled 'unfit'

» Joe Pavelski practiced Tuesday after missing the first day. Bowness said Pavelski looked good and that he had trained hard to be ready for camp. Pavelski centered a line with Alexander Radulov and Joel Kiviranta.
»Defenseman Joel Hanley was "unfit" to practice (the listing for all injuries or illness), so AHL defenseman Jerad Rosburg took time with the top eight defensemen. Rosburg
signed as a free agent with the Stars
out of Michigan State and played two games with the Texas Stars last season.
» Bowness said that because of Tyler Seguin's absence due to injury (he could be back by March after offseason hip surgery), that Blake Comeau will have to start taking faceoffs. Seguin is right-handed and took the second most shorthanded faceoffs on the Stars last season (109), so they need another righty who could help out on the penalty kill. Comeau took 18 shorthanded faceoffs last season.
»The Stars will scrimmage on Wednesday. Because there are no preseason games, Bowness said the team will use the scrimmages to help determine who makes the six-man taxi squad that the NHL is allowing for teams this season.
Photo credit: Jeff Toates / Dallas Stars
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.