Dallas Stars Still Considering Defenseman Deadline Deal

The NHL trade deadline is just hours away and the Dallas Stars have yet to make any noise. Could a deal for a defenseman still be in the works?

This past weekend, the NHL market was alive and fluctuating strongly. Multiple deals have been made in the past 48 hours, mainly from teams looking to round out their rosters for a Stanley Cup Playoff push.

Names like James Reimer, Andrew Ladd, Eric Staal, and Jiri Hudler are just a few of the many names that have moved on to new homes as part of the NHL trade deadline.

The deadline is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CT today, and many more players are rumored to still be on the block. So what other teams are looking to add some skill before the playoff rush?

It seems as though a lot of eyes are on the Dallas Stars to see whether they deal or not. And rightly so, considering they could potentially use the additional help.

As Mike Heika pointed out in his article yesterday, the Stars are on the fence, and their fan base has two different groups of thought. On the one hand, there are the fans that believe the Stars are right where they need to be at the moment and need no extra help through trade.

Then there is the other side that believes a strong move at the deadline is necessary for a chance at the Cup. With the team doing as well as they have this year, why jeopardize that success when you could simply enhance it with a deadline move or two?

You can believe whatever you want to, but Jim Nill is the only one whose opinion matters at the end of the day. Of course, Nill has spoken outright on this situation in multiple different cases.

“If there is a hockey trade out there that makes sense for us in the long term, we’ll definitely look at it,” Nill told Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News in a recent interview. “But I’m not interested in moving long-term assets for short-term improvement.”

Sure the Dallas Stars general manager has done an excellent job of building up this Dallas Stars roster into a potential contender. His past three seasons at the helm have been some of the brightest and most influential seasons the Stars have seen since their move to Dallas in 1993.

But making a move that involves risk at a time like this does seem heinous and unnecessary. The Stars are stacked in regards to the future, hoisting one of the best farm systems in the entire league. Along with a few extra draft picks in the system, the Stars would be silly trying to add a veteran on the hope that he actually makes a difference while sacrificing the future.

Even though it seems that the Stars would be smart to hold off and let the deadline pass on, there are still rumors brewing in the NHL trade market.

There is speculation that the Dallas Stars are looking into both Dan Hamhuis (Vancouver) and Kris Russell (Calgary). Both are veteran defensemen who have seen over seven years of competition in the NHL. Both are shutdown D-men with skill and authority that could bring leadership to the Stars blue line and help turn it into an intimidating force instead of its current unbalanced state.

The question is, does Jim Nill go for either of them? The clock has just about run out, but Nill has never been about making rash decisions. Sure these players could potentially help the Stars in their current state. But what about the future? Picking up a 33-year old like Hamhuis would help mold the Stars defense into a more intense frame right now. But would they sign him to a big deal this coming offseason? Probably not.

More stars: Three Potential Options For Stars To Pursue At NHL Trade Deadline

Risking the future for a “win now” motive seems out of place. But, as Heika pointed out, the Stars fans on this side of the fence mention that with a couple of aging veterans already on the roster, the window could be shrinking with the passing years. Unless, of course, the current future the Stars have in place ends up coming to the fruition it is expected to achieve.

But the clock is ticking, and time is almost gone. Jim Nill is going to have to make a decision in the very near future, though something tells me he already knows which direction he’s going. There will of course be critics of the move he makes, but has he led us astray so far? Not entirely.

Next: Central Division Race Will Be A Close One For Dallas Stars

So, just buckle up and prepare yourself. Whether he makes a move or not, the Dallas Stars are in for a jam-packed end to their 2015-2016 regular season and intriguing journey into the postseason. One thing is for sure: it’s going to be a wild ride.