Texas GM Scott White on Search for 7th Defenseman, Sunday's Short Bench

Jyrki Jokipakka (Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)
I managed to catch Scott White for a few minutes this afternoon after a busy morning on the transaction wire for Dallas. I'll drop some bullet points to color in the conversation.

  • The plan with Kevin Connauton was to assign him to the Texas Stars, and it seemed like that would have been immediate. Obviously a claim was a possibility, as it always is.
  • While White did clarify that it's obviously up to the coaching staff to decide who plays in Dallas, Jyrki Jokipakka wouldn't be getting the callup if they didn't think he could handle NHL minutes. White believes Jokipakka showed his readiness earlier this year.
  • White sees Mike Dalhuisen as a third pair guy with "a cannon of a shot". He did indicate that if someone can come in and jump ahead of him, that is a possibility.
  • The Texas Stars are actively looking for a 7th defenseman and not just in Idaho. It will have to be a new signing as Troy Vance is going to stay in Idaho to get valuable minutes there and will not be the callup.
  • White isn't making excuses but does realize that the recent road stretch was tough. Texas went 1-2-2 on their five game trip and has now played seven of their last eight on the road. He also added that the locker room has been affected heavily by some illness which caused the short bench on Sunday.
  • According to White, Radek Faksa probably should not have played on Sunday after taking a puck to the leg in Saturday's game. However, the illness issues forced their hand. He said Faksa will be fine after the four days off this week, but they would have preferred if he hadn't had to play.
  • Finally, Texas is actively looking for a long term home for goalie Maxime Lagace, who has been the third man in Texas for several weeks. White called it a "tough scenario" because there aren't a lot of open jobs right now at the ECHL level. They want to send him somewhere he will be able to stay for a while, not just get one or two games.

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