Mike Heika

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The first thing you do when you take over an organization or start a new season is you put together a plan.

Here is the Stars' plan for goaltenders.

Get five spots across three leagues, so all your goaltenders can play and mature. Set up a competition in Cedar Park (likely between Matt Climie, 26, and Brent Krahn, 27) so both can play and both can prove they might soon be options at the NHL level, either as backups or as potential starters.

You then bring in a talented backup goalie who can be reliable and low-maintenance, and who could take over the team in case of an injury to your No. 1 goalie.

And, finally, you do everything you can to get your No. 1 goalie on top of his game and playing well.

That is the plan the Stars drew up in the summer, and they are not going to abandon it four or five games into the season.

Much of the mail and discussion these past two weeks has been criticism of Marty Turco, and I'm fine with that. But I have to tell you that as much as many of you want the organization to bail on Turco in October, I just don't see it happening.

A plan is in place, and the Stars believe Turco is their best chance to win in the playoffs. He has played well in his last two playoff appearances (losing in seven games to Vancouver while registering three shutouts, and then helping the Stars to the Western Conference finals in 2008), and the Stars believe that he can play well again once he gets there.

So, they are trying to do everything they can to get him there.

Now, is that a bad plan? You can say it is (many of you do). But again, if that's your plan, don't you have to give it some time?

Alex Auld is a fine goalie who has played very well for the Stars in training camp and in his one regular season game. That said, he is 75-75-25 in his career with a 2.75 GAA and .905 save percentage. He is on his sixth NHL team.

Now, does that mean he couldn't be better than Turco right now? No. He could actually be improving in his career, and the Stars could have stumbled upon him just at the right moment of his development. But, if you were told to go into a room and come up with the plan for this season, most of you would say that the team should use Auld to try to get Turco up and running. Because Turco has shown in the past he can be pretty darn good when he is up and running.

He showed it in the playoffs, he showed it in a stretch in the middle of last season. There is greatness in Turco, and the Stars believe their best bet for success this season is to find a way to get that greatness out.

Now, part of the reason for that decision is because Turco is getting paid $5.4 million this season with a $5.7 million cap hit. That's how business is done in the NHL – you give your top investments the benefit of the doubt. But we have seen teams such as Anaheim and Washington go with the backup over the No. 1 if that's what they decide is best for the team. I believe the Stars would make that decision if they were forced to – just as Anaheim and Washington were forced to make their decisions before benching J.S. Giguere and Jose Theodore.

But that force doesn't come in October. You can't sit here all summer and say you are getting a new goalie coach and a new backup goalie with the intention of helping Turco get better, and then toss that plan out the window this quickly.

Marty Turco can be traded this year. The Stars can also let his contract expire at the end of the season. They have options. Their option right now is to get him back to playing his best – like he did in Wednesday's shutout against Nashville – and that seems like a fairly reasonable plan.

Q: While watching the Calgary game, we wondered why all games aren't in HD. Is there just one feed for the game? Does Fox Sports send a truck up there or do they already have equipment at all of the arenas? Is there anything the league can do, like subsidize it to make sure all games are broadcast in HD? How is it the Mavericks can have all of their games (including preseason) in HD but only half of our games? For a game that benefits the most from HD, it sure seems like not enough is being done. If you could explain the process it would be greatly appreciated.

Kevin & Tammy Jerpi

HEIKA: The Stars and FSN are doing more games in HD than in the past – 60 out of 82. There are many factors that go into deciding when games are in HD. Some are monetary and some are technical.

For the last six years, the Stars have been sharing production trucks with visiting teams and other FSN teams, and that has limited the telecasts. Because there are more HD trucks in Texas this season, they have pushed their numbers up from just 10 games a couple of years ago. All home games are now in HD. But that still leaves a void when the team travels to Canada or other non-FSN regions, such as New York City. In some cases, the Stars and FSN are able to get a certain game in HD, but for the most part these games are very expensive to produce in HD. In other cases, an HD truck may not be available. That's the reason there are still holes in the schedule.

Ultimately, the Stars want every game to be in HD and are hoping they can get there soon.

Q: Why are the Stars so reluctant to scratch Matt Niskanen?

SRS

HEIKA: The Stars see Niskanen as a future No. 1 or No. 2 defenseman, and they believe he needs to be on the ice to develop. It's a lot like Loui Eriksson was a few years back. Les Jackson decided Eriksson needed to play, and the coaches complied. Eriksson then blossomed. The Stars believe they can live with short-term pain on Niskanen for long-term gain. Will it always be that way? Probably not. He'll have to show improvement to continue to merit this treatment, but he's on the No. 1 power play right now, so the Stars seem intent on keeping him in the lineup.

Q: Are the Stars going to trade Marty Turco?

Richard in Plano

HEIKA: I can't say they won't, but their plan right now is to get Turco up and running and ride him into the playoffs. I think the fact he can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, and they have no plans to talk to him about a contract extension at this time, says the Stars believe they have a decision to make on Turco. But I would say that if they decide to trade him, it wouldn't be until later in the season once they have more information on him.

Q: Where are the Stars' new sweaters at? I was expecting some change announced over the off-season given the way the alternative designs are almost identical.

Jackson, Sydney, Australia

HEIKA: Hey Jackson, they have a white sweater with the "DALLAS" on it as their third sweater right now. It's not much different from the ones they are wearing normally, as you point out. They are committed to wearing those for the rest of the season and have no real plans to change them for next season. That said, there is a bit of talk within about a new third sweater and possibly bringing a green jersey back into the mix. But that's a ways off, I think.

Q: Given the limitations with the budget, are there any options that Joe Nieuwendyk can consider to fix the Stars' PK?

Kris

HEIKA: Hey Kris, at this time, no (other than practice or someone in the minors). I think the Stars are really tight on the budget and might not get that much relief from the eventual sale of the Rangers (depending on the price owner Tom Hicks can get). The only trades the Stars could make are prospects for prospects or similar salary for similar salary. That's tough to do in the NHL. Plus, new GM Nieuwendyk still needs to watch his players perform in new coach Marc Crawford's system. I think he just needs some time before he will start moving any bodies.

Q: I'm still concerned that Marty Turco is not making the timely saves. Dallas scores (ties it or goes one up) and Marty gets scored on almost immediately, killing all momentum. I have a Turco jersey, so don't get me wrong, but the pattern is scaring me. I can't handle another missed year of playoff hockey.

Rod in Fairfield

HEIKA: Hey Rod, that's the fun part of being a fan, right? They are tied to Turco at this time, and you'll just have to go along for the ride or jump out of the boat. Part of Turco's problems last year was giving up the wrong goal at the wrong time, and he is battling that problem again this season. But, as I said above, they feel it's too early to overreact, so they will be patient and see if Turco improves.

Q: Have we passed the point in which Fabian Brunnstrom could be sent down to the minors without clearing waivers or is it still an option? Seems like Crawford has some faith in him, because he is on the ice regularly and at the end of games.

Your thoughts?

Cory S.

HEIKA: Brunnstrom passed that point (60 NHL games played) Wednesday and must now require waivers to go to the minors. It does look as if Crawford has faith in him ... plus, they don't have any more spare forwards healthy.

Q: Marty Turco's mind is wandering, the shootout has been a disaster, and with Mike Modano out, there's no one to take the face-offs. So when's Crawford going to get tough?

Bill B.

HEIKA: Wow, that's straightforward. I will say this: Crawford has the backing of Nieuwendyk to be tough at any time he likes. I think Crawford is trying out a few things differently. He has thought about his coaching style a lot in his year in the TV booth, and he has been very calm and controlled so far. He is demanding, but in a very matter-of-fact sort of way. I think you can look at the first four games they played and say there is a lot of good there. I think Crawford is trying to patiently build on the good instead of demand perfection right off the bat.