fort worth is much better than dallas

-out

Turco just needs a day off here and there. Tugger was put in today, although it didn’t help. But Turco will be okay. Defense really needs to step it up.

As for their situation…

1. Yes, Marty Turco hasn’t been his spectacular self. There’s a lot of pressure on this kid’s shoulders, especially after signing that huge contract. He has to start playing better, but the defense has to help.

2. The defense really took the hit this offseason. I said it all along that Dallas’ #1 priority during the offseason should have been to sign Derian Hatcher. He’s their leader, and their best defenseman. A glaring physical presence and a menacing look that could turn heads were just 2 of the many things Hatcher brought each night. Although Teppo Numminen has come to Dallas, he’ll never replace Hatch defensively. He’s not big enough, neither is he strong enough to clear guys out in front of the net. Now, he has to put up career numbers offensively if Zubov struggles any bit, Matvichuk has to play like a #2 defenseman, which he is not, and the loss of Sydor even hurts more. They’ve lost most of their physical edge on the backline, and it’s starting to show. I don’t exactly think they’ll be dominating as they were, but they’ll be in the top 5.

3. The Stars offseason was terrible. They lose 2 of their top 3 defenders, and get a soft offensive #1 in return. Doug Armstrong should have been thrown right out of office for the bad offseason he had.

4. Mike Modano will pick up his game. Give him time, this team was shook up and is still mending. Mike Modano is in my opinion one of the top 3 best American hockey players ever. He’s great defensively, very responsible. I hope that’s his problem, the financial troubles… but I think he’ll find his game soon.

5.Of course, Jere Lehtinen being out of the lineup is going to hurt, it would hurt ANY team in the NHL. A team minus a selke winner is a team in trouble and needing some defensive help.

The defense did take a great hit with the loss of Hatcher, but that doesn’t mean that’s the entire reason why the D just hasn’t been that great this whole season, so far. Matvichuk is having to really step his game up, and bless the man for trying his hardest. Zubov has made some crucial errors in the games that the team has lost. Boucher is by far the team’s best defenseman as of now, but that could change.

The offense. So much has already been said about how Modano is the key to the stars’ offense, and that when he doesn’t play well the entire team doesn’t play well. In some cases this is true, but not always. He’s not the core of the offense as you think he really is. Yes he has made a statement about how he has had financial problems and it has affected his on ice play, but he expects that to turn around. Lehtinen is a huge loss, no doubt about that. His play will defiantly stimulate the offensive production that has been waning the past few games, except the explosion in the 7-3 win a few days ago against Nashville. All of the players need to step up their play, crash the net, and for Christ’s sake pick up a rebound every once in a while!!!!!!!!!

Turco has been ok, nothing more nothing less. I think that too many of us, like you, had extremely high expectations from him this year. But in all reality, you should have known a second straight phenomenal season wasn’t going to happen. From what I’ve heard he’s not going to play tonight against Boston, so he’ll get a break, clear his head and whatever else goalies like to do.

The special teams has been quite off and on. I’m wondering why Tippett hasn’t made a significant change in the power play yet, since it hasn’t generated very much as of yet.

But all in all, it’s too early in the season to be whining about why this team isn’t the team from last year. Give the team time to get all the pieces in the right order. If nothing has changed by January, then get worried, but its early November, get over it.

And don’t worry about +/- stuff, that stuff doesn’t really determine anything.