Snapshots: Oduya, Sproul, Trouba, Fowler
Mike Heika writes that the development of Dallas’ young defenseman has been helped by the presence of Johnny Oduya. The four defenseman standing to benefit, Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Stephen Johns and Esa Lindell, have the two-time Stanley Cup champion defenseman patrolling the blue line. General manager Jim Nill talked about Oduya’s professionalism and dedication to the sport and how it plays a huge role in the development of younger players:
“It’s hard to tell his age, because he’s in such great shape. He’s a consummate professional, and he’s the kind of guy that players naturally attract to. They want to ask him what he’s eating and why. They want to know how he’s working out.”
Oduya was signed as a free agent by the Stars in 2015 and defenseman Stephen Johns followed from Chicago when he was dealt along with Patrick Sharp to the big D. Johns commented on Oduya’s leadership, especially during a rough series for Johns against Minnesota during the 2016 playoffs. Johns said that Oduya’s words of wisdom were instrumental in his confidence growing.
Though the Stars are 3-3-1, the steady Oduya should help the younger defensive corps bring the Stars back to its expected perch as one of the best in the West.
In other NHL news:
- The Red Wings have guaranteed one of their young defenseman an extended stay with the big club writes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Khan answered a number of questions and regarding young defenseman Ryan Sproul, the club has apparently told Sproul to a find a place to live in the Detroit area. Khan reports that Sproul will duke it out with Alexey Marchenko and Xavier Ouellet for a final spot on the blue line when Niklas Kronwall returns from a knee injury. When Tomas Jurco returns, Khan opines that it will most likely be Ouellet as the odd man out, which would mean being exposed to waivers.
- Khan also answers about the Red Wings’ likelihood of obtaining Jacob Trouba or Cam Fowler via a trade, but from the sounds of it, Trouba is still a far fetched option while Fowler might end up staying in Anaheim after all. Khan says that the Ducks may reconsider moving Fowler should their offensive woes continue. Trouba, on the other hand, will simply cost too much for the Wings to trade for, and the young, left handed defenseman the Jets seek in return is something Detroit cannot provide.
Dallas Notes: Defense, Hemsky, Cracknell
While the Dallas Stars are carrying eight defensemen for the second straight season, head coach Lindy Ruff is changing how he’s handling the extra depth on his roster, writes Mike Heika of the Dallas News. Through just four games, all eight blueliners have played in at least two of those contests, a stark contrast to last season where Ruff predominantly kept his top six the same from game to game. Ruff commented on the decision to cycle some of his defenders in and out of the lineup:
“I want to get everybody going. It’s not really based on play. I have eight defensemen I’ve used throughout the whole training camp. It will sort itself out. It’s not easy for the two guys who are coming out but at the same time that process usually works out where somebody will step up and really become a player that you don’t want to take him out. But I feel all of these guys can play, and I don’t want them sitting too long.”
Last season, the Stars kept waiver-eligible Jamie Oleksiak up with the team the entire season but only played him in 19 games, hardly an ideal situation. Fast forward to this year where the team is reportedly shopping him but his lack of playing time last season will certainly be a factor when it comes to any trade discussions. If their blueline corps stays healthy (which would be a stark contrast to their forward group), it will be interesting to see how long Ruff keeps his rotation going.
[Related: Stars Depth Chart]
Other notes out of Dallas:
- Right winger Ales Hemsky is close to returning from his groin injury and could make his season debut on Saturday, Heika reports in a separate column. The injury came about at last month’s World Cup of Hockey. Hemsky had 13 goals and 26 assists last season and will give an already deep forward group another offensive threat when he does return to the ice.
- Newcomer Adam Cracknell has been one of the early pleasant surprises for the Stars this season, notes Mark Stepneski on the team’s official site. He was brought in over the offseason to give them more depth up front and with the injuries the team has had to deal with, Cracknell has found himself receiving regular ice time. He has two goals and an assist in four games so far this season while spending time both at center and the wing. As players such as Hemsky start to return, Cracknell’s role will likely diminish but for the short-term at least, the 31 year old is giving them good value for a cap hit of only $600K.