As the Stars turn the holiday corner and near the midway point of the season, one thing is pretty clear: This really is a team in transition.
Yes, they "won" the offseason by acquiring Ben Bishop, Alexander Radulov, Marc Methot, Martin Hanzal and Tyler Pitlick. Yes, they secured a coaching staff that they really believe in, led by Ken Hitchcock and Rick Wilson. Yes, they now spend as much as any team in the league.
But that doesn't mean there won't be growing pains against teams like Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis, who have had familiar rosters for at least a couple of seasons.