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Dallas Stars Go From Smallest To Biggest Offseason Yet

By Josh Clark

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Now that the dust has settled as far as we know of, it finally gives us a chance to survey the rubble and examine what lies ahead in the Dallas Stars future. Boy, it is really something.

Since Jim Nill joined the Dallas Stars organization in April of 2013 after leaving the Detroit front office, he has explicitly presented his love for the offseason.

As the new general manager of the Stars, Nill has proven his genius in multiple cases. Now through three different offseason scenarios, he has shown no hesitation in pulling off blockbuster trades and signing top-notch free agents.

In 2013, just days after the lockout season had officially ended, Jim Nill was still settling in as the new general manager of the Dallas Stars. With a team comprised of mainly young and eager minds that fell just seven points short of a playoff spot, he knew there was work that needed to be done.

On July 4th, the Stars and Bruins shocked the world in blockbuster fashion. While the Stars let go of longtime member Loui Eriksson, rookie Reilly Smith, and prospects, they gained the service of young and wild Tyler Seguin, veteran Rich Peverley, and a prospect. This trade shocked many, and some who had not watched much NHL play outside of Stars games found it to be the most worthless Stars trade in a long time.Two years later, if you combine the four point totals of the players the Stars let go and compare it to Tyler Seguin’s point total alone, they are about the same.

Nill traded for veteran center Shawn Horcoff just moments later. He also signed Sergei Gonchar and Dan Ellis during this offseason.

So four moves made, and no one knew what to think. That was until the Stars shocked the world and clenched a playoff berth in the 2013-2014 season. Though they were knocked out in the first round, there was hope in the city of Dallas, and it had all started from Jim Nill’s expertise.

So the 2014 offseason was in full swing, and Nill was out on the prowl once again. He found a way to convince the Ottawa Senators to trade captain Jason Spezza and a prospect to Dallas in exchange for Alex Chiasson, two prospects, and a draft pick. A year later, it is clear who truly won the trade. Spezza has become a key piece in the Stars offensive scheme and is almost always on the score sheet.

In addition to this trade, he also signed Patrick Eaves, Ales Hemsky, and Anders Lindback. Be as it may, the Stars still received production from most of these players.

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So, with each offseason increasing in the quality and quantity of pickups, Nill found himself staring down a critical 2015 offseason. After putting together an unexpectedly disappointing 2014-2015 season, he knew that changes needed to be made in order for 2015-2016 to be altogether successful.

Yet, it didn’t seem like Nill was going to make any changes. In fact, many expected the Stars GM to sit back and go into 2015-2016 with the same lineup he ended the prior season with. The Stars had finally started to click and produce as the season ended, and it was assumed that they would transfer that over to a strong start in the next year.

On June 27th, Nill made his first move. In the middle of the second round, the trade was announced that the Dallas Stars had acquired the negotiating rights to veteran starting goaltender Antti Niemi in exchange for a seventh round pick.

This trade was suspected to an extent. The Stars goaltending department had struggled all season long and needed confidence and a boost in consistency. With rumors heating up that the Stars were nearing a deal with the New York Rangers to trade for Cam Talbot, Nill threw a curveball and traded for Niemi instead.

As the procedure always is when a trade is made, the Stars held a conference call for Niemi and Nill. When Nill was asked about how the Stars would execute come July 1st, he stated that the Stars were happy with where they were, and they would more than likely not make any more moves.

April fools. Nill went into action on July 10th, pulling off a blockbuster trade and stealing veteran Cup-aficiando winger Patrick Sharp along with dangerous defenseman Stephen Johns from the Chicago Blackhawks. He had to deal some prime pieces though, showing Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt to the door. It was painful to lose two longtime Dallas Stars, but if Nill’s trades have proven anything in the past, it’s that the Stars always seem to win their trades.

So the Stars have completed their offseason project now, right? They’ve gotten the annual traditional blockbuster deal out of the way, so everything is good?

Next: What Johnny Oduya Brings To Dallas And Where He Fits In

Nope. Just five days later, Nill made one more big acquisition by signing free agent defenseman Johnny Oduya from the Chicago Blackhawks. Another player that is on the Stanley Cup here and there added to the mix.

So, on June 30th, it seemed as though the Stars would be entering their quietest offseason in a while. But just two weeks later, it is clear that Jim Nill has put together his most extensive offseason yet. Can you imagine what next year holds if his activity in the offseason grows more and more with each passing year? It’s getting a bit repetitive to read the articles about the Dallas Stars having the best offseason among any other NHL team year after year.

Let’s just get through the 2015-2016 season first.

Next: Dallas Stars Conference Call: Jim Nill Coverage

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