Dallas Stars Trade Piece Possibilities
The NHL will experience its annual trade deadline this coming Monday. Though the Dallas Stars have remained quiet up to this point, they have some players that they could use in trade for multiple reasons.
The NHL hosts a few different major events each season that has the entire hockey world watching in awe. These events are the NHL Entry Draft, the opening of NHL Free Agency on July 1st, and the NHL Trade Deadline.
While the first two are still months away, the trade deadline is encroaching quickly. At 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 29th, the NHL will officially lock down every team and prevent any further trade or distribution of players for the remainder of the regular season. That means that these next three days or so will be the last time for blazing hot NHL teams to officially round out their roster for a postseason push.
This includes the Dallas Stars. After a strong start to the 2015-2016 season that left an ugly 2014-2015 performance in the dust, the Stars currently sit first place in the Central Division and Western Conference.
But that does not mean that their team is indestructible. If anything, the NHL as a whole seems to finally have figured out the Stars’ keys to success. Over this past month, the Stars have gone up and down their roller coaster schedule, knocking off top-tier opponents like the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals, as well as getting smoked by teams like the Arizona Coyotes and Winnipeg Jets.
It’s an interesting scenario the Stars are piecing together at this point, and their play is raising some questions. Their falterings are all coming at drastic deficits, including a 5-1 loss, two 6-3 losses, and a 7-3 loss all since February 6th.
It’s easy to call one of these losses a simple hiccup. But the fact that there have been such an exponential number of these horrific defeats questions the legitimacy of this team. Even though they are basically a shoo-in for the playoffs, are they true contenders?
That’s when the trade deadline makes its way into the conversation. Do the Stars need to go hunting for an opportunity at bolstering their blue line in order to round out the team? Or would risking that uncertainty be worth two or three of the Stars best prospects?
GM Jim Nill has already stated that he expects February 29th (aside from the fact that the day only occurs once every four years) to be a relatively quiet day for Dallas. He continues to express his pride in the Dallas Stars depth and farm system and how he does not want to risk any potentially prime future pieces on a “win now” player that may never come to fruition after joining the Stars.
It’s definitely a smart strategy, but Nill has been known to go back on his “media word” in the past as well as keep big deals in the works on the down low. So we’ll just have to keep our eyes and ears open until Monday to see if any smoke is actually created.
What about the current Dallas Stars though? Are there players on the roster that could be dealt in a potential trade?
The offseason is going to be a difficult one for Nill and the Stars organization. The Dallas Stars will have nine players entering free agency form of some status that they will be forced to make some decisions about. Whether it is a longtime fan favorite, young prospect learning the ropes, or experienced veteran that may be vital to the Stars success, there’s a representative from each category.
This gives the Dallas Stars an option. The trade deadline gives them an opportunity to dish a guy in the final year of his deal or one that is underperforming.
Here are the Stars upcoming free agents:
Alex Goligoski (UFA)
Jason Demers (UFA)
Vernon Fiddler (UFA)
Patrick Eaves (UFA)
Travis Moen (UFA)
Jordie Benn (UFA)
Colton Sceviour (UFA)
Jamie Oleksiak (RFA)
Valeri Nichushkin (RFA)
More stars: The Stars Possibility Of Staying Quiet At The Deadline
But why fix it if it isn’t broke? Or at least not broken all the way? This is where Nill’s philosophy comes back into play and stands as the one which makes the most sense.
The Stars do have some options that they could potentially use to their advantage, but only if the assured opportunity presents itself. Otherwise, expect Nill to move on into the playoffs and see how dangerous this team can be under pressure. Following that, the Stars have all of these names above to make a decision on before July 1st. Not to mention the multitude of names awaiting new deals in the AHL as well.
Next: Stars Need To Dust Themselves Off Quick; Here Comes The East
Buckle up, Stars fans. It may be a quiet next few days, but these next few months will be loaded with noise.