Praise be to the Messiah

So Dallas beats Vancouver? Eh. Shouldn't they?

I don't get the hype with Vancouver. Sundin is a good player, but wow he was predictable tonight. It's like he was playing NHL09. "Get the puck, go behind the net, try to hit Demitra on the back post with a pass across the slot". How tough to defend...They don't appear to be very good defensively either. Several times Dallas whipped the puck around like they were the Red Army.

Vancouver will join Anaheim on the outside looking in when playoff time comes. Mark it.

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My concern here is simple: Why isn't this season over? When Brenden Morrow went down I was ready to use a top pick in the draft and go to work for 2009/2010. Apparently the Stars weren't. They picked up Darryl Sydor who stabilized the D corps AGAIN. Brian Sutherby was brought in and he makes the Eriksson/Richards line complete. Jere Lehtinen, Steve Ott, and Joel Lundqvist all got healthy. Marty Turco returned to form too.

But you know why they're good again?
[Photo]
This guy.
I'm not taking away from anything anyone else has done. Loui Eriksson is a gangster too. The Stump is a pimp in his own right. None of them are James Neal though. He's going to drop a 30 spot as a rookie most likely, and that isn't close to his biggest contribution. He fights harder than anyone but Steve Ott and Brenden Morrow in the corners, he has a sweet set of hands to go with his punishing hits, and he's a fast dude. I love Morrow. I love Richards. I love Ribeiro. I love Eriksson. In 3 years James Neal will be the Stars top player.
Speaking of which. Name me 3 teams with a better long-term top 6 than Richards, Morrow, Ribeiro, Eriksson, Neal, and Ott. I dare you. The only teams out West with a current better top 6 (with Morrow out) are San Jose and Detroit. With Morrow in I only think Detroit has a better top 6. Appologies to Chicago.
Give this team a shutdown defender and they're ready for the playoffs. Praise Jesus. Praise Allah. Praise James Neal, the real KING James, for filling in Morrow's shoes admirably and playing a big part in the resurrection of the Stars 2008/2009 season.