While Dallas Stars fans have become accustomed to forwards with offensive prowess and the ability to put the puck in the back of the net faster than Brent Burns loses teeth, Jim Nill added a different type of player to the Stars arsenal. Adam Cracknell, the 6’2, 210 pound right wing and ten-year veteran in the league was signed to a one-year deal with the Stars.
While posting only 27 points over 134 games, Stars fans need to pay attention to is his physical game and not his lack of offensive production. Last season, in only 52 games, Cracknell had 124 hits. That’s 2.38 hits per game for all you non-math aficionados. Averaging 12:14 of ice time per game split between two teams last season, Cracknell is not someone expected to be seen on lines with Jamie Benn or Jason Spezza.
What Adam Cracknell and Dan Hamhuis Bring to the Dallas Stars
Cracknell is the definition of a grinder. He is a perfect replacement for Colton Sceviour. Yes, Sceviour definitely brought more of an offensive edge, but the Stars are overflowing with scorers. The Stars skaters are saturated with scoring ability, and the club could really use some hard hitters. Sceviour had 148 hits in his last two seasons with Dallas, and that’s where Cracknell fills the void. Do not count this guy out before the season has even started. He may not have a wrist shot like Patrick Eaves, or be able to make a saucer pass like Jamie Benn, but he will be a player Lindy Ruff calls on to put some guys through the glass.
Off-Season Departures
After losing players like Kris Russell, Jason Demers, and Alex Goligoski, there is something left to be desired when it comes to a physical presence. John Klingberg is one of the best offensive defenceman in the league, but with that, comes attention. At 180 pounds, Klingberg is not the kind of defenceman who is going to put someone’s head through the glass. When he started scoring, other teams took notice. Players like Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler who have no problem finishing checks made sure the young Swedish defenceman kept his head up. This led to Klingberg playing scared and clumsy. He sometimes turned the puck over simply from not being able to stay on two skates.
Enter Dan Hamhuis
Bring in Dan Hamuis. At a respectable 6’1″ and 209 pounds, Hamuis is not afraid to take the body. Amassing 902 hits in 872 games shows that Hamuis and his body has stood the test of time. He can still put forwards on their rears; just ask Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He also is a tough son of a gun, taking a full-on slap shot from Dan Boyle straight to the face. With the foregoing of signing Russell, the Stars lost the league’s second leading shot blocker. While Hamuis is not throwing up insane numbers, he has a little over 800 in his career.
Like Cracknell, Hamuis is not here to score a silky wrist shot in overtime against the Minnesota Wild, we’ll leave that to young Klingberg. Many fans are doubting Hamuis because of his age. But if Jaromir Jagr can dangle like he does (and still grow that sweet flow) who is to say Hamhuis can not help the Stars where they need it the most? The goalies were criticized all last season. While they accounted for 25 wins a piece, it was largely due to the Stars electric offence. Many times, Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen were left with three opposite sweaters barreling towards them. They were hung out to dry many times because one of the Stars defencemen got sloppy. Hamuis brings exactly what the Stars need, and fans should look to see him as a top four defenceman.
Main Photo: SAN JOSE, CA – MARCH 5: Dan Hamhuis #2 of the Vancouver Canucks skates against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on March 5, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images)
