Defensive suggestions to unlock the Dallas Stars' offense

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Defensive suggestions to unlock the Dallas Stars' offense
Today, we evaluate defensive tweaks that can help the Dallas Stars create leverage against the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Western Conference Final.

 
Dallas Stars v Edmonton Oilers - Game Three
Dallas Stars v Edmonton Oilers - Game Three / Codie McLachlan/GettyImages
While the main complaint and potential mental block for the Dallas Stars may be their offense, there are defensive tweaks that may help them win this series. 

To briefly summarize the most glaring issues on offense, the lack of PowerPlay urgency and low-in-the-zone puck movement has allowed Edmonton to play slightly passive and only have to challenge each Dallas ‘first attack’ and avoid over-committing, and the lack of offensive engagement by Dallas in the high-danger areas, because it’s hard to get to the high-danger areas, has forced Dallas to shoot from farther away, making it easier for Stuart Skinner to react, among other issues. 


Overall, offensive tweaks can be made, but I believe two defensive issues have limited the Stars’ offensive leverage: their ‘first man back’ issues and considering handedness in both zones
A good defense is proactive on turnovers because most of your team is facing the ‘attack net’ when playing behind the puck, as well as forward momentum with no need to turn 180 degrees to begin a play. From the opponents’ POVs, they are now facing backward without momentum, as they are facing their ‘attack net’ because they weren’t expecting a turnover. 
 
This common post-turnover scenario usually gives counter-attacking teams time and leverage to create chaos. Dallas was effective at this throughout the season, stretching the ice and going from defense to offense as efficiently as possible. 

Don Waddell, recently hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets as President of Hockey Operations, General Manager, & Alternate Governor, said this about rebuilding a team (it relates to making adjustments as well): 
 
""Cleaning up your defensive zone is a lot easier to fix than trying to find pure goal scorers, I think that's where our focus should be off the start.""

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