Briere48

It's part of the end of any hockey season. The players get together one last time, talk about their summer plans, then gather up their things.

Their lockers have been cleaned out. The question is, do the Stars need to get the same treatment?

Many of the Stars felt they were close to having what they needed to make a long playoff run. Yet they finished the same way as the previous two seasons: quickly. So now there's a question of how much the Stars need to do to break a bad trend. If they do just a little, it might be enough. Do too much, and it could upset the chemistry many Stars said they saw develop this season.

Owner Tom Hicks, general manager Doug Armstrong and president Jim Lites will meet this weekend to begin to determine what the Stars need.

"We've been in the same spot for three years in a row, and for three years in a row the tweaks aren't working," Armstrong said Wednesday. "We're going to talk to some of the core players, the coaching staff, and try to make a plan and move forward. But it's going to take a while."

One of the topics to address will be the status of coach Dave Tippett, who has a year remaining on his contract. Armstrong said before the playoffs that it was "comical" that he was being asked about Tippett's job security but Wednesday said all coaches will be evaluated.

Hicks was disappointed in the first-round exit, but said "this year's team gave it everything they had. Hockey has changed compared to pre-lockout. Teams are more closely balanced. First rounds are tougher to win, but we have to be able to advance going forward."

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