Stars Notes: Still Marty’s net
/Andrew's Dallas Stars Page
Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said Tuesday's trade for Kari Lehtonen it's still Marty Turco's net and the team is counting on Turco to deliver results as the Stars try to gain ground in the tight Western Conference playoff race.
"I spoke with Marty after the game last night. We had a good long chat. He's being very professional about it," Nieuwendyk said Wednesday during an interview on The Ticket. "I indicated to him that 'Look, the net is yours right now and you still have to go out there and win games.' He's well aware of the situation and the predicament I am in and the organization was in with his free agent status looming. Marty's been real good about it and I anticipate he'll go in there and play well again for us tomorrow night."
Turco has played well the last four games for the Stars, stopping 135 of 141 shots for a .957 save percentage and helping the Stars pick up five of a possible eight points. Turco said Wednesday his focus is on continuing to play well and not on the off ice matters.
"I don't have any qualms about it," Turco said of the trade for Lehtonen. "You've got to quickly turn around and focus on your job. If I keep playing like I am playing now, I will be OK."
Turco is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. So is backup Alex Auld. With that in mind, Nieuwendyk wanted to make sure he had something in place prior to the end of the season.
"I didn't really want to go into the summer without having anything in place in our net. That's why we made the deal," Nieuwendyk said. "It gives us some flexibility moving forward."
But now the Stars have three goaltenders, just like Atlanta did before sending Lehtonen to Dallas for defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy and a fourth round pick in 2010. Nieuwendyk said the Stars will carry three for now, but that could change.
"Ideally, I don't want to carry three goaltenders but we will now for a little while until probably the trade deadline," he told Hockey Night in Canada radio. "Beyond that I would prefer to carry two."
Nieuwendyk on moving Vishnevskiy
When it came to moving defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy, one of the team's top prospects, in the deal to bring Kari Lehtonen to Dallas, Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said you have to give up something to get something. He also said he didn't believe Vishnevskiy had hit a wall as far as his development.
"I think there is still upside with a player like that," Nieuwendyk said of Vishnevskiy in an interview with BaD Radio on The Ticket. "Clearly he has power play type qualities, where he has a good shot from the point. He is a small body, so obviously he has a long ways to go in the defensive end. He's a good young prospect.
"I'd probably leave it at that, but we have an opportunity to get a goaltender who we feel could potentially be one of the elite goaltenders in the league. That's an area that is very critical in today's game."
Vishnevskiy has been assigned by Atlanta to the Chicago Wolves. Vishnevskiy's first two games for Chicago will come this weekend in Cedar Park, where the Wolves play Friday and Saturday against the Texas Stars.
The goaltending future
The Stars are hoping Kari Lehtonen is a big part of the team's goaltending future, but Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said they have high hopes for one of the team's draft picks as well. That would Tyler Beskorowany, who is currently playing for the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.
"He is our top goaltending prospect, no doubt and he is on the right path," Nieuwendyk said of Beskorowany, a 2nd round pick in 2008 who signed an entry-level contract with the team in September. "The situation we have down the road in Austin with our farm team - having them that close - will be a great stepping stone for him. We're excited about the future of our net. With the acquisition of Kari Lehtonen, I think we are well positioned."
Cuban a possible investor in the Stars
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told ESPN radio in Dallas Wednesday that he has held talks to possibly buy a minority interest in the Dallas Stars. Current Stars owner Tom Hicks is exploring a possible sale of the team and Cuban said he has an interest as an "investor, not an operational guy" during an interview with ESPN's Randy Galloway.
"I'm not looking to outright buy
the team," Cuban told Galloway. "I have talked to somebody who is
interested in buying the team and I told them I would try to help them
get a deal done. From my end, I like hockey, I'm a fan, but I'm not a
hockey guy. I'm not going to lie and pretend I can come in and bring the
energy that I try to bring to the Mavs.
"But because they are a partner in the American Airlines Center, they're
going to be a business partner no matter what. If I can help facilitate
the right deal or a deal that is going to help the AAC, or help get what
I think is a good deal done, I will."
Cuban said he was introduced to the potential buyer by a member of the Stars.
"Mike Modano hooked us up," said Cuban.
