Quick Hits: Digging Deeper on Media Day

As the season starts, you’ve heard a lot of the same things from the Texas Stars coaches and GM in this preason. Strong defense and goaltending will be the core of this team, and they will score by committee. These points were repeated ad infinitum in other press sources.

However, there were a few pieces of information in the media day interviews that I wanted to call out as being more interesting to the fans who read this blog, those who like digging deeper into the Texas Stars:

• Stars GM Scott White was asked what two or three things he would put on his wishlist if he could for the team. The manager only had one: “an elite AHL scorer”. We’ve talked about that before in this space. A player like an Alexandre Giroux, Jason Krog, or Darren Haydar that can score seventy points is a fantastic addition to the club. I’ve previously posited that budget might be a restriction on this wish list item. Krog, for example, made $550,000 last year in the AHL.


• Eric Godard snuck onto the Stars’s roster from Dallas. This opens up room for more playing time for Luke Gazdic. Dallas wants Gazdic to play 15-16 minutes a night, fight less and become more of a third line player instead of fourth line. He is in his third year of professional hockey and is a restricted free agent after this year. Putting up points has to be a great way to prove that value to the NHL GM.


• Tryout player Billy Sauer is the Texas Stars’ top choice for a 3rd goalie, according to Scott White.


• Coach Pyle was the second person on the ice on the first day of practice. All reports indicate he’s like a kid in a candy store in terms of excitement level for the season.


• Brad Lukowich talked at length about Jordie Benn’s development. He sees him as a leader for this season and is extremely proud of him for getting a contract with Dallas.


• Lukowich had a unique experience of being the veteran voice in PEI camp as well for the Dallas Stars since he’s had two years with Coach Gulutzan’s systems. He called out the players’ excitement to learn the systems as one of the big points.


• Colton Sceviour is looking to continue his role as an energy line player. Personally, I feel like he has a little bit more of a scoring touch than he gives himself credit for, after increasing his scoring totals by 10 points from his rookie to sophomore season in Texas.

The Dallas Stars begin the regular season this evening in Big D with a game against the Blackhawks at 7:30 PM. The game is going to be broadcast on FOX Sports Southwest in the Austin area. Tomorrow’s game against the Blackhawks at Chicago will not be broadcast in Austin unless you have Center Ice.