Getty Images The Stars rank third in the league in goals per game, but they’ve been largely dependent on Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and newcomer Jason Spezza offensively. Along with Spezza, Dallas made one other big addition over the summer by signing forward Ales Hemsky to a three-year, $12 million contract, but so far he’s been unable to help the team.
Through nine games, he has just an assist and a team-worst minus-six rating.
“It’s a new city, new surroundings, new coaches. That takes time,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said in Hemsky’s defense, per the team’s website. “You go around the league and look at players that have switched teams. I can probably give you three or four right away, and you’ll say, ‘Man, that guy hasn’t scored yet.’ It’s not easy.”
Hemsky did spend 652 games with the Edmonton Oilers compared to just nine with Dallas, so it’s not unreasonable to believe that he’s still adjusting. Shawn Horcoff, who made the leap to Dallas last season after spending more than a decade with Edmonton, can sympathize with that.
“It took me a long time. He’s in a similar situation. Twelve years on a team for him is a long time,” Horcoff said. “We play a totally different system here than what we were used to there. It’s a different role for him, we are a lot deeper here.”
Of course, Hemsky isn’t making the transition straight from Edmonton to Dallas. In between he had a 20-game detour in Ottawa and excelled on a line with Spezza during that stint. There was some hope that that chemistry would travel with them to Dallas, but instead Spezza has primarily played with Benn and Seguin. That trio has formed one of the best lines in the game, but it’s also made the team top heavy like it was last season, which is something that the additions of Spezza and Hemsky was supposed to cure.
Ruff appreciates the work Hemsky is doing and thinks he should get rewarded and for his part, Hemsky has felt good over his last few games. Perhaps it won’t be long before he breaks out of his slump. That would certainly help take some pressure off Dallas’ first line.
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- esracerx46 - Oct 30, 2014 at 9:39 AM
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The 20 games with the Senators aside, Ales Hemsky has been somewhat over rated since 10/11.
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- shanekelleytx - Oct 30, 2014 at 9:43 AM
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Ruff sounds like a great coach to play for, all he does is defend his players and show patience with them. That said, Hemsky is playing on the third line with guys like Sceviour, Cole, and Eaves. None of them match his talent and offensive ability. Recently he’s had flashes, soon enough he’ll start getting points.
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- eggserino - Oct 30, 2014 at 10:20 AM
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Part of the problem is Rupp is choosing to load up his top. Line rather than playing Spezza in a second line role. Yes, that top line is tough, but it makes more sense to me to balance out the scoring by having Seguin play 1C and Spezza play 2C. I watched them play against the Blues. Their top line was a thing to fear. The rest? Not so much…
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- eggserino - Oct 30, 2014 at 10:21 AM
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Sorry. RUFF.
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- gret9 - Oct 30, 2014 at 12:37 PM
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Ruff started Spezza and Hemsky together at the beginning of the season, but when Val went down, he moved Spezza up and that line has been a force.
You never know, but I would assume when Val comes back Spezza will be moved back down.
After a slow start, Hemsky has looked good the last week or so and has created scoring chances for himself and his linemates, they just haven’t cashed in yet.
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- shanekelleytx - Oct 30, 2014 at 11:18 AM
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You’re right, Spezza on the top line messes everything up. So does Nichushkin being out. It forces what should be our great third line to be the second, which is asking too much.
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- stepanup - Oct 30, 2014 at 11:34 AM
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Once NIchushkin comes back to compliment the top line, you have to think Spezza goes back to the 2nd line to provide that balance they paid for bringing the two of them over.
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- deeleeh - Oct 30, 2014 at 12:42 PM
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One would think, but rumor has it, Ruff isn’t really planning on doing that.
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- endusersolutions2013 - Oct 30, 2014 at 12:39 PM
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And the big thing with Seguin’s resurgence last year was the Stars moving him back to his natural center position.
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