Edmonton Oilers defenseman Sheldon Souray leaves free agency for the Dallas Stars roster.
With the loss of playmakers like Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen, Sergei Zubov, and Brad Richards, the Dallas Stars are scrambling to fill the chasms left in the lineup.
What do the Dallas Stars want with Sheldon Souray, who’s coming off two injury-prone seasons and one AHL recover season?
Dallas needs a roster that strikes some respect, if not downright fear, into the hearts and minds of their opponents. In that vein, Souray’s big body and gritty hockey will provide some respect on the Stars blueline.
And, Souray’s slapshot should put some holes through some players who get in the way, if not getting pucks in the net. Souray is best known for his heavy slapshot, setting the unofficial NHL record for the hardest recorded shot at the Oilers’ 2009 Skills Competition.
Souray spent the 2010-11 season in the AHL and the majority of the 2009-10 season on IR for the Edmonton Oilers. His last full season in the NHL was 2008-09, where he was second among defensemen in NHL in shots on goal (268 shots in 81 games).
There’s no doubt that Souray’s signing is a direct replacement attempt for Richard’s vacancy. Brad Richards abandoned the Stars’ low pay and incentives for the New York Rangers on July 1, 2011. Souray’s blueline scoring ability will be a good replacement for Richards, at least for a year, as Souray has a lot to prove coming out of the AHL.
Sheldon Souray was born Sheldon Sharik Souray on July 13, 1976 in Elk Point, Alberta, Canada. The New Jersey Devils originally drafted him 71st overall in 1994, where he played from 1997 to 1999 before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens on March 1, 2000, for Vladimir Malakhov.
For the Canadiens in the 2002-02 season, Souray had a breakout 15 goals and 35 points. Then he participated in the 2004 NHL All-Star Game, recording the hardest shot at the Skills Competition with 102.2 mph slapshot.
In the 2006-07 season, Souray amassed 26 goals and 64 points, placing second in team-scoring in both categories and broke the NHL single-season record for more powerplay goals scored by a defenseman with this 9th of the season on April 5, 2007. That season also saw him in his 2nd NHL All-Star game where he had the 2nd hardest slapshot at the Skills Competition with 100.4 mph.
The Edmonton Oilers snatched up Souray in July 12, 2007, as a free agent with a 5-year $27 million contract. “Studly Wonderbomb” originated from the Dallas Stars broadcast team (yes, them) during the third period of a 5 – 2 victory over the Stars on December 3, 2008. Unfortunately, Souray only suited up for 26 games with the Oilers due to injuries.
Back from injuries in 2009-09, Souray recorded 23 goals and 53 points and during the Januray 4th Oilers’ Skills Competition, he set the unofficial NHL record for the hardest shot at 106.7 mph, beating Chad Kilger’s old unofficial record of 106.6 set at the Toronto Maple Leaf’s Skills Competition. Officially, Zdeno Chara’s 205.4 slapshot beat Souray’s third-place 103.3 mph slapshot in the 2009 NHL All-Star Game the same month.
In the 2009-10 season, Souray played only 37 games, 4 goals, and 13 points due to a concussion after a hit on October 8, 2009, from Calgary Flames captain Jarome Igninla who checked him into the boards.
Souray requested a trade from the Oilers in the 200 off-season. After clearing waivers, Souray was told not to attend Oiler’s training camp. On October 6, 2010, the Oilers loaned him out to the Washington Capitals’ AHL Hershey Bears. The Oilers wanted to unload Souray’s salaray, so they placed him on waivers again, and the Stars picked him up on July 2, 2011, to a 1-year contract for $1.65 million.
Will Souray be a good fit with the Stars and stick around? Will he help Dallas over the edge and into the playoffs?
In 2011, the only Pacific Division team who failed to make the top eight in the playoffs was the Dallas Stars, who lost to the Minnesota Wild on the final day of the season. According to fearthefin.com, “If Dallas would have won that final game the Pacific would have had every single team in the post season for the first time in Division history.”
What can Studly Wonderbomb do for Dallas? (Good lucks never hurt. Remember Modano, right?)
"I think I am focused this year and looking forward to having a good start. I am healthy. The mind is clear,” Souray told Mark Stepnoski at Andrew's Stars Page.
His strength, stamina, and hard shots should put Dallas’ defense over the edge we’ve needed since Zubov left. Stephane Robidas, Nicklas Grossman, Trevor Daley, and others have given their all to shore up the defense, but let’s face it, defensemen like Zubov, Shea Weber, Lubomir Visnovsky, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, etc., aren’t a “dime a dozen” and with the Stars ownership situation, money isn’t their friend at this point, nor is our standing in the rankings as a cup contender.
In fact, the bleacherreport.com has the Dallas Stars as #9 of 12 teams destined “guaranteed to miss the 2011-12 playoffs.”
Time will tell. But in spite of the obstacles, perhaps, because of them, Dallas is building a team with some talent and Sheldon Souray certainly brings a lot of talent and experience to the (for now) green and gold.
So, let’s get some pucks in the net from the blueline, and show the East Coast Division where Dallas is on the map. Welcome to Texas, Sheldon Souray.
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