Dallas Stars Trade Deadline: Are They Buyers Or Sellers?
By Josh Clark
The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching and hits in just 12 days. Before February 29th arrives, one thing needs to be determined: will the Dallas Stars be active? If so, will they be buyers or sellers?
As the NHL season continues winding down, it is always fun to look back and examine what has happened since the 2015-2016 season kicked off on October 7th. Some teams that were not even projected to be in playoff spots are leading their divisions, and players that were scheduled for 40-point seasons are currently sitting around the 50-point mark.
The NHL is no doubt one of the most enjoyable professional sports leagues simply because of its unpredictability. Teams will spike and drop off with each passing year, as will players. Coaches and GM’s are fired and picked up by new teams, where they sometimes revive their fading careers. It’s a sphere of uncertainty, which draws people back in with each passing day.
One of the most unsure times in a given NHL season is the trade deadline. Amidst the multitude of rumors that are spread about strong and weak teams alike, general managers are spending many a countless hour trying to put figure out their best options. Each one is looking for the best option to either round out their team for a playoff run or open up cap space and set up shop for a rebuild.
It’s an interesting time no doubt, and sometimes fans get too caught up in the rumors that they don’t examine the state of their team as it really is.
Since the Jim Nill era began in April 2013, the Dallas Stars have been very active at each trade deadline. In the Stars 2013-2014 season, Nill made a handful trades. In 2014-2015, he acted early and made two moves within the month leading up to the deadline.
But this year presents a bit of a different scenario for Nill and the Dallas Stars. In the past when the trade deadline comes around, the Stars have been on the playoff bubble. They have always been one or two points on the inside or outside. This has put Jim Nill in a tight position and forced his hand.
As a result, Nill has made some trades that could potentially round out the team for the final push. It’s only panned out successfully in one of the two tries. The Stars qualified for the playoffs in 2014, but not in 2015.
This season, the Dallas Stars are atop the Central Division and Western Conference. So why should they be active at the deadline?
Well, there are a couple of reasons. First off, the Stars defense is improved, but not where it needs to be. They are still missing one or two key pieces that could even out the blue line and get it to where it needs to be. One shut down, stay-at-home defenseman with a physical frame would really help the Stars’ chances in the long run.
But then again, the Stars are relatively succeeding where they are right now. So there’s a fine line between assuming that they are well off where they are and if they need improvements.
If they do decide to engage, they could act as buyers or sellers.
More stars: Stars Fall To Blues In OT, 2-1
If they are buyers, they will more than likely be inclined to picking up a physical defenseman to round out the back pairs. They could also go for a forward, like Andrew Ladd, to help the scoring punch. But as it is right now, the Stars offense is second best in the league and best in the West. So is risking improvement the best option?
But if they are sellers, the Dallas Stars could unload some pending UFA’s. With the offseason coming up, the Stars have plenty of veteran talent that is on the way out. They are aging and producing at a moderate pace, but the Stars have a lot of younger options that are ready to fill those spots. Some of those players include Mattias Janmark, Radek Faksa, and Brett Ritchie.
Next: Mattias Janmark Gives Stars Hope For Longterm Future
Just 12 days remain until the trade deadline. It’s going to be a wild ride, and the Dallas Stars could pull a lot of different tricks out of their sleeves. In my opinion, the Stars will stat relatively quiet this deadline due to their success. But Nill always knows how to fool people at the last second with an unimaginable deal. So stay on your toes.