Dallas Stars problems lie much deeper than Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn

The Dallas Stars are looking for someone to blame for their struggles. Despite what recent comments might suggest, their problems lie much deeper than Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. 

It’s rare to see an NHL team’s ownership openly criticize its star players. But the Dallas Stars aren’t like most teams. Recently, Stars CEO Jim Lites called out Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, saying that “it’s hard to win when their best players aren’t their best players” (he also used some curse words).

His frustration is understandable. The Stars ownership and management groups have every reason to be livid. In the past decade, they have only made the postseason twice and have only won a single playoff round. They’re constantly behind the eight-ball, as Dallas has been and always will be a Dallas Cowboys town. In a business that demands results, the Stars struggles make them even less relevant.

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That said, their frustration shouldn’t be directed primarily at Seguin and Benn. Sure, they need to be better. Seguin and Benn’s numbers are down and they warrant a certain amount of criticism. After consistently being among the top players in five-on-five points per hour, the duo has fallen to right around average among players with at least 500 minutes played.

Seguin and Benn are victims of setting such a high bar for themselves. While they need to play better and nobody’s going to dispute that, they are far from the only offenders. Despite having a down year, over 60 percent of the five-on-five goals scored while Seguin and Benn are on the ice together are in favor of the Stars.

With Alexander Radulov on the ice with them, over 70 percent on the five-on-five goals (20 of 28) are in the Stars favor. They are unquestionably one of the most efficient trios in the NHL even when they’re having a down year.

The Stars real issues lie on the skaters past Seguin, Benn, and Radulov. With the trio, they outscore and outchance their opponents by a pretty healthy margin. Without Seguin, Benn, or Radulov on the ice this season, the Stars resemble a lottery team.

• 5v5 CorsiFor percentage with the trio: 53.29
• 5v5 CorsiFor percentage sans the trio: 44.93
• 5v5 ShotsFor percentage with the trio: 54.93
• 5v5 ShotsFor percentage sans the trio: 45.45
• 5v5 ScoringChances For percentage with the trio: 55.39
• 5v5 ScoringChances For percentage sans the trio: 45.17
• 5v5 GoalsFor percentage with the trio: 71.43 (20 to 8)
• 5v5 GoalsFor percentage sans the trio: 42.67 (32 to 43)

Seguin and Benn are victims of setting such a high bar for themselves. While they need to play better and nobody’s going to dispute that, they are far from the only offenders.

Simply put, if you took Seguin, Benn, and Radulov off the Stars, fans would be looking at 2019 draft prospects.

This isn’t a new problem, either. It existed last season too. The only difference is this issue has become far more prevalent because Radulov got injured. When Seguin, Benn, and Radulov are all healthy, they’re an elite top line no matter what metrics you prefer.

Injuries, however, happen to everyone. Take the Washington Capitals, for instance. Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie, and Evgeny Kuznetsov have each missed substantial time with injuries. Yet the Capitals find ways to win because guys like Brett Connolly and Jakub Vrana step up when called upon. The Stars don’t have that kind of depth. It’s that simple.

So, while the Stars best players need to be better, Lites comments are a bit misguided. First of all, Seguin and Benn have been their best players, aside from possibly goaltender Ben Bishop, who has helped Dallas overcome obvious defensive deficiencies. At the very least, they’re their best skaters.

Secondly, even if Seguin, Benn, and Radulov play better, that’s not going to solve much. It would be the equivalent of putting a bandaid on a wound that needs stitches. The Stars would be the same team – a team who relies on three forwards to carry too much of the scoring load. They’d just be hiding their obvious flaw a little bit better instead of having it out in the open.

Stars win you championships in today’s NHL. Teams without stars don’t win Stanley Cups. But at the same time, those stars need to have depth around them. Because teams will always focus on stopping stars. Teams who have the depth necessary to either make teams think twice about focusing on their stars or make them pay for doing so tend to win championships.

Considering the Stars have made the playoffs just twice with Seguin and Benn, they aren’t one of those teams. And that falls at the feet of those responsible for creating the roster. Not the stars who save it from being much worse.