Dallas Stars Report Cards: Vernon Fiddler
Vernon Fiddler has brought experience and wisdom to the Dallas Stars’ locker room, and even moreso this season while wearing the A. As he nears unrestricted free agency, take a look at this report card and decide for yourself if he should stay, or go.
Current alternate captain Vernon Fiddler, who has a history with the Predators and the Coyotes, has been with the Dallas Stars since 2011 and is approaching potential free agency this summer.
The 36-year-old center has played over 800 NHL games, not including an excess of 40 playoff games. He’s provided a lot of experience, leadership, and maturity for the Stars, who will have to make a decision very soon about whether or not they consider him an asset worth keeping.
Regular Season Recap
Fiddler has had a pretty consistent last two seasons, with the only real difference between the two being his number of shots and his rate of success.
Although he took fewer shots this season (98) than he did last season (138), his accuracy increased from 9.80% last season to 12.20% this season. Considering that high shot volume with a conversely low success rate was a blemish on last season that the Dallas Stars wanted to remedy this time around, it’s encouraging to see Fiddler’s numbers reflect that effort.
This season, he played in 82 games and scored 12 goals, notching 10 assists. His +/- rating did not change from last season, staying consistent at -5. Although his production was nothing incredible and he had an average of 11:38 minutes of ice team each game as a fourth-liner, Fiddler offered solid leadership this season while wearing the A.
With many young and inexperienced players joining the ranks, his experience with the game was invaluable, especially on the lower lines.
Playoff Recap
Fiddler’s only playoff goal came during the May 9th match against the Blues. In that game, he took only two shots, further proving his efforts at increasing accuracy with a lower shot volume.
When the Dallas Stars faded into the offseason, Fiddler had acquired 3 points and a -1 rating while spending about 8:56 minutes on the ice per game. However, the Dallas Stars had relatively little playoff experience.
Many Stars who had seen playoffs hadn’t made it out of a first round. However, Fiddler’s 42 career playoff games and resulting wisdom lent some maturity to the Stars’ efforts this postseason.
Contract Situation
In July of 2014, Fiddler reached an agreement with the Stars for a two-year deal worth $2.5 million. Fiddler eventually renewed his contract with the Stars, but only after a bit of negotiating. In the end, it was his desire to remain a part of the organization that kept him in Dallas.
This time around, now that his latest two-year contract will be expiring, that may not be enough. At 36, Fiddler cannot be expected to produce for the offense in an electric way, but there are plenty of reason why the Stars should negotiate another contract extension before the market opens on unrestricted free agency.
Although the Stars don’t have to worry about populating their lines- they have plenty of young talent that will only keep improving- they need to also focus on grounding the youngsters with the exact type of maturity and hard work that Fiddler exemplifies on the lower lines.
Considering that a piece of Fiddler’s motivation for remaining with the Stars was to see the Stanley Cup come to Dallas, he may also not be looking to jump ship quite yet.
What should the Stars do?
That being said, at 36, Fiddler will need the Stars to also be interested in keeping him, or else off to free agency he will go. The Dallas Stars would do well to remember how consistently Fiddler digs his heels in and plays with heart while wearing the A.
must read: Dallas Stars' Report Cards
Although Fiddler could be close to retirement, a year or two more in Dallas could be beneficial for both sides. If Fiddler goes, the dressing room will be mostly full of younger guys who lack the depth of experience that Fiddler offers.
To keep their blend of vigor and youth, and maturity and experience at an optimal level, the Stars should offer Fiddler a simple, single year extension. However, if the salary cap becomes tight while renegotiating what may be perceived as more big-ticket contracts (ahem, Jamie Benn), the Stars may not see the necessity of the extension.
Bottom Line
Fiddler has contributed to the culture of the Stars and their organization since 2011, and has been an exceptional alternate captain. He balances out the youth in the dressing room with maturity and experience, and as the Stars continue to develop and make even deeper playoff bids, experience is not something they can easily afford to part with.
Next: Dallas Stars Could Use Another Year of Vernon Fiddler
It would be in Dallas’ best interest to keep Fiddler around, as he will probably not be looking to make any huge moves in the few years before potential retirement.