What Joey New should do
by jamestobrien on May 31, 2009 3:37 PM PDT
14 comments
In case you haven't heard, the Dallas Stars decapitated their GM hydra in favor of a guy who hopefully won't add a redundant, ill-fitting fashionisto to the fold in Joe Nieuwendyk.
It's probably important to note that I'm not a Stars fan (more of an "admirer") before we get into this, because I'm going to write some things that will make people cry into their goofy, super-literal "Stars" jerseys.
After the jump, let's take a salary cap/off-season outlook for the Dallas Stars.
So, here's my "blueprint" for the Stars.
1. Stop sweating the oldies
Hiring the guy who won the Conn Smythe in the Stars only Cup victory probably shows that Dallas still loves to live in the now-decade-old past. Sometimes their general managing reminds me of Chris Farley interviewing Paul McCartney.
(Y-you remember that time we won the Cup?)
ANYWAY, the Stars are at a crossroads this year. Sergei Zubov, Darryl Sydor and Jere Lehtinen are all unrestricted free agents. Considering the fact that Smokin' Sergei (only 10 games played this year, 46 last) and Heavy Metal Jere (only 48 games played two years in a row) cannot stay on the ice, it should be an easy decision to make. Perhaps if the two of them would come back for peanuts I'd take them back, but that seems highly unlikely.
Sydor sucks. Sorry.
2. Sell your soul for Jay Bouwmeester 
Rudy says that Jay-Bo is "Scott Niedermayer with Chris Pronger's reach." Jesus. You'd think the Florida Panthers would make it to the playoffs with a Frankenstein monster like that.
I cannot refute RK on that, since I honestly haven't seen the dorky looking defenseman play all that often. Since I'm encouraging Dallas to let Zubov walk, they will need a top D and Bouwmeester can skate, move the puck and has solid size. Throw Zubov's salary (plus ... maybe a half million extra?) at Bouwmeester and take him to Baby Doll's. Do what it takes.
3. Sign Ty Conklin
With Marty Turco occupying $5.7 million of cap space, it's obvious that the Stars are tied to his fate. That fact was made painfully clear during his epic early season struggles.
The Stars need a capable backup when Turco plays like dog shit. Conklin was the first name that popped into my head, but the important thing is to find a guy who can carry the team at times (yet won't cause too much of a goalie controversy).
4. Sign James Neal and Loui Eriksson to reasonable extensions
Why wait for the threat of offer sheets when it's fairly obvious that these two guys are the future of the Stars' offense alongside Morrow and Ribeiro? They might as well sign them when they're (relatively) cheap.
5. Try to swindle someone into taking Brad Richards' contract 
Not to be a dick, but Richards is obscenely overpaid. The Stars should attempt to move Richards to some sad sack team that cannot attract high-end free agents. Maybe the Florida Panthers will want to make their "division rivals" pay by bringing the Lightning's Conn Smythe winner to the Bermuda Triangle of Hockey. Perhaps teams like Atlanta, LA or the Islanders would be foolish enough to take his deal.
I doubt it, but it would be worth trying.
***
So, those would be my first five steps in turning around the mixed bag that is the Stars' roster. What do you think, non-Stars fans of California? Small handful of Stars fans?
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Obviously I’m biased because I’m a Richards fan from way back, but… even though his contract is way ridunkolous (either he has the most awesome agent ever, or Jay Feaster was smokin’ something*), he proved his worth to the team when he went down this year. He’s numbers are not what you would expect from a guy with a contract like that, but he does so many little things well, he (cliche alert) makes everyone around him better. He’s understated in everything he does (except looking fabulous), so he’s easy to pass over or overlook. I’d go on about his value, but no one cares. He’s the new guy and the most expensive, thus the easy target.
My suggestion? Pretty much everything you said. Bite the bullet and let the old guys go, use whatever savings and cap space available to get a big D to keep pucks from the sieve that is Turco ‘cause you’re stuck with him (Jay-Bo, if they can somehow afford it, but I don’t think that’s likely), and get a kid goalie in place (but I’m not sure Conklin is going to be available; they may have to go from within).
But before I’d trade Richards, I’d trade Riberio. Why? Because I like B-Rad and I think Ribeiro is a turd. Actually, there is more to it, but I’m not going to waste time expounding on it since a) no one would care, b) no one would agree with me, and c) it’ll never happen. Ribeiro is cheaper, a fan favorite, the leading scorer last year (if by default), and he’s a sympathetic character after hanging tough last year when everyone else went down. He’s pretty much untouchable (not unlike other kinds of douches).
But in the end, who am I but some random chick (totally hopped up on goofballs in a feeble attempt to dull a migraine) sitting at a computer reading sports blogs as a way to procrastinate from doing the dishes. The only thing I can say in my favor is that even though I’m a huge idiot, at least I knew better than to sign Sean Avery. That at least makes me less idiotic than Brett Hull.
*From what Feaster has said about that deal since then, I think it is a little of both
wow, sorry, That was really friggin’ long. And I’m not sure it was all that comprehensible. I’ve got to go do my dishes and go to bed.
Schtimpy, you’re clearly too competent to waste your time with dishes. Well-read.
I think Ribeiro’s a twat, but he’s cheap and scores at a nice clip. He also showed some fantastic chemistry with Morrow when the Stars made their WCF run.
You’re not wrong about Brad Richards being a solid player, but he’s making just a shade under Crosby/Malkin money. By moving him, they could open up room for Bouwmeester and afford their young ’uns.
Also, Richards has beaver teeth.
When I'm not battling in California:
http://www.cyclelikesedins.com
by jamestobrien on May 31, 2009 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Whoa boy.
When I'm not battling in California:
http://www.cyclelikesedins.com
by jamestobrien on May 31, 2009 10:26 PM PDT up reply actions
Not unless Modano’s mom is English. Bradley Glenn Richards (thanks Wikipedia!) from Prince Edward Island couldn’t get any more English unless he had the queen pop out of his arse and serve tea. Look up “English dude” in the dictionary, and there is a picture of his jaw. If someone had to play him in a movie, it’s be that guy who played Wesley in The Princess Bride. Or if it was a musical, the cool guy from Tears for Fears. (Granted, if those two guys un-aged about 20 years)
Modano? Doesn’t sound all that British.
if that amount is correct, I strongly reiterate moving him. $5 million for him? Seriously? Not only is dude a douche, he’s a one trick pony. And for that much? He scores some fancy goals once and awhile but not much else. He couldn’t work the power play unless it was covered with an illicit substance (Thanks Montreal for that rumor!) and his “hockey sense” is limited to himself. He has little vision beyond his own stick (I could insert another Montreal rumor here, but that would be too easy).
A goal is a goal; I don’t care if it has flair. You could get his kind of point production for less. And Morrow can find new chemistry, just like B-Rad did.
Oh, come now. Here’s Ribeiro’s stats in his seasons with Dallas:
06-07 18 G – 41 A – 59 PTS
07-08 27 G – 56 A – 83 PTS
08-09 22 G – 56 A – 78 PTS
He also had 17 points in 18 playoff games last year and he’s a top-10 assist man (hockey-reference.com) the last two years. He’s certainly a one-dimensional player, but he’s a good playmaker and a decent goal scorer. With Morrow, he’s a bargain.
Even if he’s a queef.
When I'm not battling in California:
http://www.cyclelikesedins.com
Agree with most everything you say – and it’s hilarious.
But I like Richards and think he should stay. The Stars have always distributed the scoring……i.e. it’s been a long time since we had a “superstar.” I like how Richards plays in the Stars system. He’s not going to put up crazy scoring numbers because NO ONE on the Stars ever does that.
I’m not a huge Ribeiro fan, but we need his scoring too much.
I think Zubov will get a big offer from a team who wants the veteran presence, and I don’t think the Stars will match. I think they should DEFINITELY resign Lehtinen….he is one of the most consistent (when on the ice) players I’ve ever seen.
They certainly seem to get a boost with Heavy Metal Jere in the lineup. He should take a discount (since he was getting the equivalent of worker’s comp the last two years) and then it would all be OK.
One thing the Stars probably can’t do is trade Modano. I think they’d lose some season ticket sales if they did that.
When I'm not battling in California:
http://www.cyclelikesedins.com
by jamestobrien on Jun 1, 2009 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
Signing Ty Conklin is punching your ticket to the Finals. If he’d been on the Buffalo bench in ‘07, they’d have made the Finals instead of Ottawa.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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