Dallas Stars Inviting R.J. Umberger To Training Camp
By Josh Clark
Reports came out last night that the Dallas Stars have invited R.J. Umberger to their 2017 training camp on a tryout contract. Will he end up making the team?
Just when you thought the offseason additions were over with, the Dallas Stars are back at it.
There was an announcement on Friday evening that the Stars invited forward R.J. Umberger to their 2017 training camp in Cedar Park, probably on a PTO (professional tryout contract). The 35-year-old will tryout with the team in hopes of earning a contract and making the roster before the regular season begins.
The last time Umberger competed in an NHL game was April 10, 2016 as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers before having the final year of his contract bought out in the 2016 offseason. The center has been a free agent ever since.
This tryout gives him his next (and perhaps one of his last) chances to break back into the league. At the age of 35, it can become increasingly difficult to earn a new contract as a bottom-six center, especially when you spent the most recent season as a free agent. But that’s part of the reason why professional tryout contracts exist.
Dallas Stars
So why did the Dallas Stars extend the invite? And could it even work out in the end?
R.J. Umberger spent four years of his career under the head coaching of Ken Hitchcock (two years with the Flyers and two with the Blue Jackets). Their most recent connection was in 2010 with Columbus, so it has been a while, but Hitchcock obviously knows him well. It’s possible that he even offered a word on Umberger’s behalf that enhanced the decision of the Stars’ upper management to extend a tryout contract.
Umberger was the typical NHL center in his prime. He’s not necessarily of superstar caliber (at least not anymore), but can still be a reliable asset. In 779 career games, he put up 180 goals and 392 points while averaging 16:38 on the ice per game. But those numbers are largely due to his peak years (2007-12) when Umberger played a top-six role and was a well-known name throughout the NHL.
In his last year in the league, he put up two goals and 11 points in 39 games while averaging just 10:10 on the ice per game. Following that performance came a buyout.
Again, why is Dallas in on him? The Stars just added center Martin Hanzal as a free agent a few weeks ago, which further stocked their depth at center. There is plenty of young talent that is prepared and hungry for the ice time, so why not let them have it?
In addition to that, don’t the Dallas Stars already have an increasing problem with the cap? The team currently has under $1 million in cap space and still have one RFA left to sign in Jamie Oleksiak. If Umberger impresses and earns a contract, does Dallas have the money to throw his way, even if it is a small amount? The Stars would have to sign him if they wanted him on the team, so how would that work while fitting in the cap constraint?
Umberger’s invitation to camp offers the opportunity for healthy competition within the organization. Sure he may be past his prime and in the tail end of his career, but if he works hard and prove that he can still play in Hitchcock’s system and produce on a regular basis, would he be a better option than a certain center that may be lacking? His best years did come when he played under Hitchcock, after all.
But there’s another underlying option. What if Umberger could play the role of veteran center for the Texas Stars? He could sign an AHL deal, which in turn would not affect the Stars’ cap space, and would be able to help the young forwards along on a short-term deal.
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A few things would have to happen for this scenario to work. First, he would need to accept the deal. The Texas Stars would also need to have a spot for him and sign him to a relatively cheap deal. It may be too good to be true, but if he is up for it, why not try and make it happen?
At this rate, Umberger could help the Stars in a number of ways. But will he be good/sharp enough after taking a year off to impress the coaches?
Whatever the case may be, R.J. Umberger is going to be at training camp this September. Will the Dallas Stars end up adding him to their organization in any way? All we can really do at this point is wait and find out.