Hey Heika: Has the Stars' window for a cup already opened?

Howdy folks. The bye week seems like a good time for a Hey Heika, so let's dig in and see what's on your mind.

Mike Heika: I've never been able to grow facial hair, so I'm not sure how people look at growing it, keeping it, and shaving it. My guess is Jake realized he looked goofy, and decided to clean things up.

Heika: I know Stars President Brad Alberts would really like to do an update on American Airlines Center and maintain the same relationship with the Mavericks. If the Mavericks decide to leave, it will force the Stars to ponder the option of staying or leaving. My guess is the city has a big say in this, and if the Mavericks are seeking to build a new arena in Dallas, it would create a lot of conversations on what to do with the AAC and whether or not the economic environment could support two major entertainment venues. When you see how much has grown up around the AAC in terms of downtown business, I would think the city wants to maintain that as much as possible. So the logical answer is everyone stays and they make the arena even better.

Heika: When you look at what the Stars did in the bubble, and the fact teams like St. Louis, Dallas, Vegas, Montreal and Nashville (who have either won or made it to the Final), you see the game has changed. There is no more "window" to win. Yes, certain teams are not in the mix because of where they are, and certain teams have better chances (Tampa Bay recently and Colorado now), but the bottom line is a lot of teams can get on big runs in the playoffs. Part of that is due to the fact roughly 20 teams are close to the cap now and because many have great goaltending.
As for the Stars as an organization, you have to marvel at how Jim Nill and staff have loaded things up. They have a 20-something core in Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen and Jake Oettinger. They have good young players in Wyatt Johnston, Ty Dellandrea and Nils Lundkvist, and they have impressive prospects in Logan Stankoven, Thomas Harley, Mavrik Bourque and Lian Bichsel. They really should be good for several years to come.
I'm guessing the window is open now and will stay open for some time, but I'm an optimist.

Heika: I have not talked to anyone in particular, but I would think the Stars would like Lian Bichsel to play in North America next season. The Stars have been very flexible in being open to the wishes of the players, and they allowed John Klingberg to stay over in Europe an extra year rather than force him into the NHL, so Bichsel will have a big say in this. I think the Stars would love him playing North American hockey.

Heika: I look at Nashville. The two teams have a lot of good memories, and the fan bases seem very similar. Detroit still is fun, but that has lost steam since the Red Wings moved to the East. Edmonton is also fun, but kind of old. The Blues would also be in the conversation. What they need is to have a few playoff battles with a team like Colorado to really get things heated again.

Heika: I think he is a veteran defender who is losing a step as he gets older. That said, he is in at a pretty reasonable cap hit of $3.65 million for the minutes he plays and he brings an impressive pedigree and the trust of the coaching staff. His analytics were great last season, but they have declined this year. He is among the lower half of the team in most stats that deal with scoring or expected goals. However, he is in the middle to upper half of the Stars in shot attempt differential. His numbers should be better on a team who is this successful, but I don't see the visible flaws that others do.
I think one of the biggest problems in the battle between those who want Suter scratched and those who think that's unnecessary is the fact this team is fighting for first place in the Western Conference and is in the top 10 in most statistical categories. To question the coaches or management on a small issue seems a little over-reactive. As for the "eye test," I do think critics could have a case of confirmation bias when it comes to Suter. If you watch a player and are looking for mistakes, you will find them. Watch Mason Marchment, Denis Gurianov, or Jamie Benn even. They each make mistakes.
There is concern the 38-year-old Suter could get worse as he gets older and that a younger defenseman might be a better choice at this time. I understand those debates. Regardless, I see Suter a little like Benn or Tyler Seguin. He has earned some wiggle room because of his career. Coaches feel they can help him get back to where he needs to be. It worked for Benn and Seguin this year and it could also work for Suter.
Conclusively, and to be completely honest, I just don't think about Suter that much. I see him as a player like Radek Faksa or Luke Glendening or Jani Hakanpää. They are pieces in the machine, and they seem to quietly do their job, which is likely why many are surprised by the level of emotion around the Suter discussion.

Heika: I think it's salary cap more than anything. The Stars have carried 12 forwards for a lot of games. If they were at 14, I think you would see more games from those players and would also have seen them in practice and hanging around the team. Plus, they added Marchment and Johnston in the offseason, and that makes the battle even tighter for players who are trying to make the roster. On the good side, the Texas Stars are 32-23-9-6, and the young players are getting great experience. The competition is tough going forward, but that's a good thing.

Heika: They want to limit the amount of retired numbers, and that's why they invented the Hall of Fame. My guess is it will be tough to get a number retired going forward.

Heika: The veteran minds in the front office and the coaching staff have been very patient in developing players in the past and they are taking a slow approach to Lundkvist. If you look at what Dellandrea went through last year in the minors or even what Hintz went through in his 21- and 22-year-old seasons playing a good deal with the Texas Stars, Dallas has been very clear in over-ripening prospects. Lundkvist has played in all but six games, so he's doing well. He's 22 and in just his second season in North America. This is a process and the Stars all believe this is the right way to develop him.
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.