For a Wendesday morning conversation starter we'll turn our attention to NHL Home Ice's preview of the Dallas Stars that took place Monday. Full audio is available here if you want to hear the Stars off-season discussed in about 45 minutes. (Though, keep your mouses clicking on DBD today because our latest podcast, recorded last night, will be available soon...)

New Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan joined the show about twenty minutes in and talked a bit about the team's new unseen style of play, on which so much depends.

Stick tap to ESPN Dallas for the link:

"If you looked at what we talked about previously with having to play a better solid team game, we're going to have to play an in-your-face forecheck style. If you look at the teams that don't have a ton of talent on their roster... Nashville would be one team that jumps to mind quite quickly ...they play an in-your-face, pacey game. They use four lines and they come at you. Obviously, they are anchored by a great goalie and two good defensemen, but we feel we have those same attributes in our locker room now. That's the way I coached when I was in the ECHL and the way I coached the Austin team in the AHL and it's going to be the same way I coach this team here. We're going to play both ends of the ice. We're not going to get pigeonholed into an offensive or defensive club. We're just going to play hard and make sure everyone has a role and makes a difference."

Brad Richards was also discussed as a lead into "style of play," and the score-by-committee mentality was discussed.

Gulutzan went on to discuss the trend of hiring young AHL coaches in the National Hockey League and added that next Monday, the 22nd, he and his coaches will re-convene in Dallas after vacations and start working on prep for the upcoming season.

Throughout the hour the Alex Goligoski for James Neal trade was referenced over and over again, and it took them about thirty minutes to quantify Goligoski's ridiculous points pace (as far as defenensemen go) with Dallas last year in 23 games as evidence in the Stars' favor. The flawed perception of that trade nationally continues, evidently.

Other notable things in the audio should you lack the time to listen: It took until the 13 minute mark for them to say Jamie Benn's name aloud, identifying him as a guy who's going to have to "maybe contribute a little bit more." They then expressed amazement (three times!) that the Stars got Adam Pardy away from Calgary. Not sure what to make of that one. They like his upside and think he could be a guy about to break out, so here's hoping that they're right about that.

These were their "Five Burning Questions" on the radio segment:



1. How can the Stars possibly replace the offense provided in the past by Brad Richards?

2. Will Alex Goligoski continue to make big contributions for the Stars?

3. How much will Jamie Benn improve this season and how much might the Dallas Stars have to pay him at the end of the year?

4. Will the Stars finally get the sale of the team completed this season so that Joe Nieuwendyk can go out and do his job? (Pretty sure he's been doing his job... as they go on to say)

5. Will they get over the hump (back to the playoffs?) this year?

They go on to conclude that the Stars will probably miss the playoffs next year because of the strength of the West, but it's a good listen nonetheless and a rare opportunity to listen to someone other than DBD talk Stars hockey for an hour, so check it out.