Dave Tippett News

Continuing our long-running series with beat writers of future Vancouver opponents, we talked to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News in anticipation of the Canucks-Stars game Friday night.

Mike Modano just isn't used to this. Even in the later years of his career, he has been on the ice for most games.

"The story of this season has been the play of Craig Anderson and Ilya Bryzgalov in goal in Colorado and Phoenix.

"We heard all summer long how we're going to finish last, we're a terrible team.

Preface: Some of the pointa TMs totals given for teams may no longer be correct, as this article was written over the weekend and has just now been posted.

James Neal showed his teammates why crashing the net is so important on Wednesday night.

Moyes agrees to sell Coyotes to NHL Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes has agreed to sell the bankrupt franchise to the NHL.

Still, with Frolov set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, it is hard to imagine he has a long-term future in Los Angeles.

When he played, operating inside that pocket of pain five feet or so in front of the opposition net, prime deflecting real estate, absorbing cross-checks to the small of the back from brother-in-law Jeff Beukeboom and hanging tough as Craig Ludwig snapped sticks into kindling over his calves, Joe Nieuwendyk was hailed as a soldier, a warrior.

No one can deny the skill and domination by Wayne Gretzky on the ice, but behind the bench as head coach in Phoenix he was a bit of a joke.

San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov lays in the net after Dallas's Brenden Morrow scored in the fourth overtime period on a power play to end Game 6 on Sunday.

I will tell you one thing about Marc Crawford, he is not afraid of drilling these guys in practice.

And yet, hey, Stars fans, check those standings. Dallas, hosting the Boston Bruins tonight, is the only team in the Western Conference without a loss this season.

Identity was a real problem for the Stars last season. Were they an annoying agitating team led by Steve Ott and Sean Avery? Were they the defensive, lockdown team they had been for more than a decade? Were they a young team transitioning to a speedier game? "It kind of seemed to change as the year went along, and we were never really sure of ...

It's been a strange start for the goalies around the league. Some of the bigger names have struggled out of the gate, while a few lesser known goaltenders have excelled.

For every headache and empty seat, losses on and off the ice and instability intent on suffocating the organization, the easy part was replacing hockey's greatest ambassador.

Jere Lehtinen is as meticulous in his preparation as he is in his play, and that can mean he might take a few extra games to come back from an injury.

Daniel Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks takes a shot on goalie Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens during the third period of NHL action Wednesday night October 7, 2009 at GM Place in Vancouver.

Not unlike the scenario that unfolded in Edmonton, the Dallas Stars organization figured it was time for a new system.

Take the attention slathered on Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens. Multiply the candlepower by five.