Fansided

5 fringe NHL teams poised to make the playoffs in 2019

By C.L. Kohuss

EDMONTON, AB - APRIL 05: Connor McDavid #97 and Darnell Nurse #25 of the Edmonton Oilers strategize during a break in play against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Place on April 5, 2018 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - APRIL 05: Connor McDavid #97 and Darnell Nurse #25 of the Edmonton Oilers strategize during a break in play against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Place on April 5, 2018 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images) /
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OTTAWA, ON – MARCH 16: Dallas Stars Left Wing Jamie Benn (14) skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Dallas Stars on March 16, 2018 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON – MARCH 16: Dallas Stars Left Wing Jamie Benn (14) skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Dallas Stars on March 16, 2018 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars had a huge streak of their own to end the regular season. It wasn’t a good one. With a month to play, and seen as a virtual lock for a top three spot in the Central Division, the Stars lost eight in a row and fell completely out of the postseason picture. It was dramatic, stunning, and cringe-worthy if you’re a Dallas fan. It ended the year at 92 points, three back of the Colorado Avalanche for a final Wild Card.

But hope is not lost, or it shouldn’t be. The Stars have excellent pieces on offense (Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov), a young and talented defense corps that will likely feature last draft’s third overall pick Miro Heiskanen, and a new coach fresh from the college ranks in Jim Montgomery.

There’s reason to feel sour about how things have panned out lately for this team. After winning the Central a few seasons back, they face-planted under head coach Lindy Ruff the following year, coming in almost dead last. They’ve also missed the playoffs nearly every campaign for the last decade.

Yet it simply feels different right now. That could be due to the hiring of Montgomery, a coach whose success with the Denver Pioneers of the NCAA cannot be understated. (They won the national championship in 2017.) It could also be that we forever feel hopeful when a team has this much talent and suddenly sees vast turnover behind the bench. We think every new coach or assistant will be the one to right the ship.

And let’s be honest, the ship for Dallas is not miles off course. Despite the B-movie ending to the season, it still ranked seventh in fewest goals against, fourth in shots against, and the penalty kill unit was middle of the pack, though at one point it was a top-ten unit through a large chunk of the year.

The biggest question will be can Montgomery get everything possible out of this team? The Stars have the pieces on defense, they have a quality goaltender in Ben Bishop, but there’s no reason a club with this much offensive capability should be ranking 18th in goals scored.

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