Watching four other teams compete for hockey's holiest of grails isn't the best way to spend a spring. It is, however, instructive. In each Conference Finalist we see aspects of the present-day Dallas Stars, and elements future versions must add to compete at this highest of levels.
Like every other Stars fan, I was gutted to see this year's edition miss out on the big, post-season dance. Last year's loss to Anaheim was bad enough, but at the time, I could apply salve to the wound by thinking of the brighter days to come. Well, those days are still coming, but they're not here yet.