Five for Fighting

Player profiles: Brad Richards

I can't say that I am a critic of Brad Richards' play.

But I can't say I'm a fan yet, either.

My biggest problem with trying to define what Richards is to the Stars is that nobody really knows.

We have seen glimpses here and there, but just not enough to convince us that he is one of the most important players on the team.

And maybe that will come this year.

Richards joined the team in a 2008 trade, and was only so-so in the regular season. He was still battling the effects of mono and trying to fit into a whole new team, a whole new conference, a whole new way of life. He was very good in the playoffs (with 3-12_15 in 18 games), but still not the defining player on the Stars. Last season, he was very good once again on a team that struggled, but he just never seemed to wow.

And that's where I am probably too critical. Richards in 68 regular season games in Dallas in which he was not under the best conditions, still had 18 goals and 41 assists for 59 points. He is a 70-point player in a normal regular season (and that has been fairly rare in Dallas over the past five or six years). The team clearly missed him when he first broke his right wrist in February and then his left in March.

He is a very good player. He is a very quiet, consistent player who makes your team better

But he makes $7.8 million, and I can't seem to get past that point.

In a salary cap world, Richards has one of the highest cap hits in the NHL. On a Stars team on a budget, Richards takes up more than 17 percent of the expected $45 million payroll. It's not his fault, obviously. He signed the deal with Tampa Bay a few years back, and the Stars gladly accepted his contract when they traded for him. But it's still a hurdle I have to clear in my mind.

I think it's also a hurdle Richards has to get over. He still is trying to find his place on this team, and the injuries of last season didn't help. With a new coaching staff and new administration, expect Richards to be a more featured player this season. While Mike Ribeiro still will be the leading playmaker, and will probably still get the top offensive minutes, Richards should get more time and more responsibility. With Sergei Zubov playing in Russia, I honestly believe Richards will take over and run the power play from the point.

He's done it in Tampa Bay, and he's the best option the Stars have right now.

I also think that if he is on a line with players like Loui Eriksson and Steve Ott, Richards will be used a great deal as a checker against the other team's top line. That should give him more ice time in more critical situations.

In that sense, I think it should be an exciting season for Richards and an exciting season for fans who still aren't sure what to think of him.

I believe Marc Crawford will run an up-tempo system. I believe he will lean heavily upon on his star players. And both should help Brad Richards this season.

_Mike Heika

Player profiles: Steve Ott

Steve Ott made a quantum leap in his career last season.

With Brenden Morrow missing most of the season because of a knee injury, Ott was able to step and prove that he can fill a similar role on a top line.

Some might want to say he is a version of Morrow Lite or a poor man's Morrow, but I prefer to look at it a little different.

If you want Steve Ott to be the next Brenden Morrow, I think you will probably be a little bit disappointed. But if you want him to be just like Alex Burrows of Vancouver, I think that's well within his range.

And what's wrong with being compared to Alex Burrows? Nothing at all. Playing on a line last season the Sedin brothers, Burrows had 28 goals among 51 points and was plus-23. The agitator took the next step in his career and sort of made a point that a guy with a little sandpaper can be a good thing for a skilled line.

Ott is the same way, and I think you have to wonder if maybe he needs to play up the lineup next season. He probably shouldn't displace Morrow on a line with Mike Ribeiro (although I think the coaches should see in preseason if Morrow and Brad Richards have any kind of chemistry), but I could see a scenario where Ott plays left wing on a line with Richards and Loui Eriksson. Ott and Eriksson played some with Ribeiro last season and looked pretty good. So two top lines with: Morrow-Ribeiro-Lehtinen and Ott-Richards-Eriksson could have some very similar dynamics.

The bottom line is Ott had 19 goals among 46 points in just 69 games last season and proved that he is more than just an agitator.

Now, breaking his hand had a lot to do with that, as Ott was forced to turn down fights and stay in games more often. Hopefully, he learned a lesson from that and will say no more often when fights pop up. That said, he can't be a complete angel, and he knows that. So at age 27, and in his seventh NHL season, he's going to have to be as smart as he's ever been.

The other concern with Ott is his injury history. He broke an ankle in 2006-07 and he broke the hand last year (both in fights). He has been bothered by assorted injuries in addition to that, and while he can't be labeled injury-prone quite yet, he's not that far away.

But these should be the best years of Steve Ott's career. He is a leader on the team, he is proving he can complement skilled players, he is earning enough respect that maybe he can back off on the agitating just a little bit.

But a lot of that will depend on what role he's placed in. If is part of the top six forwards, there's a real chance for even bigger numbers. If he's just a role playing agitator, you can expect numbers that coincide with that position.

_Mike Heika

Lightning hires Rick Wilson

Here's the press release from Tampa Bay, announcing long-time Stars assistant Rick Wilson as their new associate coach.

LIGHTNING HIRE RICK WILSON TO SERVE AS ASSOCIATE COACH Stanley Cup Champion Joins Bolts After 16 Seasons with the Stars

TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Lightning have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract with Rick Wilson, naming him associate coach today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced. He will be looked upon to coach and groom the team's defensive corps.

"With 20 years of NHL coaching experience, we believe Rick is exactly what this club needs as an associate coach and we are excited that he has elected to join our staff," said Lawton upon making the announcement. "As our team develops, we will look to control the game from the blue line; Rick shares that philosophy, understands that concept and will teach our young defensemen to do just that. Additionally, his past relationships ensure he will fit seamlessly with head coach Rick Tocchet, assistant Wes Walz and goaltending coach Cap Raeder to give us a very cohesive staff which can lead our team to long-term success."

Wilson, a native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, has spent the previous 16 seasons with the Dallas Stars, winning the Stanley Cup in 1999 working along side head coach Ken Hitchcock. During his tenure with the Stars, Wilson helped lead the team to seven division titles, two Western Conference championships and two President's Trophies. He had most recently served as associate coach for the previous six seasons, focusing on the team's defense and penalty kill. Under Wilson's guidance the Stars finished in the top three for fewest goals against in the NHL during the 2007-08, 2006-07, 2003-04 and 2002-03 seasons.

Before being named associate coach, Wilson held the position of assistant coach with the Stars for 10 seasons, joining the club for the 1992-93 campaign. He served as interim head coach for 32 games during the 2001-02 campaign, leading the Stars to a 13-11-7-1 record to close out the season.

Prior to joining Dallas, Wilson worked as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings for three seasons from 1989-92. With the Kings Wilson worked with Raeder, serving as co-coaches for 15 games in 1990-91. Wilson joined the Kings from the New York Islanders, where he served as an assistant coach for the 1988-89 season. He also served as an assistant for Canada's National Junior Team that year.

Wilson spent eight seasons from 1980-88 with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL (SJHL from 1980-82) before joining the professional ranks. He served as an assistant coach for six seasons from 1980-86, winning the 1985 Memorial Cup Championship, before being named head coach and general manager prior to the 1986-87 season. In two seasons as the head coach with the Raiders, Wilson posted an 86-50-8 record.

Wilson began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of North Dakota, where the Fighting Sioux won the 1980 NCAA Division I Championship and two WCHA crowns during his two years there. While he was a student he played hockey and football, earning his degree in education.

Drafted by Montreal in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, Wilson spent four seasons (1973-77) in the NHL as a defenseman for Montreal, St. Louis and Detroit. During his NHL career he amassed six goals and 32 points in 239 games.

Additional Quotes From Lightning Head Coach Rick Tocchet: "I am very pleased that Brian and Rick were able to work out a deal to bring Rick to Tampa Bay. His resume as a defensive coach is impeccable; he has worked for many years and coached in big games and big situations, including the Stanley Cup Finals. He makes our staff better, he will make me a better head coach and I am very excited about having him lead a group of young defensemen that we want to see grow together for the next several years."

From New Lightning Associate Coach Rick Wilson: "I am happy to be joining Rick Tocchet and the staff in Tampa because I see the makings of a pretty good team, with some good young players including Stamkos and Hedman combining with Stanley Cup champions like Lecavalier and St. Louis. After extensive talks with Brian (Lawton) and Rick (Tocchet), I feel we can do some good things with the defense there and I look forward to being part of building something special over time like we did in Dallas."

Player profiles: Karlis Skrastins

Karlis Skrastins will not get you a lot of points.

His career high is 18 (four goals, 14 assists) set last season in 80 games with the Florida Panthers.

But what he will get you is a decent amount of blocked shots (9th in the league at 171 last season) and a very durable, veteran presence in front of the net.

At 6-1 and 210 pounds, Skrastins offers some of the same physical attributes that Mattias Nortsrom offered two seasons ago for the Stars. At 35, he offers some of the same leadership skills.

That said, Skrastins is not as good a player as Norstrom was on the ice, and he is probably not as good of a leader as Norstrom was off the ice.

So that has to be taken into consideration when evaluating what Skrastins will bring to the Stars. That said, there's a reason Norstrom was a former captain of the Kings who was making $4 million a year when the Stars acquired him.

What Skrastins can be for Dallas (which signed him to a two-year free agent contract for $2.75 million total) is a very stable presence that eats up minutes and calms a young defenseman who will probably be his partner.

Skrastins has played 679 NHL games and is minus-40 in that span. However, he is coming off a season in which he was plus-8 in Florida and averaged 20:33 in ice time. He also was second on Florida in average penalty kill time at 3:14, so he should be able to help the Stars reduce the amount of ice time Stephane Robidas (2:32) or Trevor Daley (2:47) has to spend on the ice. That could open either up to be used more on the power play.

Now, one of the problems with Skrastins is he has played in the playoffs only twice in his career (both with Colorado). His success against Dallas in those two runs (along with his success in Florida) is probably one of the reasons the Stars targeted him. But he has played a ton in the playoffs in Europe, and he has the demeanor the Stars are looking for.

Plus, if he makes it through the season and the Stars make the playoffs, he should be plenty prepared to succeed there.

Skrastins gives this team depth and experience, and the chance to at least force the kids to earn any extra minutes they might receive _ and that has to be seen as a good thing.

_Mike Heika

Player profiles: Jere Lehtinen

The biggest question concerning Jere Lehtinen this season is: How do the Stars use him?

Lehtinen made a leap of faith by coming back to the Stars for a significant pay cut (dropping from $4 million to $1.5 million base with $1 million in potential bonuses), so he has made it clear that he wants to finish out his career in Dallas and that he understands his recent injury history has deteriorated his value.

And that, I think tells a lot about Lehtinen. You are going to get all of the commitment he has when he is healthy.

The problem is how do you make the most of that commitment and how do you keep him healthy?

Lehtinen has played 48 games in each of the past two seasons, with several injuries taking him out. There are groins and sports hernias and shoulders, and he still wears a knee brace. He also showed a significant drop in scoring from season to season. In 2007-08, Lehtinen played on a line with Brenden Morrow and Mike Ribeiro and had 15 goals and 22 assists (37 points) in 48 games. Last season, that line never got clicking because of injuries to Morrow and Lehtinen, and he finished with eight goals and 16 assists (24 points) in 48 games.

That said, he squeezed the majority of that scoring (six goals, 15 assists) into a 25-game stretch in the mid-season and the Stars went 16-7-2 in that stretch, so it's clear what a healthy Lehtinen means to the team.

First of all, Lehtinen still is one of the best defensive forwards on the team and cleans up all sorts of mistakes for his linemates. That's crucial to someone like Ribeiro or Morrow, as it allows them to lean a little more toward the offensive side, and take a few more chances.

Second, Lehtinen is still one of the best players at digging the puck, controlling the puck and keeping the puck in the offensive zone. Again, that's huge for linemates, as it creates more offensive opportunities and reduces the amount of time they have to spend in the defensive zone.

And third, Lehtinen is one of the few right-handed forwards the team has at this time.

So, when you consider all of those things, most coaches will probably put Lehtinen on the right wing of the first line with Morrow and Ribeiro and also put him out on the first power play unit. He's also still very high in the penalty kill rotation. That means you're looking at the same 19 minutes a game he has played for most of his career (he had exactly 19:00 a game last season) and you have to wonder if that workload will wear him down.

I know reducing workload been a similar theme in these summer player profiles with Mike Modano, Stephane Robidas and even Marty Turco, but I still believe this is a key component with Lehtinen.

Should you just use him as a key cog and hope for health or should you reduce his minutes and believe that will give you a better chance to keep him healthy?

The quickest way to reduce the minutes would probably be to replace him on the first power play unit with Loui Eriksson. The switch would allow Lehtinen (3:21 per game in PP time) some time to rest, and would allow Eriksson the chance to continue his development. When you consider that Eriksson potted 36 goals last season and had just seven on the power play, it's probably time for him to become a bigger factor in the man advantage.

That said, Ribeiro loves having a right-handed shot when he's dishing the puck. It gives him more options, and he seems to know how to find Lehtinen in just the right spot.

It's a tough question.

That would lead one to ponder if Lehtinen's minutes on the PK should be reduced. Lehtinen led all forwards in PK time per game at 2:15. The reason is because he's the best on the team at it. But it's probably time that players such as Eriksson, Steve Ott, Toby Petersen and Ray Sawada start taking more of those minutes. Mike Modano and Lehtinen will probably still see time on the kill, but I wonder if the amount of forwards in the PK rotation should be increased, and that Modano and Lehtinen should be moved down the rotation.

We'll see.

I think Lehtinen is a tremendous asset to the Stars when healthy. And while there may be no clear cut way to keep him healthy, I think you have to at least try a few things.

_Mike Heika

Player profiles: Stephane Robidas

There's a scene in the cinematic tour de force Shallow Hal where Hal is having a discussion with his good friend, and they are talking about the ugly duckling syndrome, where a girl turns beautiful late in life and doesn't even know she has the beauty that she has. It's seen as the perfect combination.

Stephane Robidas is kind of that way...except as a hockey player.

Think about it, Robidas was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game last year. He was invited to Team Canada's Olympic Orientation Camp this summer. You don't get those things unless you are a darn fine hockey player.

But Robidas started his career as a seventh round draft pick and was pretty much given up by teams twice in his career. In 2002, the Montreal Canadiens placed Robidas on waivers. In 2005, the Chicago Blackhawks failed to make a qualifying offer to the then-restricted free agent. Both teams basically figured Robidas wasn't worth it.

And those things hurt the scrappy defensemen. But instead of giving up, Robidas simply dug in. He fought hard to earn a place on the Stars, he fought hard to get into the lineup on a regular basis (he was often a healthy scratch in the early days) and he fought hard to get more minutes.

And in the past two seasons, when Sergei Zubov has been hurt, Robidas has seized the opportunity to prove he is a very good defenseman.

Robidas averaged 24:32 in ice time over 72 games last season. He was second on the team in plus-minus at plus-10, and he contributed 26 points. He also was among the NHL leaders in hits and blocked shots.

And that earned him the accolades he's receiving right now. Mix that with his salary cap hit of $1.5 million, and he is one of the most important players on the Stars.

But, are the Stars expecting too much of Robidas.

Yes, he has answered every challenge and pushed his game to a special place at the age of 32. But should he be counted upon to play 24 minutes a game and be a part of the top power play? Should he be the team's best penalty killing defenseman and have to shut down the opposition's top players every game?

That is something the new coaching staff is going to have to study this year. With the acquisition of Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka, the Stars have given Robidas some veteran help. With the maturity of players such as Trevor Daley, Matt Niskanen, Nicklas Grossman and Mark Fistric, there will be the ability to spread minutes. So, if the Stars are healthy, my guess is Robidas will probably see his minutes closer to 20 and his time on either the power play or the penalty kill decreased.

And I think that's a good thing. Yes, Robidas has raised his game, but there still seems time when he might be pushed to hard or ``too far up the lineup'' as coaches like to say.

I believe in Robidas. I think the Stars should do what they can to keep him for the rest of his career. But I also think he can fill a complementary role just as well as a lead role...in fact, maybe better.

He is a strong, physical player who defends well. He is a good skater who makes a solid first pass. I see him as a Shawn Chambers type _ more than capable of taking over when needed, but probably better suited as a first alternate.

We'll see if the Stars agree this year. Their budget seems to indicate they will go with this group of defensemen. If that's the case, expect Robidas to be the most versatile and most used defenseman in the group. I still think they can win with him in that role, but they should definitely look to offer him more support.

_Mike Heika

Player Profiles: Marty Turco

We have covered Marty Turco quite a bit lately, and we know he is determined to get off to a fast start after a slow start dogged him last year.

I think one of the interesting arguments that will come Turco's way in training camp is why he wasn't prepared at the start of last season, and why being so determined this summer will change that. Those are fair questions.

Turco has been overanalyzed, in part because he is a tremendously polite person who will answer any question the media puts forth. He likes talking about hockey and goaltending, and he tries to honestly assess himself, so we end up looking for reasons why he does things.

So in talking to him, here's my take on his last couple of seasons.

Turco had incredible success in his NHL career very early on, and that set up some high goals for both he and for the organization. While he had to patiently wait behind Ed Belfour for two seasons in the IHL and two more as a backup goalie, Turco's first season as a No. 1 goalie was beyond what most could comprehend. He established a modern era mark in lowest GAA at 1.72, and went 31-10-10. He made it to the second round of the playoffs, and really did a decent job for his first trip to the post-season with a 6-6 record and 1.88 GAA.

At the time, people really saw him as the next great goalie in the NHL and a player who could challenge Martin Brodeur for the No. 1 job on Team Canada in the future.

He played in the All-Star Game in both 2003 and 2004, he became a consultant for EA Sports video games, he was seen as an important person in the NHL Players Association, and also in rule-making committees established by the NHL and the union.

Not unlike Tony Romo, he really had made it every aspect of the game _ except the playoffs.

And things just kept getting worse there. He had a first-round exit in 2004 against Colorado when he posted a 3.32 playoff GAA and gave up some critically bad goals. He came back determined after the lockout and led the Stars to the second best record in the West. He then failed once again, losing to the seventh-seeded Avalanche in the first round in five games once again (with a 3.39 playoff GAA).

And he has been adjusting his game (both mentally and physically) ever since. I think he got caught up in believing he needed to go back to the unorthodox style he used in college, that maybe too much coaching had taken the athleticism out of his game. He then decided he could probably prepare himself better than anyone else, not unlike goalies like Ed Belfour and Patrick Roy have done in the past, and that he didn't really need coaching. The problem is those goalies won big and allowed their personality quirks to be seen as lovable parts of their rough exteriors. Turco was not able to shut out the rest of the world and just stop the puck consistently.

So after Turco posted a 1.30 GAA in a losing effort in a seven-game series with Vancouver in 2006-07 and then led the Stars to the Western Conference finals in 2007-08, I think Turco just had a tendency to relax and think he had figured things out. No, he hadn't won the Cup, but he had proved to a lot of critics that he could win in the playoffs, that he was indeed a top-notch netminder, and that he could do it on his own.

And once he got on that slippery slope, he had a real tough time crawling out.

Turco has been a slow starter at times, but Mike Smith or Johan Hedberg bailed him out in the past. Last year, there was nobody there to help, and Turco just dug the hole too deep until he finally crawled out and helped the Stars to as high as fifth in the West. The problem is he wore down both mentally and physically, and the team in front of him was just too injured.

And the Stars missed the playoffs.

But along the way, Turco realized a few things. One, he does need to be coached and helped. Two, that while he is a team leader, he can't solve every problem on the team. So he is determined to listen to goalie consultant Andy Moog this season and he is determined to step back from the locker room chemistry. We'll see if he can do both.

I will say that listening to Turco this summer, he does sound different. He said last season the team just paid ``lip service'' to the poor training camp and slow start, and that they know now just how much they messed up, and I believe him.

There are times when you think you are trying hard enough or convince yourself you deserve a break, and I think Turco naturally did that after the trip to the Western Conference finals. But I think he knows now he has to do more. That's just a very human reaction to success and failure.

Fans often say a player will play harder in a contract year (Turco's contract is up after this season), but I don't think Turco is motivated by the money he could make if he has a good year. I think he really likes this team, really likes this city, and really wants to win for both now...and the future. He would love to have a great season, gain the faith of coach Marc Crawford and GM Joe Nieuwendyk and remain in Dallas for the rest of his career.

And if ever there was a time to do it, it's now for Turco. Because if he doesn't step up, I believe he will be playing someplace else next season.

_Mike Heika

Marc Crawford scheduled to be on The Ticket today

He's supposed to be doing an interview with Bob and Dan at 12:10 p.m.

_Mike Heika

Player Profiles: Brenden Morrow

Brenden Morrow may have actually proved his value to the team more last season than he did the year before.

Yes, Morrow was the mule on which the Stars rode to the Western Conference finals in 2008 (and, to be honest, that's where he showed just how much he means to the team), but the Stars seemed completely lost with him out of the lineup last season.

Morrow's leadership and dogged determination seem to affect everything that surrounds him, and that was never more clear than last season. When he went out with a knee injury in November, the team just seemed to be missing its heart. Yes, there were other injuries, and yes the remaining players had nice runs of success at times, but the Stars don't seem to be the Stars right now unless Morrow is on the ice.

So what can we expect from him this year after he tore the ACL in his right knee on Nov. 20? That's a tricky question. Brendan Morrison had similar knee surgery and said he didn't feel normal for more than a year. Still, Morrow has been rehabbing hard, was close to being ready to play again in April if the Stars made the playoffs and has the carrot of the Team Canada Olympic Orientation camp in August hanging in front of him.

In addition, I think he is as hungry as he has ever been to get off to a good start and lead the Stars back to a place of prominence.

Morrow was indeed part of the problem in the team's slow start last season. He seemed over-affected by the signing of Sean Avery and was probably trying too hard. His scoring was fine, with five goals among 15 points in 18 games, but he was back to taking too many penalties and was on the wrong side of the competitive edge. His 49 penalty minutes were on pace for more than 200 in a full season. In 2007-08, he made an effort to control the penalties and finished with 105 minutes (he also had 32 goals and 42 assists that season in 82 games).

His problems also were compounded by the fact his good friend Marty Turco was struggling. The two seem to follow each other's lead on the ice, so it's important that both get off to a good start this season _ and it would be helpful to both if one isn't worrying about the other.

Morrow's other key relationship is with center Mike Ribeiro, and the two have obvious chemistry. Ribeiro is proving to be a reliable scorer, as he followed his career-best 83-point season in 2007-08 with 78 points last season, but he still needs to refine his game and play within the team concept. If the Stars are going to get Brad Richards up and running, then Ribeiro has to take shorter shifts and let the lines flow.

Morrow can help him do that.

So, all the captain has to really worry about is: Helping Marty Turco off to a good start, keeping Mike Ribeiro on page, motivating Mike Modano, leading a ton of young kids, keeping his penalty minutes down, and making sure the room reacts properly to the new coach and administration. Oh yeah, and do that on an injured knee that he really hasn't tested yet.

That's a bit of sarcasm, but I really think Morrow can have a positive effect on all of those areas. What he needs to do, though, is simply concentrate on his game _ and the rest will take care of itself.

I know ACL surgery is tough to overcome, but Morrow has worked really hard and might be in the best shape of his life. I really see similarities between he and Joe Nieuwendyk (Nieuwendyk came back from double ACL surgery in 1998-99), and I think Morrow could be in for a very big season.

_Mike Heika

Islanders sign Martin Biron

One of the keys to getting Alex Auld as backup goalie is that Marc Crawford trusts him.

Joe Nieuwendyk said he knew the trust issue was a factor for the backup goalie last season.

But with news that the Islanders signed Martin Biron to a one-year contract for $1.4 million, you have to wonder if that would have been a better option at backup goalie (Auld is under contract for one year and $1 million).

Auld has been great in the backup role the past two seasons, but Biron is a legitimate No. 1 goalie who could have really pushed Marty Turco.

Biron had 29 wins in Philadelphia last season and 30 the year before. He has a career .911 save percentage. He also appears ready to accept whatever situation he's in, as the Islanders already have Rick DiPietro and Dwayne Roloson under contract (a strange situation, to say the least).

That said, Philadelphia probably could have signed him to a similar deal, but instead chose Ray Emery at $1.5 million for one year. Maybe Biron wouldn't sign for that at the time and he has only now been worn down by free agency. Maybe he knows he will get a good chance on the Island because of DiPietro's injuries. Maybe the Stars scouts didn't like him or management didn't want to push Turco so much as support him.

It just seems that, on the surface, Biron would be a better option as a backup than Auld, but I guess we'll wait and see.

_Mike Heika