Who will play Carbonneau role for Stars?
Dallas hasn't replaced veteran who always starred in playoffs

by Gerry Fraley for The Dallas Morning News, February 25, 2003

During a recent ceremony honoring his contributions to the franchise, Stars executive Guy Carbonneau participated in a mock face-off.

Carbonneau won the draw, reinforcing the belief that three years into retirement as a player he remains the best face-off man in the organization.

In the NHL, it's never too early to worry about the playoffs. As the Stars take the Western Conference's best record into Tuesday's game at Boston, coach Dave Tippett deals with a headache that will throb until April and beyond.

The success of a team stacked with veteran talent will hinge on the performances of neophytes.

Goalie Marty Turco has never faced the suffocating pressure of the playoffs, where one bad goal can change the course of a series. In the last 30 seasons, only one first-time goalie has won the Stanley Cup: Patrick Roy, with Montreal in 1986.

The Stars could use another sixth-defenseman candidate. Without him, they are one injury from having to use both John Erskine and Stephane Robidas, whose combined playoff experience amounts to zero games.

Another playoff novice, center Niko Kapanen, may have to take on the huge responsibility of Carbonneau's role.

The Stars have never replaced Carbonneau. That long-running vacancy will cause their biggest problem in the playoffs.

Turco, 26, is older and calmer than the typical playoff rookie at his position. The Stars can get by with five defensemen if needed.

They need a Carbonneau-like player to win and do not yet have him.

In five years with the Stars, Carbonneau built a legacy with his playoff performances. With Carbonneau, the Stars were 9-3 in playoff series and 43-27 overall. Since Carbonneau's retirement, they are 1-1 in playoff series and 4-6 overall.

The difference in records is not a statistical fluke. Carbonneau handled the work that must be done in the playoffs.

He was the best defensive checker. He killed penalties. Most of all, he won face-offs and ate away at opponents' psyche in the process.

"I know all about that," said Stars center Jason Arnott, who went against Carbonneau while with New Jersey in the 2000 Cup Finals. "He would win every draw. I told him 'Geez, take a break.' "

Carbonneau's work on face-offs in the Stars' defensive end was critical to the team winning the Cup in 1999 and returning to the Finals a year later. Opponents struggled to set up offensive chances after face-offs because they could not pry the puck from Carbonneau.

The Stars dominated face-offs overall during those two playoffs. The telling fact is Mike Modano was the club's third-best face-off man in that span, behind Joe Nieuwendyk and Carbonneau.

Modano is the best these Stars have.

The change shows in the Stars' middle-of-the-pack standing of 15th for face-offs. Among the five Stars with at least 300 face-off chances, only Arnott (52.4 percent) and Modano (51.7) have won more than half.

That will not be good enough. Carbonneau had nearly a 60 percent success rate on draws during the playoff runs.

At various times this season, Tippett thought veteran Kirk Muller and enigmatic Manny Malhotra could be the Carbonneau-like player for the playoffs. Both have had uneven seasons.

The latest option is Carbonneau-by-committee.

Tippet said he could use several players for the face-offs that went to Carbonneau: Arnott, Muller, Malhotra and Kapanen. The checking duties will fall to Kapanen.

Kapanen's defensive work has improved, Tippett said, and he trusts Kapanen on penalty kills.

However well Kapanen plays in the final 20 regular-season games, nothing will change his lack of postseason experience.

The veteran Carbonneau played differently than the young Carbonneau, a difference the Stars should keep in mind. Carbonneau grew into his role as he learned the league and the game.

Kapanen is just starting the learning process. The Stars head to the playoffs looking to win the Cup, not educate young players. If the Stars find a Carbonneau-like veteran by the March 11 trading deadline, they would ease Tippett's headache.