Even without Tyler Seguin, the Dallas Stars have enough firepower to produce beyond the offensive standard for a contender.
Jamie Benn has been filling the net separate from his customary pivot of late. Jason Spezza suddenly cannot miss. A four-time 30-goal man in Patrick Sharp skated on the fourth line in Thursday's come-from-behind win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The problem is, the Stars aren't constructed like any other Stanley Cup hopeful.
Dallas announced Friday that Seguin, the team's second-leading scorer (and the league's third-leading point producer), underwent surgery to repair a slice to his Achilles tendon and will likely miss the remainder of the regular season.
Seguin's expected to be ready for the start of the playoffs, albeit perhaps slightly hindered. But his absence has significant implications, and over the next 10 games, will illuminate a titanic concern for the organization.
The Stars require the league's No. 1 offense to veil their inefficiencies on defense and an overpriced goaltending duo that, despite being designed to endure, is fading down the stretch and primed to be exposed without Seguin's point-per-game production.
With an .880 save percentage since the All-Star break, Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen are chiefly responsible for the NHL's sixth-most permeable defense, having conceded just seven goals fewer than the league-worst Calgary Flames.
Yet, despite allowing 3.6 goals per game and owning a slightly negative goal differential through February and March, Dallas managed 26 points from 22 games and a record above .500.
But what does that look like without Seguin and his contribution to every third goal?
The Stars remain two up on the St. Louis Blues in the Central Division, while the Chicago Blackhawks lurk five points back with a game in hand. But despite rising to the top of the Western Conference in 72 games, it's the final 10 that will decide whether the Stars clash with one of those juggernauts or instead meet one of the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, or Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs.
Without improved play in goal down the stretch, the team that rivals have been chasing all season could very well enter the tournament as an underdog.
