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In chatting with Stars officials over the last few weeks, one thing is abundantly clear: Co-general managers Les Jackson and Brett Hull will be more than prepared for the trade deadline Feb. 26 (2 p.m. Central time).

Jackson is using his experience in the draft to gather reams of information on potential players, and I believe the Stars have a make-shift free agent board, just as they would have a draft board.

Jackson directed each of his scouts to concentrate on five or six organizations, allowing the Stars to cover the entire league. Each scout is responsible for every player under those organizations' umbrellas. If a team is interested in making a deal and offers a player or prospect, Jackson should be able to easily access a scouting report or get feedback on that player.

Hull has been doing a lot of talking with general managers and testing the waters to see what's out there and what's needed to get a player who's available.

It's an interesting dynamic the two have, and they really are employing teamwork.

The Stars might wait until the last day to make a trade, but they will be prepared when the phone calls get hectic and the paper starts shuffling. I think that's a great sign for Stars fans.

Q: ESPN moved the Stars to the top of the Power Rankings this week, ahead of Detroit. Then I started to look at the standings over the last 10 games. The Stars are 9-1-0 before the game against Calgary, and looking at the standings, they are the only team with more than seven wins over the last 10 games. Has this rededication by Marty Turco to concentrate only on goaltending made that big of an impact on the team?

As much as everyone (including myself) has been looking for some type of trade, at this point, we all should be hoping that they leave things alone.

And what has happened in Detroit for them to see a five-game losing streak? The rookie goalie they threw in there was pretty good Sunday and Osgood has been bad lately. But is Hasek that big of a focal point for Detroit? It looks like they took it out on Colorado on Monday.

Tom in Lewisville

HEIKA: In my opinion, this is a reflection of the salary cap and the parity of the league. The Red Wings' losing streak is simply a sign that no team can dominate the league for long. Ottawa has gone through rough times. So have San Jose and Philadelphia and Dallas and Pittsburgh, and any other team near the top.

The hot team gets rewarded in today's NHL, and the Stars are the hot team right now.

Turco's rededication, I think, has a lot to do with the winning. He has given the Stars confidence and sparked some intensity in Mike Smith, and that's been reflected in the performance of the team. But I also think the Stars just do a lot of little things right, and they know how to squeeze points out. They have been doing that for years.

In an inconsistent league, consistency will get you a long way.

I think Uncle Ben said that in Spiderman.

Q: So I watched as the Stars (with Marty Turco in net, no less) shut out the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, at home, and on national television. The next night, those same Red Wings shut out the Avs in Colorado, 4-0. Are we to believe that Stars are really that good, or did we just catch the Wings at a good time?

David in New York City

HEIKA: The Stars are a very good team, they were very motivated that day, and they played a very good game. That said, they very much caught the Red Wings at a good time.

There was an episode of The White Shadow I remember from my youth when the players were coming off of the bus and going into the locker room and one of them shouted something to the effect of: "We ain't never beat Central that bad." And a janitor in the locker room asked: "What did you win by?" And the player responded: "One."

To me, that perfectly encapsulates the Stars' win.

They had a team reeling in a losing streak, had them playing their No. 3 goalie, and still had to play a heck of a game to win 1-0.

My guess is the Wicked Witch is far from dead when it comes to Stars vs. Red Wings.

Q: So, is Sergei Zubov really hurt or is this just a convenient excuse to give the Stars' key cog some well-deserved rest before crunch time and the playoffs arrive? Zubie has been remarkably durable over the course of his career.

Drew

HEIKA: Two things about Sergei Zubov – he loves to play games and he hates to work out. In watching him recently, he's working out a lot. He wants to get this foot fixed and he wants to be playing at a high level when he returns.

Word is he will probably skate next week, so we should see him back soon. While the rest might help him in the long term, this is by no means a planned vacation.

Q: I think it's apparent that the Stars can compete with anybody in the league when they are on their game, but how well do you think Dallas can handle a seven-game series against physical teams like Anaheim or San Jose? At some point, the wear and tear will begin to affect the players. Also, I completely believe that once the playoffs are here, it's all about the matchup, so who in your opinion is the best matchup for the Stars?

Anthony

HEIKA: I fear the Stars' worst matchups are against the teams they very well might play. I think they would definitely have their hands full against Vancouver, especially after the Stars have made such a big deal about the flaps on Roberto Luongo's leg pads. I believe Luongo would be a motivated demon in a series against the Stars. Next, I fear the ghosts of Colorado swirling overhead in a series against the Avalanche. If Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Paul Stastny and Andrew Brunette are healthy, I believe they could kill the Stars. Sakic could win the series by himself – and Jose Theodore would stand on his head (and then, of course, get swept in the second round).

Calgary would be tough, and Phoenix has the Stars' number this year, but I think Dallas could fight past either. Strangely, I think the Stars would beat either San Jose or Anaheim in a seven-game series. I think the Stars are smarter than both of those teams, and the matchup just works well.

I do not see the Stars beating Detroit in any series before 2018. So that means that they match up well with Minnesota, Nashville, Anaheim, San Jose and probably Calgary or Phoenix.

My perfect playoff run would be: Dallas vs. Nashville in the first round, Dallas vs. Minnesota in the second round and Dallas vs. Anaheim in the third round (after Anaheim survives a vicious series with Detroit).

That would set up the Stars vs. Montreal in a battle between the old regime and the new regime for the Stanley Cup. How fun would that be?

Q: Where are the Stars and Niklas Hagman standing as far as a contract situation? I hear rumors that the Stars are looking at players who aren't UFAs this year (Brad Richards, Olli Jokinen). And the other players that they are supposedly targeting (Marian Hossa, Mats Sundin), they want signed past this year. With Turco, Morrow, Ribeiro, Modano, Lehts, Zubov all signed for a while, how could they give Hagman the raise he is going to command, plus sign someone like Hossa?

One other thing, why all the rumors about centers?

Greg

HEIKA: I understand your concern – and it is merited. If the Stars do indeed get a scoring winger, then my guess is that Niklas Hagman could be left out in the cold as far as money and playing time. That said, would you trade Hagman for Marian Hossa? I think you would.

The reason they are looking at centers is they believe Mike Modano is doing such a great job checking that he could slide into the No. 3 hole and still use the power play time to keep his minutes up near 18 or 19 a game. Then, they would have the replacement for Modano when he retires in someone like Olli Jokinen. In that scenario, Hagman could become even more valuable, as he could be a wing on Jokinen's line (the two played together some when he was in Florida).

I don't believe they have any interest in Sundin or Richards, but they love Olli Jokinen's age (29) and contract (just over $5 million for the next two seasons).

I'm not sure what the going rate for Hagman is right now, but it can't be more than $2 million. If it is, I think they let him shop himself on the free-agent market. If it's not, I think they find a way to keep him. He likes it here, and he's had lots of success here.

Q: Why haven't the Stars tried putting Niklas Hagman with Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen? Seems to me, the way Hagman is finishing this year, it would be a great scoring line. I've watched most of the games this year, and except for part of one or two games, I don't recall ever seeing this combo. Even with Lehtinen out, I don't think Hagman was paired with Modano.

Ricki in Frisco

HEIKA: I would be a big fan of Hagman-Modano-Lehtinen, as well. Maybe we'll see it in the future if the Stars make no major trades. It just makes a lot of sense to me. The problem is, that then leaves Jokinen to play with more defensive-minded wingers, and I'm not sure that fits for the team.

Anyway, we'll see in that regard.

Q: Mike, what can you tell us about Mark Fistric's future? Is he projected as a defensive defenseman, or does he have some offensive upside? Right now, he reminds me of Craig Ludwig. He rarely is out of position defensively, and in the offensive zone, he seldom takes any chances that could lead to an odd man rush.

David

HEIKA: While the big man (6-2, 232) is actually a very good skater and has a decent shot, I definitely see Fistric as a defenseman who can give you a lot of physicality and defensive play. I would say he's somewhere between Richard Matvichuk (who played on a top pair with a great partner) and Craig Ludwig (who played on the third pair and was very effective).

That seems like a pretty good life to me.

Q: OK, playing the "Little Faith Card." Let's say the Stars make another early exit from the playoffs this year. What are we looking for? Why do we still search for that scoring winger for an aging superstar? Everywhere on this team there seems to be a youth movement except for the forward positions. What does it take to kick-start the youth movement at the forward positions? Also, don't mean to beat a dead horse, but at what point do we have to take care of Mike Smith?

Alex

HEIKA: I think they have done a good job of moving forward with the forwards.

Right now, you have a No. 1 center on pace for 80 points who is 28 in Mike Ribeiro. You have a No. 1 winger who is on pace for 70 points who is 29 in Brenden Morrow. You have a pretty solid 50-point guy who is 24 in Jussi Jokinen, and you have two free-agents-to-be in Niklas Hagman and Antti Miettinen who are both 28.

Mix in Steve Ott (25), Loui Eriksson (22) and Joel Lundqvist (25), and I would say the Stars are actually pretty young.

Plus, the players they would like to acquire via trade aren't old, either. The Stars are targeting guys in their late 20s or early 30s. Can they help Mike Modano out? Sure, I think they could get more out of him if they gave him a scoring winger. Would that hurt the team down the road? I don't think so, particularly if the scoring winger has six or seven years left.

As for Mike Smith, I fear his success will be realized on a different team. Marty Turco is 32 and just coming into his own. I believe he could be the Stars' No. 1 goalie for the next six or seven years. Smith is about to turn 26, and the Stars hold his rights for two more years. My guess is they look at moving him next season. I think they would love to keep him for two more years, because he is so solid. But he will come up in trade talk before then.

Q: Since this is the last forum you are scheduled to have before next Tuesday's trade deadline, here goes: Is it really worth giving up a couple of young defensemen (Fistric and/or Grossman plus a couple of up-and-coming youngsters and maybe even a first-round draft pick for the likes of Ollie Jokinen or Marian Hossa? If so, I would prefer Hossa since he's a true winger versus another center, where the Stars already have a surplus anyway.

Chris in Port St. John, Fla.

HEIKA: The reason to go after Olli Jokinen is because he is a tremendous center who is 29 years old and who is under contract for the next two seasons at a reasonable $5.25 and $5.4 million. Mike Modano would then center the checking line, and Jokinen would give you a great No. 1 or 2 center. Then, Modano would play the point on the power play and Jokinen would add to the mix in the forward group.

It makes some amount of sense if the price isn't too high. The problem is the price seems sky high.

Marian Hossa is a good fit, because he's a right wing who can score. He played with Brenden Morrow and won a Memorial Cup in junior hockey, so he might like to come to Dallas and sign a long-term deal here. The problem is he's already making $7 million a year, and he probably would like $8 over the next five or six years. That's a huge commitment. In fact, it's a max commitment. So, if you have to pay him that anyway to get him as an unrestricted free agent, why not wait until the summer?

Well, if he puts you over the top this year, and you have a chance to win the Cup this year, then you have to ask yourself if it's worth losing the prospects to try to do that. It also would give you a much better chance of landing Hossa (rather than bidding with the rest of the NHL).

So should they be interested? I think they should at least look. Once upon a time, the Stars gave up Jarome Iginla to get Joe Nieuwendyk. And while Iginla is one of the top players in the NHL now, nobody ever complained about losing him, because Nieuwendyk helped the Stars win their only Stanley Cup.

Q: I think they will leave the roster alone for this run, and in the off-season restructure Zubie with a work load like Scott Niedermeyer's out in Anaheim. I also think Mike Smith's days as the backup are limited. Look, if Turco has the fire in his belly to play until he is 40, why in the world would Smith want to stay here anyway? With money freed up by Zubie, Smith, and Norstrom, Dallas could easily get Hossa in the off-season.

Brett

HEIKA: I don't think Zubov will ever do the Niedermayer thing (remember, Niedermayer gave up about $3 million in salary to have the time off), but the Stars do open up some cap space next year. Mattias Norstrom's $4.25 million will come off the books, and so will the buyout of Bill Guerin ($2.25 million), so that's $6.5 million right there that could help you land a key free agent. They currently have about $37 million committed in salary for next season, and the cap is supposed to be about $55 million.

Q: The trade watch is on, and with Dallas having so many young, but unproven players in the system, how will they go about getting someone of top gun caliber? What would be the likelihood of a Philippe Boucher or Jere Lehtinen getting dealt in exchange for someone? I really hope that if we do make a deal for someone, that A) its not a Miro Satan or Jason Blake (reeks of a Val Bure or Donald Audette type acquisition); and B) that we get them for longer than just a few months (no more Nagy-esque rentals!!).

Chris from Vancouver

HEIKA: Lehtinen has a no-trade clause and probably has been one of the top two or three players in this 9-1-0 run, so I don't see him going anywhere. Boucher has one more year on his contract at $2.5 million, so he has value. Jeff Halpern is a good checker who is under contract for $2 million, so he has value. You could get something good for Steve Ott, Jussi Jokinen, Trevor Daley or Mike Smith. You might even be able to squeeze something out for Mattias Norstrom.

So there are options there besides the kids, but a team that trades Hossa or Jokinen will want some current players and some key prospects. That's just the price of doing business right now. What the Stars have to decide is if they are ready to give up players like Mark Fistric or Nicklas Grossman or would they rather give up players like Ivan Vishnevskiy or James Neal. My guess is they would lean toward giving up the younger prospects (Vishnevskiy and Neal) with the thought they can overcome that over the long haul. To tell you the truth, I don't think they'll make those deals, but those are the conversations they are having right now about what to offer.

Q: I am a Red Wings fan, and I was at last Sunday's game. I have also read your Q&A newsletter all year long. After Sunday's game, I simply do not understand the large number of Stars fans who have been critical of the Stars throughout the year. The Stars are a team whose overall record since the lockout is right behind the Red Wings. I saw a team on Sunday that has very good chemistry, and they look well-positioned for the playoffs. I understand the fans' frustration with the lack of playoff success recently, but this is a great franchise that continues to stay at the top of NHL elite. Maybe their success has lead to unrealistic expectations. Your thoughts?

Jim Weller

HEIKA: Imagine if the Red Wings did what they have done in the regular season, and then won only one Stanley Cup in more than a decade. The Stars fans want so badly to return to the glory days of Reunion Arena, when the team was tough and the arena was fun, and the big players came up with big plays.

Dallas has squandered some mighty chances in the playoffs. They lost to Anaheim in 2002-03 when Dallas was the No. 1 seed in the West. Had they won, the Stars would have seen Minnesota in the conference finals and would have probably made it to the Stanley Cup Finals (Anaheim swept the Wild). In 2003-04, the Stars had a tougher season but finished strong, and many people were picking them to upset Colorado. They lost in five games. In 2005-06, Dallas had the second-best record in the West and was playing a Colorado team that had just made a trade for an injured Jose Theodore. The Stars were overwhelming favorites in that series and lost in an embarrassing five games (Colorado would get swept in the next series). Last season, Dallas was better in a seven-game loss to Vancouver, but it was another first-round loss.

I would call Stars fans cautiously optimistic as a group. They want to get excited about this team, but they've had the rug pulled out too many times. There are indeed diehard fans, but they've had their hearts broken a lot recently, so they'll wait until the playoffs before they get too confident. And there are also fans who believe the Stars will always fail (I think you get those in any sport). But I believe the Stars need to win in the playoffs to completely win back the hearts of their fans.

Q: With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, I'm wondering which of our guys are going to be free agents (restricted or unrestricted) and who we already have locked up for a while?

Thanks! Tanya

HEIKA: Hey Tanya, here's the list (with current cap hits)

UFAs:

Mattias Norstrom ($4.25 million) Stu Barnes ($1 million) Antti Miettinen ($885,000) Niklas Hagman ($675,000) Brad Winchester ($475,000)

RFAs:

Trevor Daley ($787,500) Steve Ott ($787,500) Loui Eriksson ($725,000) Niklas Grossman ($600,000)

The key players under contract for "a while" are:

Mike Ribeiro (5 more years at $5 million per) Brenden Morrow (5 more years at $4.1 million per) Jeff Halpern (2 more years at $2 million) Mike Modano (2 more years at $2.25 million) Marty Turco (2 more years at $5.7 million and $5.4 million) Stephane Robidas (2 more years at $1.5 million) Sergei Zubov (1 year at $5.35 million) Philippe Boucher (1 year at $2.5 million)