After the greatest Stanley Cup win in 2012 with a team that was not the top 10 team in paper but with a incredible feeling of fighting until the last second and big hitters, Dallas passed (and is passing) for a new era.

The 2012-2013 team was most powerfull since Machado arrived in Dallas and all fans waited for a new Stanley Cup win. Dallas signed the UFA s d-men Tom Poti and Derek Morris and created the BIG TEXAS WALL that was considerated the best defense that year. Like 2012, Dallas lost the League Cup for the number of wins (In 2012, lost for St. Louis, and 2013 for Atlanta, both times did the same number of points). But the fans are certanilly that will happen the same thing: destruct the other teams in playoffs... in the Round 1 we already see something was not good in Dallas, winning Nashville, a middle team, with a lot of difficulty. Then, in semifinals conference, Vancouver destructed Dallas and show that the team with big union was not more here........... maybe many veteran players………..

The 2013-2014 was the same. A big trade involving Lou Bell, Paul Mara and Kyle Wanvig picked back Bryan Hamm and other guys like Tschetter and Chouinard. “That trade did not bring us what we want that season. Our 4th important line was changed and the problems started there” said the captain Vitaly Vishnevsky after a lost for San Jose Sharks in Conference Finals.

In 2014-2015, Luiz Machado and Steve Jackman tried to do the same, going on with the same team and contracted more experienced players like Jaroslav Svoboda from Montreal and Oleg Kvasha from Florida. However, the same problem happend, and in that time worst. The team was not consistent in the start (normal for the Stars...), did a great midseason and next to the end of regular season frustrated trades offers and an incredible bad atmosphere arrives in Dallas. The last 10 games in regular season was the worst of all season (3-4-1-2) and the result was indicated... Dallas was the best in his group, went as 3rd in the playoff but which team was 6th?... Vancouver! Again! And a 4 x 0 indicates the worst playoff in Dallas of the last 5 years.

Then, many players had retired: Ponikharovsy, Kvasha, Svoboda, Jokinen, Manning... the fans had a certanilly: if the team was bad with these great experienced players, what will happen with the most gone, and Vishnevsky and Rita alone to lead the team? The same as 2010-2011 when Dallas was not in playoffs? A team that have to send great players thinking only in a future for 5, 6, 7 years? But the season started and the necessary mix of the old generation with the newest one (because only one player accepted to sign with Dallas in UFA period) had been started to show something different in Dallas...

Rita, Heisten and Vishnevsky were the only old players that continue in Dallas since the Lord Stanley triumph. Other key players for Machado continue too, like Spiller and Raevuori. Machado tried a strong strategy to sign three top players with the big space in the cap, but only the d-man Jiri Fischer accepted to try again the 2012 triumph: “It is a great franchise and in the last season few details give me a frustration to be traded in the deadline, but now I’m here and will play all that I know and a little more” said him in his first interview.

Fans started the season with no big dreams, mainly because Machado had to put in team two rookies to play with more two that have only 1 year NHL experience. In the start of season many things change but now the things change a little. The rookies Barrett and Swaner started very bad the season but yesterday Barrett has just nominated as Rookie of the Month in GHL. Swaner also is doing great games and improving his skills. King and Long continues with their great abilities and helping the team with his hittings. Then, Dallas started to prove that the main worry from the fans, the age problem, started to be resolved with good picks in the drafts. The mix of old and young players started in Dallas and only the time can show us what it will really happen.

Oh, but the Dallas characteristic is not already lost… the new boys are great hitters. “Hitting is an art” said Machado in the start of the season. He loves his type of play and we love too. Let’s wait.

From Dallas Morning News
Mike Heika