Dallas Stars: Last Year’s Grade, Next Year’s Guess: Tyler Pitlick

In today’s update of our recurring series on Dallas Stars player grades, Tyler Pitlick gets his turn in the spotlight.

When the Dallas Stars signed Pitlick last year to a three-year deal, fans weren’t expecting him to have as good of a season as he did.

Last Season

Tyler Pitlick’s 2017-18 Grade: A-

More from Blackout Dallas

• Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
• Grushnikov and Stankoven lead Dallas Stars to 6-3 win over Columbus
• Dallas Stars prospects look to wrap up tournament with a win
• Burn the tapes: Dallas Stars prospects lose 5-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs
• Dallas Stars look to continue success today against the Maple Leafs

Pitlick is making just $1M AAV for the three-year deal he signed with the Stars. That’s not a huge risk for the team, but it’s already paying off after last year.

With 14 goals and 27 points last season, Pitlick wasn’t the best offensive player outside of the top line, but he was definitely a massive help to the struggling line-up.

He also spent significant time on the penalty kill, and even picked up a point short-handed. He was at a +9, and while his possession numbers aren’t amazing, they were decent for a guy making as little as he is.

If Pitlick had Jason Spezza’s contract, sure, his numbers would be disappointing, but this is a guy locked down for three years on a tiny contract. Edmonton let him walk and Dallas scooped him up for a steal, which is exactly what teams need to do if they want to build a roster that’ll contend for a Cup. Yes, the big stars are needed too, but if you can fill your depth with 30-point guys at $1M a piece, you’re going to find success.

Next Season

Last year was certainly the best season of his career, but it was also the first time where he got a full season to work with. Next year, there’s no real reason to think Pitlick can’t have a good season, and maybe improve further. With a new head coach, it’s always hard to predict, but Pitlick could have an even better year.

If Pitlick can duplicate last season for the rest of his contract, especially if he improves on it, the Stars may be looking at either giving him a much bigger extension or letting him walk in 2020. It’s better that he has the amazing seasons while he’s with the Stars and then someone else can overpay him, but that’s a ways down the road.

How do you feel about Pitlick’s season? Share your thoughts on him and how he might fare under Montgomery in the comments.