Summer School: Can 'comfortable' Radek Faksa repeat stellar year?

As players get ready for the 2018-19 season under new head coach Jim Montgomery, let's take a look at what they did last season and where they can improve in a series we'll call "Summer School." Next up, DallasStars.com senior staff writer Mike Heika takes a look at center Radek Faksa
Previous installments:Jason Spezza, Tyler Seguin, John Klingberg, Mattias Janmark

Radek Faksa

Position:Center
Age:24
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 216 pounds
Shoots: Left
2017-18 Stats:79 GP, 17 G 16 A, 33 Pts, plus-21, 36 PIM
2018-19 Status:Under contract for $2.2 million.

What happened last year

Despite seeing his minutes cut back by coach Ken Hitchcock, Faksa had a great overall year and
finished seventh in voting for the Selke Trophy
(given to the player voted the top defensive forward in the NHL). Faksa posted a career-best 17 goals and was tops on the Stars in plus/minus at plus-21. He was second on the team in shooting percentage at 14.4 percent, had 101 hits, 56 blocked shots, 16 giveaways and 38 takeaways. He also won 51.6 percent of his draws.

Heika's outlook

Depending on how new coach Jim Montgomery deploys his lines
, Faksa should see an increase in time on ice from the 15:16 he had last season. He is showing
he can be a talented offensive player
and probably deserves some power-play time. He also is showing he can play with skilled wingers. The guess is Faksa starts as the No. 3 center and then gets shuffled around depending on match-ups. He has
lost linemate Antoine Roussel to free agency
(Vancouver), but likely will be back with winger Tyler Pitlick. The
addition of Val Nichushkin
, Blake Comeau and also
possibly Jason Dickinson
creates some options for Faksa to up his offensive game. The other interesting possibility is that Faksa starts to earn second line minutes and gets slotted into a position like Ryan Kesler or Jordan Staal. If that happens, his scoring could really increase.
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They said it

"When you look at the new NHL, you don't have a top six, you have a top seven -- and Faksa is that seventh. He's a guy who is so consistent and so good in every phase of the game. He's a guy who can match up with those top lines, which will enable me to put whoever is playing with (Tyler) Seguin or (Jason) Spezza in favorable positions." -- Stars coach Jim Montgomery on how he could possibly use center Radek Faksa.

"I don't want to stay at defense, I want to play offense, too. I am forward, so I want to score goals as well. I want to play both styles. Every year, I feel better and better. I feel a part of the team -- I feel very comfortable here now. It's a great group of guys, and I feel great here." -- Faksa on how he views his future in Dallas.

"He's just a dog on a bone. His passion and intensity on the ice are infectious, just like (Alexander) Radulov and (Jamie) Benn. They're guys who you're like, `They're going, so I have to get going.'" -- Montgomery on how important Faksa can be to the team's attack.

"I want to grow. I'm still pretty young, so I just need to work hard to get better. I still have a few challenges ahead of me, so I have to work hard to progress. I thought I was prepared (for last season) from the summer. Summers are huge for me. I think you have to have a good summer to have a good season." -- Faksa on preparing for the 2018-19 season.
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.
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