The Stars’ overcrowded blue line and the resulting scratches have led to some lively debates so far this season. Sean Shapiro takes a look at Dallas’ defense and examines how the system has helped and hurt the team this year.
It’s a system that’s brought the best — and the worst — out of the Stars young defensemen. Internal competition is a good thing, most of the time, but the Stars have a system in place where one bad game can lead to a handful of scratches.
But despite the added spirit of competitiveness—which has helped players like Julius Honka—Shapiro argues that the negative effects are beating out the positive.