First Shift 🏒

The bad news is that the Stars’ recent slump has been going on for a little while.

The good news is that there is plenty of time to fix it.

Dallas is 2-2-2 over its past six games, including a 3-2 shootout loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday that disappointed head coach Pete DeBoer. The Stars got behind 2-0 in the game and battled back to claim a point. However, it was another inconsistent performance for a team that has the third best record in the league and a high standard that has been established during the DeBoer era.

“You’re patient, you’re patient, you’re patient…to a point, and then you have to get their attention,” DeBoer said Friday. “I think we got to that point last night.”

Part of the problem, the coach said, is the fact that other teams are dialing up their intensity in preparation for the playoffs. Dallas couldn’t keep up with the pace set by Edmonton, Winnipeg, Colorado and Tampa Bay in recent games, and while there were comeback efforts in most of the contests, the bottom line is the Stars didn’t initiate, but reacted instead.

“I made excuses for them for a few games there,” DeBoer said. “I’ve got to stop making excuses, but there are some real underlying factors, including where you are in the standings, where the teams you are playing in the standings are, the desperation level of those teams. We’re learning really quickly that we have to up our standards.”

The Stars have 14 games remaining before the playoffs and are in a great spot in the standings. Still, players and coaches know that you can’t just flip a switch and be ready for the postseason. When asked what the window is on finding that higher level of intensity, defenseman Matt Dumba said, “The window is right now.”

“You want everyone feeling good going into the playoffs, structure-wise and just how efficient we’re being,” Dumba said. “You want everyone on the same page, so when it comes to that time when you’re in these gritty games, you’re ready and you can rely on everything you have built during the year.”

The Stars on Friday worked on the details of their game like puck support and connectedness, and would like to get back to that in a 1:00 p.m. game on Saturday against Philadelphia. Dallas is third in points percentage at .662, fourth in scoring at 3.37, sixth in GAA at 2.62 and fourth in goal differential at plus-51, so it has done a lot of things right during the season.

“I’m not sure that I’m concerned. I’m a little disappointed is probably a better word,” DeBoer said. “I know we’re going to get it fixed. We’ve played too good of hockey for too long a period that we won’t get it fixed.”

The coach said he doesn’t mind trying to open a few eyes. Backup goalie Casey DeSmith was great on Thursday and is 6-0-1 in his past seven starts. That could open the door for more games.

“He’s earned it,” DeBoer said. “I think everyone has been on notice, including our goalies. We have one agenda here and that’s winning. It’s my responsibility to give the team the best chance to win. Is Jake our starter? Yes. But Casey is making a strong case to play more.”

Jake Oettinger, who is 1-2-1 in his past four starts, could face some motivational adversity, DeBoer said. In fact, the entire team can learn from some hardship.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” DeBoer said. “I’d much rather go through this now than three weeks from now. I think our group has the mental toughness to respond the right way.”

The city of Dallas named five finalists to become the next police chief for a department of just over 3,100 officers.

The list includes finalists with experience in local and federal law enforcement, but who all started their careers with a police department at a city level.

Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert said a list of 25 candidates was reduced to the following five finalists:

Interim DPD Chief Michael Igo; DPD Assistant Chief Catrina Shead; Carrollton Chief of Police Roberto Arredondo; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux of Houston; and former FBI Assistant Director Brian Boetig.

The next chief will inherit a department that has seen the violent crime rate fall each year since 2021 but also will be tasked with adding officers after voters last November approved a measure requiring DPD to hire about 900 officers to reach 4,000 officers.

Rene Martinez with LULAC served on the community panel tasked with questioning finalists during the search for a police chief in 2020, a process that yielded the hiring of Eddie Garcia.

“Those shoes are going to be hard to fill but going out into the community, being able to speak to different communities,” Martinez said. “I’m looking at someone that’s going to hopefully have the ability to deal with a diverse community.”

The city said Friday the five finalists will be in Dallas between Monday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 2, meeting with community members before interviewing with City Manager Kim Tolbert.

Tolbert said she plans to make a hiring decision for the city’s next police chief by the second week of April.

Biographies for each of the five DPD chief of police finalists are available ahead of the planned community meet and greets.

The Tennessee Titans parted ways with linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. to begin the offseason, trading him to the Dallas Cowboys.

He was a potential cut candidate, making the trade not too much of a shock. Still, Murray Jr. admitted he was “extremely” surprised by the move.

“I’m not gonna lie, it was extremely surprising for me, just because I wasn’t expecting it,” Murray Jr. said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “… At the same time, I was ecstatic because obviously playing for the Dallas Cowboys is a big deal. I’m excited to be able to come here, bring my brand of football and just fly around and make plays.”

The former first-round pick spent the first four years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers before signing a two-year, $15.5 million contract with the Titans.

He will now join a Cowboys defense that features star linebacker Micah Parsons, cornerbacks DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and more.

It’s a bit of a dream come true for Murray Jr. A former Oklahoma Sooners star and Houston area native, he grew up a Cowboys fan in Texas.

“I’ve always loved the Cowboys,” Murray Jr. said. “I grew up a Cowboys fan. My whole family are Cowboys fans. So this is definitely a dream for me playing here.”

Murray Jr. wasn’t the only defender to arrive to Dallas via trade this offseason. The Cowboys also acquired former first-round cornerback Kaiir Elam from the Buffalo Bills.

Murray Jr. will head into his sixth NFL season with 67 starts across 73 career games while posting 416 total tackles (271 solo), 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 12 pass breakups and three interceptions. He started all 14 games he appeared in for the Titans this past season.

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