The 2016-17 Dallas Stars, on paper, don’t look much different than the team that came within a game of going to the Western Conference Finals in last spring’s NHL playoffs.
That's good, because last year's Stars were an exceptional hockey club. It's also bad, because the fatal weakness of that team—goaltending—remains unaddressed.
That problem area could be an even greater challenge this year than it was last season. Veterans Alex Goligoski and Jason Demers are gone, and while Dan Hamhuis was brought in via free agency, the Stars’ defensive corps is going to be younger than it was in 2015-16.