Andrew's Dallas Stars Blog

Stars announce two signings

The Stars have announced two signings. Once is Swiss defenseman Severin Blindenbacher and the other is defensman Jace Coyle, who is at the development camp going in Frisco.

The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed defenseman Severin Blindenbacher to a one-year entry-level contract and defenseman Jace Coyle to a three-year entry-level contract.

“Severin is a good skater, moves the puck well and makes smart decisions in all zones,” Nieuwendyk said. “We hope that he can push some of our guys and add some depth to our roster.”

Blindenbacher, 27, played for Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League last season, collecting eight goals and 11 assists in 48 games. He skated for Switzlerland at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, recording one goal and one assist in five games during the tournament. Blindenbacher also represented Switzerland at the 2006 Olympic Games, dressing in six games and accruing one assist.

The 5-11, 194-pound defenseman played nine seasons in the Swiss-A League before 2009-10, splitting time with Zurich and Kloten. Blindenbacher has skated in 360 games in the Swiss-A League, tallying 58 goals and 98 assists. He was originally drafted in the ninth round (273rd overall) at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by Phoenix. Blindenbacher has yet to play in North America.

Coyle, 20, played in 68 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) last season, collecting 46 points (10g, 36a). He also skated in 12 playoff games for the club, posting four points (3g, 1a).

The 5-11, 180-pound defenseman spent the 2008-09 season with Medicine Hat, recording 24 points (8g, 16a) in 72 games. Over three WHL seasons, Coyle has played in 192 games, tallying 19 goals and 60 assists. The native of Cranbrook, British Columbia, is teammates with fellow Stars’ prospect Tristan King on the Medicine Hat Club. Coyle is currently participating in the Stars’ Development Camp in Frisco.

Gonchar to Ottawa

The first big signing of the day is defenseman Sergei Gonchar. TSN reports he is going to Ottawa on a three-year, $16.5 million deal.

Biron the first to go

I am going to be out at development camp today, so I will not posting free agent updates regularly but it looks like goalie Martin Biron was the first to go in free agency. He signed a two-year, $1.75 million deal with the New York Rangers.

TSN’s free agent tracker is here.

I’d also suggest TSN’s live blog, where Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger are putting things up quickly.

Report: Stars sign Swiss defenseman

According to some media reports in Switzerland the Stars have signed Swiss defenseman Severin Blindenbacher, who played with Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League last year. The 27-year-old, who is a right shot, had 19 points (8 goals, 11 assists) in 48 games last season. He’s 5-11, 194 pounds and said to be a two-way defenseman who skates well. He’s been a regular for the Swiss at the World Championship in recent years and has played for the Swiss twice at the Olympics. He was a 9th round pick by Phoenix in 2001. It’s said to be a two-way contract, so it looks like he’s likely to be playing with the Texas Stars. 

Stars announce signings of Barch, Wathier

Here’s the release:

Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Krys Barch to a two-year contract extension worth $1.675 million ($825,000 first; $850,000 second). This extension puts Barch under contract through the 2011-12 season.

“Krys Barch is a competitive player who adds character, grit and toughness to our hockey club,” Nieuwendyk said. “He gives everything he has each night and we are pleased to have him back for two more years.”

Barch, 30, played in 63 games for Dallas last season, collecting 6 assists and 130 penalty minutes. He has played 209 NHL games over the past four seasons, all with the Stars, recording eight goals and 15 assists with 475 penalty minutes. The Hamilton, Ontario, native was originally signed as a free agent by Dallas on July 18, 2006.

DALLAS STARS SIGN FRANCIS WATHIER TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION

Nieuwendyk also announced today that the club has signed right wing Francis Wathier to a two-year, two-way contract extension. This extension puts Wathier under contract through the 2011-12 season.

Wathier, 25, made his NHL debut with Dallas last season, recording four shots and five penalty minutes in five games with the Stars. He spent the majority of 2009-10 with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL), skating in 76 games and collecting 40 points (19g, 21a) with 101 penalty minutes. The St. Isidore, Ontario native also played 24 playoff games with Texas, tallying eight points (2g, 6a).

The 6-4, 208-pound left wing has played in 240 career AHL games and has scored 41 goals and 38 assists with 349 penalty minutes. Wathier was drafted in the sixth round (185th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Modano news conference quotes

Here are a few tidbits from Mike Modano's press conference today

On whether he'll play again next season

"Those are decisions to be made in the next couple weeks. I think once the free agent market opens up I think I'll have a little better understanding of where I fit in or place with other teams or other options. First and foremost is getting a firm answer on whether or not to play. I think that is still up in the air like everybody knows."

When asked why he doesn't call it a career and if he still has that drive to play

"There are days I go through those decisions in my head about being excited about playing. I think that will always be there, that fire. I think for any of us at this point in our career, our lives, that's the battle you have - of fully letting go, and if you feel you can still play and contribute. I've always felt that if I am awful and bad at this game, I'll move on and not do it any more. There are times after games where I've said to myself that I probably shouldn't been out there, and some nights I felt good, things went well and maybe I could do this a couple more years. Game to game, there were always those feelings."

On teams he might be looking at in free agency

"It's hard to say any particular team. There are times that you say it would be really easy to play in some of those situations. Obviously, I am very familiar with the West. Those cities, those personnel and players. Just being around 22 years you know personnel and teams. There are some that I think would be fun to be a part of."

On the possibility of playing for another team and in another city

"That's probably the most difficult decision I have had to make. I've been fortunate to be here a long time. To possibly have wear a different jersey doesn't seem right to me, but that's going to have to be the way it is if I want to continue to play. I just have to look at their situation as a team, how I fit in, their personnel and see if it's a comfortable situation for both sides and their players, knowing that an older player is coming in to possibly take a younger player's position. I guess you have to walk a fine line there." 

On whether his role with another team plays a factor

"I think my role doesn't really have a major impact on my decision. I think you want to have a successful team, a team you feel could go deep in the playoffs. I think that is one factor in it, to make one last run at it. There's nothing like going three or four rounds deep in the playoffs. I was asked to do that with Washington and possibly Philly or Boston at the trade deadline. Those were three options. I was thinking Washington and then other two (go deep) and Philly makes the Finals. You never know what can happen. The Stars were only a point out of the playoffs at that point, so I felt there was still a chance to get in and make some waves. As far as my role, I know it's going to be similar to what it was last year, so I can accept that."

On whether anyone in the Stars organization said if you don't make a decision by a certain date then we'll make it for you

"Those are the conversations Joe and I had. We had a lot of them. As soon as the season was over we started talking. I think he wanted to get a beat on what I was feeling as far as playing, and what ultimately my decision was going to be if I knew at that point. I knew in the back of his mind there was a tough call to be made here soon. And if it lingered and wasn't committing one way or the other, then he after a while that he had to make that decision and that choice publicly before I did. Joe has been fantastic about the whole situation. I don't envy that situation and position. We're first and foremost friends and teammates, and we'll continue to be that no matter what happens down the road."

When asked if he is upset or disappointed with anyone in particular

"I just think ultimately having to make that decision. I don't think there is anyone personally I am upset or disappointed with. I would have loved to seen it work its way out here. In no way am I upset with Tom (Hicks) or Joe. They've been fantastic. I can't thank Tom enough for the opportunity he has given me with this team and this town over and over again, and stepping in five years ago to make sure I didn't leave when I had the opportunity to do so. There's no one I am personally upset with. It was just upsetting and disappointing that it didn't work out."

On Dallas fans

"I want to thank the fans, they've meant the most to me. They really inspire us to be better players and put the pressure on us to perform well. Through good and bad experiences they've been nothing but great. We've found new hockey fans here in Dallas. We've created a fan base here, frankly, that I didn't think was ever going to be possible leaving Minnesota, where hockey is like football in Texas."

 

Jack Campbell on NHL Live!

Stars first round draft pick Jack Campbell, who will be at the development camp that gets underway Thursday in Frisco, was on NHL Live! today. Here's the audio.

Thoughts on Modano

I have to admit today’s news that Mike Modano’s playing days in Dallas are over did not come as a surprise.  I figured it was coming one way or another this summer. Either he was going to hang up the skates, or the Stars would not bring him back.  Still, as strange as it might sound, I still had to take a moment to let in sink in. Maybe I was surprised after all.

But once Modano started to talk about possibly playing for another season, I thought we were eventually going to get to this point and I figured it was going to be some rough times for both Modano and Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk.

I bet Nieuwendyk was hoping this would be a lot easier. Modano would reflect on those last couple of games, especially tha memorable tilt against Anaheim at the AAC and then the season finale in Minnesota, and say that was a nice way to go out, and call it a career. Tough to top that exit.

But once Modano indicated that he might want to play another season, a decision had to be made. And it wasn’t an easy one. Modano’s the greatest player this franchise has ever known, but does that history - when you factor in where Modano is in his career - mean that Nieuwendyk shuffles things around to accommodate him? And if Nieuwendyk could shuffle things around - and he really can’t right now - would Modano like where he ended up?

You just can’t break it down to the Stars decided to re-sign, say Krys Barch, and not Mike Modano. Barch has a defined role in what the Stars are right now. Modano? That’s an entirely different question. The Stars have two top centers in Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro. They have a young center in Tom Wandell, who has shown a lot of promise, who needs to play more to develop more. They have Jamie Benn, who has shown an ability to play well at center and he needs to develop more too. Steve Ott is another center.

Modano’s role was kind of limited last season, although he played well at times, and with Wandell coming back from injury, it seems there is even less room for Modano this coming season. He’s going to see limited time at even strength and see some time on the power play.

Let’s face it. This was a tough decision for Nieuwendyk. He played with Modano. Won a Stanley Cup with him. He’s a friend of Modano. He knows Modano is popular. He knows the decision will alienate a lot of fans. Fans who may not have liked the decision to dump Dave Tippett or say so long to Marty Turco either.

He didn’t do it because he’s clueless or heartless. These are tough times for the Stars GM. This is a franchise in a lot of turmoil because of the financial mess they are in right now. Nieuwendyk is trying to ice a team with one of the lowest budgets in the league. That means the team goes young and young guys don’t get better if they don’t play.

Under different circumstances maybe a different decision, but not under these circumstances. And the circumstances aren’t going to change until the team gets the ownership issue resolved. Nieuwendyk can’t control that and neither can Modano.

But there are other teams out there where Modano could still fit and play. There’s no doubt he can still be an effective player and help a team. It will up to him to see if there’s a fit out there and to decide if he wants to play with another franchise. It would be awkward to see him with another franchise, but that’s a decision he is going to have to make. And if he does decide to play somewhere else the best you can do is wish him well. 

Development camp schedule

Here's the schedule for the Stars' development camp, which opens this Thursday in Frisco.

 

Dallas Stars Development Camp Schedule

Thursday, July 1

Practice 4:00 - 6:00 PM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter

Friday, July 2

Practice 8:00 - 9:30 AM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team A)

Practice 2:30 - 4:00 PM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team B)

Saturday, July 3

Practice 9:00 - 10:30 AM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team B)

Practice 2:30 - 4:00 PM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team A)

Sunday, July 4

Practice 9:00 - 10:30 AM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team A)

Practice 2:30 - 4:00 PM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team B)

Monday, July 5

Practice 9:00 - 10:30 AM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team B)

Practice 2:30 - 4:00 PM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter (Team A)

Tuesday, July 6

Team Building Activities

Wednesday, July 7

Skills Event 9:00 - 10:00 AM @ Frisco Dr Pepper StarCenter

Development camp roster

Since the focus today is on moving forward and the future, the Stars have a development camp this week. The players are scheduled to hit the ice for the first time at 4 pm Thursday in Frisco. The camp runs through next Wednesday. More on the schedule later, but for now here is the roster of players scheduled to attend:

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