First Shift 🏒
It was just one change, but it was a significant one.
In adding Rantanen and subtracting Logan Stankoven, Dallas shook up its lines at the trade deadline. Now, the Stars are working to find a new chemistry and a new rhythm.
“We’ve got to build our game coming out of the trade deadline,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “We need to get our team identity back.”
From Jan. 1 until the trade deadline, the Stars were the best team in the NHL with a 19-6-1 record. They led the league in scoring (3.69 goals per game) and in power play success (35.3 percent). Since then, they are 3-2-2. While the offense hasn’t collapsed, Dallas is at 3.00 goals per game and the power play is at 21.1 percent.
Rantanen has 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in seven games, but has not scored in the past three. That’s just part of the process, DeBoer said.
When asked how hard it is for a skilled player to make a quick adjustment, DeBoer said, “It’s always the million dollar question. I don’t think you have to go further back than Joe Pavelski. It took him almost a year to get used to playing here. Other guys jump in and it’s seamless and it feels like they’ve played here forever. So, I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t think it’s going to be an issue, he looks like he’s fitting in. I think he’s got another level that he can get to, but there has been a lot on his plate and I think he’s handled it pretty well.”
But DeBoer added that getting one of the best players in the league is an opportunity, not a problem.
“We’re pretty excited to get him,” DeBoer said. “As a coach, you feel a certain obligation to make sure he fits in as quickly as possible and I think our players are trying to do that too, almost to the point of passing up shots. We’re working through that. He’s an elite player, a great teammate, he’s fit in really well off the ice.”
Rantanen has been playing mostly on a line with Roope Hintz and Robertson, but the Stars’ lack of spark has forced DeBoer to shuffle a lot. Dallas has been outshot 23.6 to 27.7 on average in the past seven games, so that is a concern. One of the issues has been not being able to get the puck out of the defensive end cleanly, and players said that’s a team issue that happens during a season.
“We’re not generating enough offense, but I think there’s steps in the right direction,” center Duchene said. “It starts in our end. We’ve got to execute better coming out, not as many dirty pucks. We’re too good a team to just muck it out.”
While captain Benn added, “It’s a long year. You’re going to go through your hot streaks and your dry spells. As long as we’re not giving up three or four goals, we’ll be fine. You can control your efforts and attitude. If you go out and play the right way, good things will happen.”
Dallas found a way to earn a 3-2 OT win against Philadelphia and now will play host to Minnesota on Monday. While there was progress in the Flyers game, the team still isn’t clicking the way it did earlier.
“Winning games is important, banking points is important. But when the playoffs hit, we have to be playing our best hockey,” defenseman Thomas Harley said. “I think everyone in this room knows we haven’t been doing that, so…playoff habits.”
