Dallas Stars Power Countdown: 8 Days: Dillon and Dallas Lost
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars ended their preseason in a glum fashion last night, being routed by the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1. This game consisted of about 90% of the Stars hopeful starters on opening night, and that is a little unsettling. Nevertheless, it was a preseason game and the Stars are now set up for their regular season which is very close. Just eight more days until the Dallas Stars open up their season against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 9th at the American Airlines Center.
Since Cody Eakin agreed on his new contract with the Dallas Stars Monday, Brenden Dillon remains the only unsigned member of the Dallas Stars and his agent, the same agent serving Eakin, has been talking and negotiating frequently with the Stars organization.
But now it seems as though for Dillon’s situation they will have to go “back to the drawing board.” A source said that the Dallas Stars organization turned down an identical offer of Eakin’s in regards to Dillon’s, which means the Dallas Stars are looking to snag him at a lower price. Dillon’s agent feels that is a frustrating and disappointing move by the organization due to Dillon’s young tenacity and skill. This cannot mean good things in regards to October 9th.
Here’s the article from the Dallas Stars beat reporter, Mike Heika:
The agent for defenseman Brenden Dillon said he made a two-year offer for $1.9 million a season on Tuesday and was turned down by the Stars, creating a situation where negotiations might have to “go back to the drawing board.”
Frisco-based agent Jarrett Bousquet said he has been discussing different options with Stars general manager Jim Nill to get a new contract for Dillon, who is a restricted free agent. Bousquet said he believes his offer is below market value for Dillon, and that the fact the Stars disagree creates a contentious situation with Dillon.
“It’s frustrating and disappointing, and I know Brenden feels that way,” Bousquet said. “There is a market out there for him to be paid even more than this, so this is an offer that we think should get things done.”
The Stars lost a 5-1 game to Tampa Bay to finish the pre-season 4-2-0 Tuesday. Anders Lindback allowed five goals on 33 shots. Jamie Benn scored for the Stars.
Bousquet has raised Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson ($2.5 million) and Detroit defenseman Danny DeKeyser ($2.1875 million) as comparables, and his offer is under those. The Stars could raise up a player like Torey Krug, who signed a one year deal for $1.4 million earlier this week because he lacked negotiating power as a restricted free agent with no arbitration rights. They also could offer Devils defenseman Eric Gelinas, who had 29 points and 99 hits in 60 games last season and signed a one-year deal for $900,000.
Nill declined comment, saying he wasn’t going to “negotiate in public.”
Bousquet’s argument is based on the fact Dillon has been a stalwart for the Stars for two seasons. He played all 48 games two seasons ago after the lockout and averaged 21:22 in time on ice. He finished second on the team in hits with 133. Last season, Dillon played 80 games and averaged 21:05. He led the team with 168 hits.
Because of that, it’s tough to find a comparable for Dillon. He has been a huge part of the Stars defense, but he’s not a scoring defenseman, tallying 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) last season. Bousquet is seeking a similar deal to the one he got for Cody Eakin, who on Monday signed a two-year deal for $1.5 million and $2.3 million, or an average of $1.9 million.
“He is clearly a top four defensemen, and there’s value in that,” Bousquet said. “That’s the toughest thing to handle is they don’t see the value in what he has brought to the team. He should be worth the same as a top eight forward, if not more.”
Comments and questions below, and as always, thanks for reading! Eight more days. Can you survive? Go Stars.
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