Stars Armed for Stretch Run as Battle for the Playoffs Begins

Sixteen days ago the Dallas Stars were a pretty good hockey team. Two trades and a few wins later, they're even better.

General Manager Doug Armstrong has improved the level of talent on the roster thanks to two deals that bolstered both the blue-line and the corps of forwards for the Stars. How much improved is this hockey club? Only time will tell but early results look positive. Armstrong's latest moves have put the Stars in position to compete for a quality playoff spot in a very good Western Conference.

The first trade on February 12 brought skilled winger Ladislav Nagy, the Phoenix Coyotes' leading scorer to help add punch to the Stars' offense. Nagy immediately became the leading scorer on the roster. He has scored two big goals in the last three games, getting Dallas' first goal last Friday in the Stars' 4-1 win over Anaheim and scoring the game-winner in overtime on Tuesday in Tampa Bay.

"I'm excited to be here and just want to contribute to the team," Nagy said.

Nagy has been paired on a line with Mike Ribeiro over the last three games and it hasn't taken long for the teammates to click.

"Ribeiro and I see each other well and we are developing a good chemistry," said Nagy. "He is a great passer, you always have to be ready for his passes. I'm learning that he likes playing the net, and he is just a great playmaker."

Veteran defenseman Mattias Norstrom was acquired on Tuesday at the trade deadline, adding a veteran player with size and strength who is known as a shutdown defenseman. When one looks at the Stars' stable of blue-liners, it includes plenty of two-way players, good skaters, players that can move the puck and offensive skill.

"Mattias will solidify our defensive corps and I am very excited to have him join our group," said Stars Head Coach Dave Tippett, who coached Norstrom in Los Angeles and knows what kind of quality player Dallas is getting. "He is a great person and a great leader and he has a great deal of experience. He brings a physical presence and is a shutdown defenseman. Mattias is great on the penalty kill and I was thrilled to hear of the acquisition."

Norstrom, who has been with the Kings for over a decade, was a little surprised about the trade. After getting over the initial shock, the reality of where he was headed started to sink in.

"I'm very excited about coming to Dallas," Norstrom said. "You're getting older as a player, and you realize you don't get a chance to win every year. I think I have a chance to win this year. It's a good move for me. I've been in LA for 11 years, so that's tough, but I'm going to a good team with a good chance to win in the playoffs."

Norstrom has always been a quality leader and his intangibles might be his greatest asset.

"Mattias has been a quality captain in this league and we have obviously seen first hand how good a player he is," Tippett said.

Norstrom is under contract through next season while Nagy can become a free agent this summer.

The team will get another substantial shot in the arm in approximately three weeks with the projected return of captain Brenden Morrow. The gritty winger has made good progress on his rehabilitation from an injury in Chicago on December 26 in which he suffered tendon damage in his right wrist. Morrow is expected to be ready to play in games again on approximately March 21.

Through Tuesday's OT win at Tampa Bay, Dallas has points in eight of its last nine games (7-1-1) and went 8-2-1 overall in the month of February. The Stars also have points in 14 of their last 17 games (12-3-2).

The Stars are in the thick of the Pacific Division race with Anaheim and San Jose. Dallas is currently up by two points on San Jose for second in the division, and have played one less game than the Sharks. The Stars are just five points behind the Ducks, but have two games in-hand. If Dallas wins those games in-hand, they are just one point back of the division lead.

Keep in mind that the last two Dallas wins have come against two of the hottest teams in the league, respectively. Tampa Bay was on a 17-4-1 run before the Stars came to town and beat them on Tuesday and Vancouver was 19-3-3 entering Sunday's game at American Airlines Center that the Stars won in OT. Playing in tight games late and finding ways to win them are great signs and will help prepare this team for the playoffs.

Dallas was already in decent shape for the stretch run but Armstrong's moves gives Tippett a roster that he feels comfortable going to battle with every night.

"I like this group a lot and I commend Doug and his scouting staff in evaluating some quality players and people in Nagy and Norstrom, and bringing them to our group," Tippett said.

It's the end of February and that means the regular season is in the stretch run. The march to the playoffs is on and the Stars now have a few more quality assets to take on the best the West has to offer.

Those are great additions for the Stars. I think that they did as well as any other team in the west if you include Nagy as a trade deadline deal. It is a little strange that both of their new guys came from teams in their own division.