The Dallas Stars have a long list of free agents that require attention in the offseason ahead. What might they do with each one?
As the offseason continues to creep up on the NHL, the Dallas Stars are stuck in an intense, yet promising situation.
The Dallas Stars have a total of 11 free agents on their current roster, eight being unrestricted and three being restricted. They also have another nine in the system that will be hitting restricted free agency this year.
The UFA’s include Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, Kris Russell, Jordie Benn, Patrick Eaves, Vernon Fiddler, Colton Sceviour, and Travis Moen. The RFA’s on the Stars’ roster are Valeri Nichushkin, Brett Ritchie, and Jamie Oleksiak.
The RFA’s sitting in the system are Jack Campbell, Taylor Peters, Mattias Backman, Emil Molin, Brendan Ranford, Justin Dowling, Troy Vance, Matej Stransky, and Maxime Lagace.
The question on everyone’s minds right now is: how might the Stars be dealing with each one of these players?
Alex Goligoski:
Solid defender with veteran experience. At the age of 30 and an expiring contract with a cap hit of $4.6 million, Goligoski will be demanding a high price on the market. The Stars could try to re-sign him, but if they did they would be tying their hands on multiple other free agents.
Best guess is they give him an offer and if he declines, they wait and see what their cap is looking like and if he’s still available once the market opens up.
Jason Demers:
Right-handed shot that is great with puck possession and puck movement in the offensive zone, but took bad penalties and committed bad turnovers down the stretch that hurt the team. At the age of 27, he will be an unrestricted free agent this year and will also be demanding a high price. His cap hit sits at $2.21 million, which means he is in for a sizable extension.
The Stars have a lot of defensemen that they will be forced to make decisions on, and it seems as though Demers is the most likely of all to be let go of with little pursuit.
Kris Russell:
Smaller defenseman (5-10, 170lb.) that is an excellent puck mover with a lot of heart. He is never afraid to give up the body for the good of the team. He’s due for a hefty extension and rather large salary, so the Stars may not have enough to offer.
Still, he may end up being the only defenseman the Dallas Stars try to keep, considering he is 29 and already has plenty of career experience with multiple different clubs.
Jordie Benn:
Reliable defenseman that can play on any of the three pairings with any of the other defenders. Can fall into slumps every once in a while, and can sometimes have trouble finding his way out of them.
Overall, Benn is a pretty confident d-man that plays well in the defensive role. As a 28-year old defenseman still reaching his potential, the Stars could get him for a good deal. His current cap hit is $700,000, so with his NHL career just starting and his brother in Dallas for the long run, the Stars could probably snag him on a respectable contract in the $2.2 million range.
Patrick Eaves:
He’s a hard worker, probably one of the hardest on the team. Eaves gives his all when he hits the ice and can be a valuable scorer at times, but his role is turning out to be his downfall.
Eaves is a net-front presence and plants himself in front of the goalie when on the offensive rush to screen and set up a potential goal. The only problem is, that has been the cause for multiple injuries in his two year stint with Dallas.
With a cap hit of $1.15 million, Eaves has proven that he will sign on the cheap side even at the age of 32. But are the Dallas Stars willing to sign him and deal with the injuries all while giving up an NHL winger position that could be filled by Brett Ritchie or Curtis McKenzie? That’s up to Nill.
Vernon Fiddler:
Great leader and veteran presence in the bottom six and still knows how to do his part in an offense. His seasons are limited now at the age of 36, but his skill and effort have not diminished.
His current cap hit of $1.25 million is nothing for the Dallas Stars to fear, but it will be interesting to see what Fiddler is asking for. If they don’t re-sign him before July 1st, they will more than likely make plans to try and negotiate with him after he takes a look at free agency.
Colton Sceviour:
The 27-year old forward plays a great two-way game and can fill any position in the offensive scheme. He continues improving his play and skill set, and a cap hit of $650K means that Sceviour will be available at a reasonable price.
With his efforts aiding the Stars year after year and a long road of potential ahead, it seems as though he may be the one lock on Dallas’ FA list to be extended.
Travis Moen:
Great heart and a hard worker in practice and the game, but his lack of starts and production make it hard to argue for a new contract. He’s a great fighter and solid player, but his time is probably up.
Valeri Nichushkin:
The Dallas Stars are molding Nichushkin into the position they ultimately want him to fill, and it is taking some time. As a result, Val has been putting out average production. He posted 29 points this year in his first full season back from hip surgery, and he continues to grow into an effective player.
With a cap hit of $925K, his entry-level contract has finally run out and he’s a restricted free agent. The Stars will more than likely either extend a qualifying offer or just create an entirely new contract altogether.
Brett Ritchie:
Physical forward with great shot and plenty of upside. The Dallas Stars drafted Ritchie in the second round of the 2011 NHL entry draft, and he immediately made an AHL impact. He played his first NHL game on December 31, 2014 and scored his first goal on his first shot.
Ritchie has only played 41 games (including playoffs) so far with Dallas, and has scored six goals along with tallying four assists. At the young age of 22, the guess is that the Stars will sign him to a good-sized deal with longterm hopes.
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Jamie Oleksiak:
Big-bodied defender that loves to play physical. His overall defensive game still has a few kinks, but those are being knocked out with each passing season.
He’s played 78 games with the organization, and will be 24 in December. A former first round pick, Oleksiak is still working to gain a full-time spot on the Dallas roster. Stars will more than likely either extend a qualifying offer or just sign to a new deal altogether off the bat.
As you can see, the Dallas Stars will have to make plenty of tough decisions this offseason. There are bound to be one or two that fans will not agree with. But that’s just the nature of the hockey business. All fans can do is reassure themselves that GM Jim Nill is making each move to benefit the team the most.
Next: A Tale Of Four Defensemen: Which UFA D-Men Do Stars Keep?
With 20 players needing decisions, Nill has likely been working on these for a while. Now we simply wait for it to all unfold.