Why Edmonton bubble could help Stars find playoff chemistry
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The NHL’s “process” in setting up the bubble could actually be something that helps the Stars if they take advantage of it.
Dallas has looked shaky in its first few games in Edmonton, losing an exhibition game to Nashville and then round-robin games to Vegas and Colorado. But as the team tries to get ready for an unknown first round opponent in the playoffs and still has another round-robin game Sunday to prepare, the time they spend is definitely unique.
In a normal playoff year, the Stars would head home after practice and not see each other. If they were on the road, they might break off into small groups and go to dinner. But with the NHL’s protected system in Edmonton, the team is pretty much limited to its “Team Room,” and some close quarter bonding.
“There’s not a whole lot going on when you’re away from the rink besides hanging out with your team,” said winger Blake Comeau. “You’re watching hockey or you’re playing hockey, so it’s nice to build some of that team chemistry.”
After a 4-0 loss to Colorado Wednesday, the team had a scheduled “off day” on Thursday. However, coach Rick Bowness took the time to have several meetings with his players to check the pulse and see where the team was – and that’s not something that would normally be available.
“They have an off day, and there’s nowhere to go, so it’s a good time to have some one-on-one chats and two-on-two chats and find out where their heads are and what they’re thinking and what they’re seeing,” Bowness said.
He said his feeling is he expects a lot more.
Video: Comeau, Perry on building chemistry inside the bubble
“It’s not September where you can just lollygag through a couple of exhibition games and find your game,” Bowness said of the Return to Play resembling the start of a normal regular season.
“This time of year, it’s all about passion, it’s all about intensity, it’s all about emotion, and then the x’s and o’s everything else will follow from that,” he said.
Bowness said the Stars have to find that level, because the team they will play in the first round will have come from a do-or-die best-of-five series.
“The play-in series are very intense, they’re very physical, they’re in each other’s faces, and it’s every shift,” Bowness said. “That’s what we’re going to see when we enter the playoffs, and we’re trying to prepare our players that this is coming. We can’t just flip a switch when the playoffs come along and say `Now we’re intense and now we’re ready to go.’ That’s not good enough.”
The bubble is a good place to get that message across. Not only are the players close, they also are already programmed to be disciplined and follow the rules. The NHL set up the environments in Edmonton and Toronto to keep players safe and healthy, and to help make sure the playoffs go off without a hitch. Stars Assistant General Manager Mark Janko is serving as the team’s “compliance officer” and said he feels the entire process can help the Stars be ready to compete.
“Everyone here has been so good about doing what you have to do to serve the greater good, and I think that feeling is everywhere,” Janko said. “Players want to make sure everyone follows the rules, and you can see them pulling together and doing things the right way, and I think that helps with our team building.”
Janko said the fact players are all together creates some interesting opportunities to bond.
Video: Bowness says it’s time for Stars to up intensity
“You see Joe Pavelski grab Ty Dellandrea for dinner or Jamie Benn grab Thomas Harley for dinner or Tyler Seguin takes a few of the young guys to a table and has dinner. It was really nice to see that,” Janko said. “And now as we’re getting closer, you see the veteran guys talking and you can see they’re trying to figure things out. I think that will bode well for our group. I think these close proximities will encourage bonding and accountability.”
While it’s easy to say players don’t get as emotional about games as fans do, they’re aware of what needs to be done. So as the team spends three days getting ready for the Blues on Sunday, there is plenty of talk.
Bowness said practice on Friday was revved up, and that the necessary adjustments were made.
“Battle drills … which we did. High-tempo … which we did. Talk to them..which we did,” Bowness said. “There’s certainly things you can do about any scenario. You’ve just got to get a feel for the team and where it is. We had a good meeting about that today.”
They will have more on Friday night and more on Saturday. After all, there’s not much else to do.
“We’re going to approach it like it is a do or die,” Comeau said of Sunday’s game against the Blues. “It’s time for our team to play the way we know how to play to give us success. We do want to go in when we do play our playoff series feeling good about ourselves, so we’re going to approach this game like it is a playoff game.
“I think it’s time we put together a full 60 minutes and we feel good about where we are as a team.”
Quick hitters
Stars defenseman John Klingberg , who missed the game against Colorado, is expected to be ready to play Sunday.
Ben Bishop , who missed Wednesday’s game, did not practice and still is listed as “unfit to play.”
Defenseman Taylor Fedun also worked off ice on Friday and still is listed as “unfit to play.”
The winner of Sunday’s game between the Stars and Blues (time TBA) will get the third seed in the Western Conference and the loser will get the fourth seed.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.