After a flurry of moves since the end of last season that has seen the Stars add forwards Alexander Radulov and Martin Hanzal, defenseman Marc Methot and goaltender Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said he's already started working on lineups, the Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday.
Among them is using Radulov at right wing on a line with center Tyler Seguin and left wing Jamie Benn.
"I've coached against Radulov both in the NHL and internationally, and he brings an intensity to the game," Hitchcock said. "You notice him and you have to account for him. Now put Jamie Benn on the other wing and you have the same thing. You know he's there and you know you have to account for him. Same with Seguin. I just think they will all feed off of each other if that's the line we come up with."
Hitchcock also said he could have a second line with Hanzal in the middle and Jason Spezza, a natural center, at right wing. Hanzal is known for his checking ability while Spezza is 12th among active players with 862 points.
Playing two centers was something Hitchcock did with the St. Louis Blues. He'd have the more defensive-minded player skate in the middle in the defensive zone and the more offensively gifted player be at center in the offensive zone.
Methot gives the Stars three left-shot defensemen who are more defensive minded, along with Esa Lindell and Dan Hamhuis, and they should complement John Klingberg and Julius Honka, two offensive-minded defensemen who are right-handed shooters.
"It's how you would draw it up," Hitchcock said.
However Hitchcock is remaining cautious about the way it could go when the players take the ice.
"I definitely think you have to get into camp and preseason to see things on the ice before you can really make any decisions," he said. "Even then, things change during the season. I think there is a lot of talent, and a lot of 'compete' in this group. I think the focus should be on just how hard these players want to battle and compete."
