One of the Dallas Stars’ biggest challenges this season has been a carryover from last season: an overabundance of defenders and no clear and consistent picture of how they should be deployed.
But with the emergence of Esa Lindell as a top-two blueliner, the team’s biggest puzzle may finally be cracked, writes Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News:
The best way to solve a puzzle is to start at the base, and that's what Stars coach Lindy Ruff seems to have done. In the past month, Ruff has solidified his top defensive pairing, and much has fallen in line because of it.