Nothing’s changed for the Dallas Stars, and that’s a good thing

I’m fresh off a trip from Dallas Stars‘ social media. Trust me, I go there so you don’t have to. I just felt compelled to make the voyage to take the temperature of the fan base at large. To be completely honest, it wasn’t that bad. Sure, there were some cursory shots at head coach Rick Bowness regarding last night’s 4-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken, but most fans were in a reasonable mood.

First thing’s first: the Dallas Stars won three of the four games on their most recent west coast road trip. If any team redeems six of a possible eight points on any roadie, you simply take that, no questions asked. That kind of points percentage indicates a good result when the big picture is concerned. So, bottom line, if the Stars keep up this pace, they’re going to qualify for the postseason tournament, and rather easily at that.

The Dallas Stars continue to stay contenders in the Stanley Cup playoff race.

But if we’re taking the current situation into account, then yes, the Stars are still on the outside looking in. This is their current lot in life despite their best efforts. Worse yet, this appears to be the base for the doom-and-gloom faction to latch on to when it comes to the team’s prospects of finding a berth into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

To them, I offer no argument. Life is stressful right now, and all I can tell you is to try and enjoy the ride. Furthermore, even though the Vegas Golden Knights won and the Stars lost last night, Dallas still holds games in hand. Like it or not, it might come down to just those few games to determine whether or not the Stars can push through.

But we also have to credit the team for the fact that they’re still in the push at all. We have to remember that this bunch–dubious coach and roster aside, depending on who you talk to–was 18-16-2 after losing to the moribund Canadiens on 18-Jan. The were the thirteenth seed in the West on that day. Since then, they’re 21-10-1 and are engaged in a brutally delicate dance for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

More consistency early on would’ve been nice, obviously, but the Dallas Stars eventually established themselves as a playoff contender in a tremendously competitive Western Conference. The fans who consistently rail against the team need to acknowledge that. Sure, it’s easy to be critical after a loss to the lowly Kraken, but as I’ve said repeatedly in this space, the larger picture must be accounted for. To that end, the Stars are still firmly in control of their playoff fate.

In the meantime, the schedule gets no easier. The saving grace is that they have ten of their final fourteen on home ice, and they’ve been pretty excellent at American Airlines Center. It’s going to be another nail-biting finish for this bunch, but we’re used to that. So if you’ve followed this closely to this point, then you might as well stick around. If you end up disappointed, then we all will be. But if this team makes the playoffs, I have a feeling that it’s going to be a treat.

• Published on 04/04/2022 at 11:39 AM
• Last updated at 04/04/2022 at 11:40 AM