Tom Hicks gives Dallas one-month ultimatum! (Insert ominous organ music here)

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=67192

I guess he really wants to win the Pacific? Frankly, I didn't see this coming - with the addition of Klemm I thought Dallas was going to try and spend their way out of their funk.

Still, what changes can he make? Doug Armstrong is going to have lots of difficulty making changes to the core since 90% of all Dallas Stars have unmovable contracts.

[blitzkriegs]

well, if you believe in Hicks' deadlines, we know this will be extended numerous times.

[guinness]

The Pacific is still anyone's guess, although SJ has been playing well (and pretty consistently).

[Ajacied]

Yeah, over at some Dallas message boards, we are still trying to understand what he exactly means with "changes will have to be made".. But knowing Hicks (and his wallet), he could very well extend the Stars payroll and trade for a high priced All-Star, yet soon to be UFA. That, or he's talking in reference to Dave Tippet and his staff. By no means will he face the possiblity of rebuilding..

Expect a trade coming for some offensive help, its up front where the problems are, not on Defense and certainly not in net.

And it is Doug Armstrong, not Craig..

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

****! I always get those two confused!

[Ajacied]

Originally Posted by Burke's Evil Spirit

****! I always get those two confused!

Well.. Craig's better then Lance.. And it was actually quite common :p ..

[Malefic74]

If the Dave Tippett Watch hadn't started yet, it has just begun. That would be the first and easiest move to make without adding a huge chunk of payroll. Hicks seemed pretty adamant at the beginning of the year they would not add significant payroll (hence Derian Hatcher).

There are very good coaches out there who have shown experience working with veteran teams. (Keenan, Robinson to name two) And since Step 1 (scream and yell in the office and/or dressing room) it is now time to go to Step 2. Scream and yell in the papers and hope it wakes everybody up.

[ehc73]

Originally Posted by Modano = God

Yeah, over at some Dallas message boards, we are still trying to understand what he exactly means with "changes will have to be made".. But knowing Hicks (and his wallet), he could very well extend the Stars payroll and trade for a high priced All-Star, yet soon to be UFA. That, or he's talking in reference to Dave Tippet and his staff. By no means will he face the possiblity of rebuilding..

Expect a trade coming for some offensive help, its up front where the problems are, not on Defense and certainly not in net.

And it is Doug Armstrong, not Craig..

I hear Yanic Perrault's available.

With all the Dallas D now pretty much recovered from injury, they look pretty good there. Turco seems to have regained at least part of his form from last year.
I mean, with the injury riddled defence, you could argue chemistry problems because they haven't played together a whole lot due to injuries, but they've played pretty well. Not exactly hurting physically up front for Dallas, and most of them are back from last year's team that challenged for the Western Conference crown. What's the problem?
Hicks' ultimatum sorta heaps a crapload more pressure on them(read: Modano).

[Beukeboom Fan]

What's Hicks going to do - try and trade Pierre Turgeon?

I just don't see that this is an issue of talent. There is a TON of talent on the Stars, it's just that something is missing "team-wise". I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think that picking up some high price rentals will turn this team around if they struggle over the next 14 games.

I really think that Tippett's johnson is on the chopping block. The team is underachieving, and they guys that DAL would like to move are unmoveable IMO.