Dallas Stars Entry Draft: All You Need To Know About Round One

The first day of the NHL Entry Draft is finally here and the first round will commence tonight. And even more than in past years, it looks as though the Dallas Stars could be very active through the first 31 picks.

Welcome to the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Dallas Stars fans. The Windy City will play host over the next two days to the youngest and brightest hockey talents in the world as each one anxiously hopes to be one of the 217 names called throughout the two-day period.

And round one kicks off tonight. For the Dallas Stars, that could mean a whole number of things. There are plenty of different ways the Stars could go with tonight’s first round, and that is what makes it so intriguing/unnerving.

The big thing to remember is that a move doesn’t have to happen exclusively tonight during the draft; it could happen at any time throughout the day or even into tomorrow’s draft.

With the emergence of the Vegas Golden Knights via the expansion draft on Wednesday night, new Vegas GM George McPhee set his roster up to where he will likely be hearing from a few suitors throughout the day. He already heard from two yesterday (for Trevor Van Riemsdyk and David Schlemko). Tonight, he is bound to hear from plenty more, and it will give him the perfect chance to stock his team and build for the future of the franchise.

Dallas Stars /

Dallas Stars

So with all of the rumors and reports floating around, you may feel a little overwhelmed. That’s perfectly alright. This draft seems to be carrying a significantly larger amount of pressure than years past.

With that being said, here are a couple of things you will want to keep in mind as the first round commences tonight in Chicago.

The 3rd pick: do they keep it or trade it?

Back in April, the Dallas Stars were awarded the third overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft via the draft lottery. It bumped Dallas up five spots higher than they were initially projected and gave them arguably the most valuable pick in the draft.

The general consensus is that Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier will go at no. 1 and 2, but from no. 3 on, it all depends on which team is on the clock. That’s what makes no. 3 so valuable.

Jim Nill has expressed that he would be interested in moving the pick for the right price, and that price has been reported to be a high-end player that is young and ready to play immediately. Oh, and the player also needs to be “pretty good.”

This has caused many general managers to come running. The third pick could arguably be used on seven different players (depending on the team’s needs), and that is why multiple teams are trying to make a push for it. Some of the players could even be seen in the NHL next season, depending on which system they are put in. The talent stock is high.

Jim Nill getting interest in No. 3 overall pick. Looking for high end player who can play right away if he moves it.
— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) June 22, 2017

But will the Dallas Stars be inclined to trade it before the pick is announced tonight? That remains to be seen.

At this point, I would give it about 70-30 odds that the Stars hold onto the pick and use it on a player. I don’t think there are many teams out there willing to give up a high-end talent that is young for the no. 3 pick, no matter how valuable it may seem to them.

In addition to that, I think Nill has done his homework and likes the caliber of talent that he sees at no. 3. So if they do hold onto the pick, who do the Dallas Stars call?

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Over the past few days, more and more have hopped on the Miro Heiskanen wagon. The 17-year-old defenseman is an excellent skater, can move the puck well, has an excellent hockey IQ, and is considered the no. 1 defender in the draft.

That’s a great snag for the Stars at three if they want a defender. If they are looking for a forward, expect Gabriel Vilardi and Cody Glass to be in the discussion.

At this point, it seems likely that the Dallas Stars use no. 3 and take a strong prospect who could turn into a cornerstone of the franchise in a few years. But that doesn’t mean that the perfect offer couldn’t come across Nill’s desk over the next few hours.

The 29th pick: do they keep it or trade it?

This is certainly where things are more likely to get interesting. The Stars seem to love their options at 3rd, but there have not been many murmurs about the 29th pick that they received from the Anaheim Ducks.

Considering the Stars have two picks in tonight’s first round and have been linked to plenty of trade talk, is there a good chance that Dallas deals #29 away?

At this point, it looks that way. While Dallas could use it to draft a franchise-caliber goaltender, they could use it in a trade that would help them push the “win now” standard. Regardless of where it is on the board, it’s still a first round pick. That gives the Stars some value to work with.

It is possible that the Stars package this pick with a prospect or even an NHL-ready player (enter RFAs Jamie Oleksiak and Patrik Nemeth). A package deal like this could bring the Stars a serious bang for their buck.

Nill loves to keep his negotiations under wraps, meaning he could very likely be in on something right now. At this point, I’d say that if the Stars have a deal in the works and are in on a high-caliber player that they like, this pick is as good as gone.

Trade rumors

Marc Methot

One big rumor that started circulating yesterday morning was the possibility of the Vegas Golden Knights trading Marc Methot to the Dallas Stars. The Knights picked up Methot on Wednesday night from the Ottawa Senators via the expansion draft. Considering the direction the team is going, it was a bit of a strange pick.

Vegas drafted on the young side and acquired six extra picks in this year’s draft, which is a clear sign that they are building towards the future. That being said, the veteran players that they drafted were likely for rental purposes or even to flip throughout the 2017 draft for more picks.

It’s a smart move by GM George McPhee, especially when considering the future of the franchise. That being said, Methot is likely being used as trade bait right now, and Nill is certainly biting.

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Marc Methot is a 32-year-old veteran defender with a stay-at-home tendency. He is a left-handed shot and can play first line minutes alongside John Klingberg. Not to mention that his defensive focus will create perfect balance with Klingberg’s offensive push.

The Stars can absorb his cap hit easily and he would perfectly round out the Stars’ defensive group for next year, giving them the chance to be a top-10 defensive unit in the league considering the talent they have and the coaching style they will be under.

If Vegas wants #29 and maybe a young player (Oleksiak or Nemeth, for instance) for Methot, Nill could be inclined to take the offer.

Remember, Stars fans. Tonight could get very crazy. It is imperative that you keep up, and we’ll be here to help with that. The NHL is already going bonkers (thanks, Stan Bowman) and the draft has not even begun yet.

Next: Blackout Dallas Final 2017 NHL Entry Mock Draft

While it’s fun to watch, that also means that Nill could make a move at any moment. So stay alert. The next 24 hours could be the most frantic of the entire offseason. Just another day in paradise.

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