One Thing the Stars can Learn From the Golden Knights

Stars

While the Dallas Stars are taking an extended off-season to rest, and heal up for a 2027 run the Vegas Golden Knights are taking a shot at the Stanley Cup for the second time in four years.

When you see another team have success, you should be taking notes. What is The other club doing that we can implement into our own system? How can we make it work for us? This is what 31 teams should be asking themselves after every June.

Winning > loyalty

With Dallas at a crossroads with captain Jamie Benn, and whether or not he’ll return for the 2027 season the in-house loyalty is evident. However, staying too committed to the current roster and you’re guaranteeing a repeat of April’s problems in the first round of the playoffs. The Minnesota Wild exposed Dallas’ problems scoring at even strength. As well as a Swiss cheese defense after Nils Lundkvist got injured (with respect to Miro Heiskanen of course).

Vegas is loyal to no person on or off the ice. They’re only loyal to one thing; winning. The Golden Knights ownership will cut ties with anybody at the drop of a hat if they think it improves their chances at a Stanley Cup title.

Nothing personal

The Golden Knights cut ties in no time from players James Neal and Marc Andre Fleaury, to coaches Gerald Gallant to Bruce Cassidy. When things go south a little bit with their current head coach in John Tortorella, you can bet they’ll fire him too. Players such as Jonathan Marchessault aren’t safe from the chopping block either.

Dallas cut ties with Pete DeBoer last summer. That decision was due to three straight losses in the western conference finals, and due to the tension with Jake Oettinger. A goalie the Stars are promised to.

Win now

No team comes into the NHL every year with a win now mentality apart from the Golden Knights. Their ownership, and management (which only changed once since 2016) does not seem to believe in the phrases next year, retool or rebuild.

Photo credit: Jerome Miron/Imagn Images

Dallas is in a win now mode. For them to have a shot at the Stanley Cup next summer, adopting a mindset that cuts closer to Vegas will bring them closer to playing in June.

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