Dallas Stars beat writer Mike Heika recently hosted a chat to talk all things hockey. Here are some of the highlights:
Question: It looks like Jordie Benn and Jyrki Jokipakka are settled as our 3rd D-pairing. With Esa Lindell, Julius Honka and Stephen Johns still in the pipeline what's going to happen with Patrik Nemeth and Jamie Oleksiak? Will they get traded later the season? What would be the return?
Heika: I think all of that is on the table. Jim Nill also has to make the decision on whether or not he wants to re-sign Goligoski or Demers. So one theory is that he is happy with this team, rides it into the playoffs with Oleksiak and Nemeth on the roster and then sorts it out in the summer. Another is that if a top two defenseman becomes available, he makes a bunch of players available, and that player takes Goligoski's place. Nill has options, and right now his option seems to be standing pat. Remember, Oleksiak is a first round draft pick that they have spent millions developing. Nemeth is a second round draft pick who they have spent millions developing. Why would you just give up either unless you received a spectacular offer in return?
Question: Who would you say have been the best defenseman for the Stars this season?
Heika: Goligoski and Klingberg are drawing tough assignments and responding well. And Klingberg is leading NHL defensemen in scoring, so those two.
Question: It's interesting to me Nill mentioned the loss of Nemeth last year as a reason for the team's less than expected result yet this year Nemeth is a constant scratch. Is it solely due to a weak camp or did the addition of Oduya take Nemeth's spot?
Heika: Oduya's presence took some of Nemeth's minutes, but honestly Jokipakka and Jordie Benn won the jobs and they have done nothing to give them back. The two times Lindy Ruff has taken Jokipakka out, the team has lost, and that is playing a bigger role than anything Nemeth has done. I love Nemeth's game. I think he can be a big contributor, but they are winning with him out of the lineup, so why put him in at this time?
Question: If the Niemi-Lehtonen experiment continues to work, do you think the rest of the NHL will follow Jim Nill's lead and do the same. That might make goalies more expensive too.
Heika: If it works, there will be GMs who consider it. It's an important position, and the Stars are not out of balance spending that much on goalies.
