I don't blame Otter (not "Other" 😂) for the two goals. Both of them came off of grade A scoring chances and you are playing the Oilers. The first one that Casey left in was much softer.
I only skimmed this article because I'm still sad but just wanted to say thank you for all your great work this year, half the reason it's so fun to be a Stars fan right now is because of all the great reporters we have covering the team. Can't wait for next season!
Didn’t it just feel like 110% of the luck was dialed against the Stars in this series? Like, every bounce was a bad one, and every missed call was against the other team? I know, I know, you make your own luck, but it seemed so fated that a more conspiracy-minded person could call it rigged.
Maybe I’m just salty, but I still don’t think Edmonton is that good of a team. They’re just perfectly built to beat the Stars. Faster in all three zones and can out skate their mistakes.
I could be wrong, but I’m fully expecting the Panthers to steamroll them in the Finals. They turned the puck over to the Stars a lot in this series and a more opportunistic team turns all of those into goals against either of their goalies.
The only thing wrong with the Oilers is their goaltending. Skinner runs hot and cold and he tends to get exposed against teams that like to crash the net, like the Panthers. But there is no doubt in my mind that the best two teams in the NHL are now playing for the Cup.
They're 12-2 in their last 14 playoff games. They're headed to the SC Final for 2nd consecutive year. They've won 27 playoff games in two years. They have the indisputable best player in the world and probably one of the 5 best players to ever play. They own the front of the net on both ends of the ice. They're as good in open ice as any roster. They're very sound and well-structured defensively.
They STEAMROLLED two really good teams (Dallas and Vegas). I'm not sure how you come to the conclusion they're not that good.
"Good" was a poor choice of words - they're clearly good relative to being successful, as you say. What's frustrating to watch is that they don't seem structurally sound defensively - they can just cover up their sloppiness with a lot of speed, and use that speed to cycle on slower teams. Comparing them to the Jets, you'd generally take the Jets structure any day over that pond hockey approach...until it seems to work really well in the playoffs.
Maybe that's one of the reasons they're so successful - they don't look like a contender (at least in the traditional sense), and then they beat very good teams in 5 games.
Yes, I Have Thoughts about Pete, after literally years of heaping the highest praise (and deservedly so) on his franchise goalie (who has recently signed a well-deserved 8 year extension), throwing him under the bus. But I will keep them to myself for now.
The Oilers were simply better. Again. They do have the best player in the world in Conner McDavid and arguably the second best player in Leon Draisaitl. But they improved the rest of their roster as well from last season. The Stars added Mikko Rantanen, but their defense group as a whole was a significant downgrade from last season. The Matt Dumba signing was dumb, Cody Ceci turned out to be who we thought he was. and I really don't know why Lyabushkin was scratched against Edmonton (maybe he had an injury of some kind but still he is at best a third pair guy).Too bad they lost Nils Lundkvist, who had shown real improvement up to the time of his season ending injury.
Once again, the Stars are only the 3rd or 4th best team in the NHL for the 3rd straight year. They have to figure out how to improve their roster, especially on defense and their bottom six forward group. They need to get younger and faster and they need to find people who don't mind scoring ugly greasy goals in front of the net. But they are still solidly in their Stanley Cup contention window and will be for several more years.
Maybe, but if they bring back Jamie Benn, he'll be the captain. But maybe he will retire. He does look like a guy at the end of his career. If not Jamie Benn, I don't have any strong opinions on who it should be, other than it should be someone who can commend the respect of the clubhouse, which is not necessarily the same thing as their best player (Miro) or their most popular player (Miro or maybe Wyatt). Maybe it's someone like Roope or Mikko. I don't know.
I have a feeling, Bob, that you're going to be quite busy covering the very soon press conference with Jim Nill announcing that Pete DeBoer's contract has been terminated. I'm not sure how he can ever get the locker room back after the comments on Jake. Not to mention the trust of Jake going forward. That's like benching Brock Purdy after throwing 2 interception against Detroit in the NFC Championship game. Except Shanahan didn't. He stuck with his franchise QB and the 49ers came back and won. Because of Purdy and the whole team. I will not be surprised if Benn and Pete are both done. Sigh.
I do think you can question whether deBoer is here next year.
That's two consecutive season, perhaps 3, when the team played well below their abilities at the most important time. When you have roster-wide failures like that across multiple season you have to question leadership.
Which is why the Captain and the coach would be on my list of things that perhaps need to be changed.
I like this current Stars team a lot. They are the second-best team in the West and likely the third-best in the league. Edmonton is bigger, faster, and frankly better than the Stars. More grit, too. My guess is that either goaltender would have suffered the same results.
Were some playing hurt? Are some just out of gas? It will come out over the summer.
No doubt, the staff and players put massive pressure on themselves to perform at the highest levels they can. However, I think the coaches and team will receive (and deserve) a lot more criticism from fans and even the media than they regularly receive. I hope that happens!
SUms up my feelings pretty well. They've been a really good team. They've accomplished a lot. But not as much as they maybe should have. The non-competitive endings to the last three seasons is pretty telling that there's a missing ingredient.
The Bourque penalty was absolutely infuriating. Your entire focus is to get the lead and on your first shift you lazily and dangerously swing your stick in the air when you're not even fighting for the puck? He's gonna have to do a lot of good to make up for that because it's an inexcusable play for anyone but ten seconds into your first shift? That's a sign of someone who's mind simply wasn't into the game. As soon as that happened I pretty much knew what was next.
No one on the played up to their potential in this series IMO, including Otter. I mean, for the 2nd year in a row he got outplayed by Stuart Skinner. So I understand deBoer's thought process. It's not what I would have done but, I mean, nothing was working. Nothing had been working and then 3 minutes into an elimination game both shots are in the back of the net?
That wasn't Conner McDavid going 5-hole on Otter; it was a checking forward.
Literally the entire organization failed. Players, coaches....everyone. Losing to a better team (and Edmonton is indisputably a better team) is nothing to be ashamed. Putting a C- effort on the ice is. In their last 8 games vs Edmonton in WCF Dallas has been outscored 32-15. Dallas led for a total of 30 minutes across those 540 minutes of hockey.
Non-competitive. Very disappointing for such a talented, likable team to end consecutive season playing some of their worst hockey. I believe this group has gone as far as it can. Need changes on the roster and in leadership position because the current isn't going to get them where they want to be.
Robert, thanks for your great work. Very disappointing finish for Stars. Numerous factors at play. Stars still have the nucleus of a team that can win it all, in my opinion. I look forward to your postmortem commentary’s.
The owners comments actually were very accurate in stating that a team can be structured to be quick and that’s what works to succeed in the reg season… but a team needs size and grit to succeed in the playoffs… paraphrasing… that’s the Stars in a nutshell.
Ps… I’m now leaning toward Mikko as next captain. He seemed very animated on the bench talking up his teammates.
Thanks for the season. I signed up for the playoffs ( after I finally heard of you ) and have very much enjoyed the articles during this run. Sort of fell for the Stars and found out I really love to watch hockey over the last few years having never been on a pair of skates in my life. No canceling, looking forward to keeping up with Stars over the off-season and what we do to not to just be the 3rd best team in the league. Look forward to some honest evaluations of what we have now and what we may need to make that next level. I do admit the DeBoer/Oettinger thing puzzles me and the eventual fallout may be interesting.
Typo in third period recap. Should be DeSmith instead of Oettinger
Pulling Otter was questionable but I understand the logic. Leaving DeSmith in net for the 2nd was unconscionable.
Not to say that Other doesn't take some of the blame, but someone should tell Pete that goalies don't score enough goals to win games
I don't blame Otter (not "Other" 😂) for the two goals. Both of them came off of grade A scoring chances and you are playing the Oilers. The first one that Casey left in was much softer.
THANK YOU.
I only skimmed this article because I'm still sad but just wanted to say thank you for all your great work this year, half the reason it's so fun to be a Stars fan right now is because of all the great reporters we have covering the team. Can't wait for next season!
Thanks, Eileen! That means a lot.
Bourque actually looked ok
To add… if Bouchard was clean shaven the stick would’ve missed him! It was by a whisker… tough luck.
Didn’t it just feel like 110% of the luck was dialed against the Stars in this series? Like, every bounce was a bad one, and every missed call was against the other team? I know, I know, you make your own luck, but it seemed so fated that a more conspiracy-minded person could call it rigged.
Maybe I’m just salty, but I still don’t think Edmonton is that good of a team. They’re just perfectly built to beat the Stars. Faster in all three zones and can out skate their mistakes.
I could be wrong, but I’m fully expecting the Panthers to steamroll them in the Finals. They turned the puck over to the Stars a lot in this series and a more opportunistic team turns all of those into goals against either of their goalies.
Sigh.
The only thing wrong with the Oilers is their goaltending. Skinner runs hot and cold and he tends to get exposed against teams that like to crash the net, like the Panthers. But there is no doubt in my mind that the best two teams in the NHL are now playing for the Cup.
100% agree.
They're 12-2 in their last 14 playoff games. They're headed to the SC Final for 2nd consecutive year. They've won 27 playoff games in two years. They have the indisputable best player in the world and probably one of the 5 best players to ever play. They own the front of the net on both ends of the ice. They're as good in open ice as any roster. They're very sound and well-structured defensively.
They STEAMROLLED two really good teams (Dallas and Vegas). I'm not sure how you come to the conclusion they're not that good.
"Good" was a poor choice of words - they're clearly good relative to being successful, as you say. What's frustrating to watch is that they don't seem structurally sound defensively - they can just cover up their sloppiness with a lot of speed, and use that speed to cycle on slower teams. Comparing them to the Jets, you'd generally take the Jets structure any day over that pond hockey approach...until it seems to work really well in the playoffs.
Maybe that's one of the reasons they're so successful - they don't look like a contender (at least in the traditional sense), and then they beat very good teams in 5 games.
Yes, I Have Thoughts about Pete, after literally years of heaping the highest praise (and deservedly so) on his franchise goalie (who has recently signed a well-deserved 8 year extension), throwing him under the bus. But I will keep them to myself for now.
The Oilers were simply better. Again. They do have the best player in the world in Conner McDavid and arguably the second best player in Leon Draisaitl. But they improved the rest of their roster as well from last season. The Stars added Mikko Rantanen, but their defense group as a whole was a significant downgrade from last season. The Matt Dumba signing was dumb, Cody Ceci turned out to be who we thought he was. and I really don't know why Lyabushkin was scratched against Edmonton (maybe he had an injury of some kind but still he is at best a third pair guy).Too bad they lost Nils Lundkvist, who had shown real improvement up to the time of his season ending injury.
Once again, the Stars are only the 3rd or 4th best team in the NHL for the 3rd straight year. They have to figure out how to improve their roster, especially on defense and their bottom six forward group. They need to get younger and faster and they need to find people who don't mind scoring ugly greasy goals in front of the net. But they are still solidly in their Stanley Cup contention window and will be for several more years.
They need a new Captain IMO.
Maybe, but if they bring back Jamie Benn, he'll be the captain. But maybe he will retire. He does look like a guy at the end of his career. If not Jamie Benn, I don't have any strong opinions on who it should be, other than it should be someone who can commend the respect of the clubhouse, which is not necessarily the same thing as their best player (Miro) or their most popular player (Miro or maybe Wyatt). Maybe it's someone like Roope or Mikko. I don't know.
I fucking mad on Pete. I fell like he threw Otter under the bus here. As former goalie I'm pissed off.
I have a feeling, Bob, that you're going to be quite busy covering the very soon press conference with Jim Nill announcing that Pete DeBoer's contract has been terminated. I'm not sure how he can ever get the locker room back after the comments on Jake. Not to mention the trust of Jake going forward. That's like benching Brock Purdy after throwing 2 interception against Detroit in the NFC Championship game. Except Shanahan didn't. He stuck with his franchise QB and the 49ers came back and won. Because of Purdy and the whole team. I will not be surprised if Benn and Pete are both done. Sigh.
I do think you can question whether deBoer is here next year.
That's two consecutive season, perhaps 3, when the team played well below their abilities at the most important time. When you have roster-wide failures like that across multiple season you have to question leadership.
Which is why the Captain and the coach would be on my list of things that perhaps need to be changed.
I like this current Stars team a lot. They are the second-best team in the West and likely the third-best in the league. Edmonton is bigger, faster, and frankly better than the Stars. More grit, too. My guess is that either goaltender would have suffered the same results.
Were some playing hurt? Are some just out of gas? It will come out over the summer.
No doubt, the staff and players put massive pressure on themselves to perform at the highest levels they can. However, I think the coaches and team will receive (and deserve) a lot more criticism from fans and even the media than they regularly receive. I hope that happens!
SUms up my feelings pretty well. They've been a really good team. They've accomplished a lot. But not as much as they maybe should have. The non-competitive endings to the last three seasons is pretty telling that there's a missing ingredient.
The Bourque penalty was absolutely infuriating. Your entire focus is to get the lead and on your first shift you lazily and dangerously swing your stick in the air when you're not even fighting for the puck? He's gonna have to do a lot of good to make up for that because it's an inexcusable play for anyone but ten seconds into your first shift? That's a sign of someone who's mind simply wasn't into the game. As soon as that happened I pretty much knew what was next.
No one on the played up to their potential in this series IMO, including Otter. I mean, for the 2nd year in a row he got outplayed by Stuart Skinner. So I understand deBoer's thought process. It's not what I would have done but, I mean, nothing was working. Nothing had been working and then 3 minutes into an elimination game both shots are in the back of the net?
That wasn't Conner McDavid going 5-hole on Otter; it was a checking forward.
Literally the entire organization failed. Players, coaches....everyone. Losing to a better team (and Edmonton is indisputably a better team) is nothing to be ashamed. Putting a C- effort on the ice is. In their last 8 games vs Edmonton in WCF Dallas has been outscored 32-15. Dallas led for a total of 30 minutes across those 540 minutes of hockey.
Non-competitive. Very disappointing for such a talented, likable team to end consecutive season playing some of their worst hockey. I believe this group has gone as far as it can. Need changes on the roster and in leadership position because the current isn't going to get them where they want to be.
Robert, thanks for your great work. Very disappointing finish for Stars. Numerous factors at play. Stars still have the nucleus of a team that can win it all, in my opinion. I look forward to your postmortem commentary’s.
Thank you for the great coverage this season. Looking forward to the off season postings
Thank you, Jennifer!
I think PDB might get shitcanned. It's a coin flip.
The owners comments actually were very accurate in stating that a team can be structured to be quick and that’s what works to succeed in the reg season… but a team needs size and grit to succeed in the playoffs… paraphrasing… that’s the Stars in a nutshell.
Ps… I’m now leaning toward Mikko as next captain. He seemed very animated on the bench talking up his teammates.
Thanks for the season. I signed up for the playoffs ( after I finally heard of you ) and have very much enjoyed the articles during this run. Sort of fell for the Stars and found out I really love to watch hockey over the last few years having never been on a pair of skates in my life. No canceling, looking forward to keeping up with Stars over the off-season and what we do to not to just be the 3rd best team in the league. Look forward to some honest evaluations of what we have now and what we may need to make that next level. I do admit the DeBoer/Oettinger thing puzzles me and the eventual fallout may be interesting.
Appreciate the kind words. We have end of year media today, so we shall see!