Dallas Stars Would Be Crazy To Let All UFA Defensemen Go

The Dallas Stars have four UFA defensemen bound for the market this offseason unless the Stars can rope them back in. They probably won’t bring all four back, but they would be crazy to let them all go.

Let’s face it: the hockey business is a tough one, especially when you emotionally latch on to a certain player or organization.

While it is nice to endure the luxury of primarily reliable security during the regular season, the offseason can attack a hockey fan when they least expect it and where it can end up stinging the most.

The 2016 NHL offseason is just about a month away, and the Dallas Stars could definitely be setting the stage for a tough offseason for their more attached fans.

The Stars have 11 players on their current roster that will be up for free agency of some sort this July 1st, with eight of them being UFA’s and three being RFA’s. Each of these players could cause some emotional whirlwinds in one way or another, but the greatest amount of stress lies on the blue line.

Four Dallas Stars defensemen are set to become unrestricted free agents in 32 days unless the Stars make a move to rope them back in. Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, Kris Russell, and Jordie Benn all own expiring contracts and are currently embedded in the negotiating process.

The only problem is, with the cap restrictions threatening Dallas so tightly this year, the club will more than likely not have the necessary funding to bring all four players back with new, satisfying deals for both sides.

That being said, some decisions have to be made. Those decisions will most assuredly not be easy.

So what do the Stars have to choose from? First, there’s Goligoski. He’s a 30-year old veteran with a Stanley Cup and plenty of experience and leadership to share. He can eat minutes and run a power play, all while producing efficient offensive help. But his small size and turnover rates are definitely concerning, especially considering he will drive a high price on the market.

Then there’s Jason Demers. A right-handed shot that’s proven to be a great possession man and physical player in his year and a half with the Stars. But his effectiveness rate dropped towards the end of the season, and it hurt the Stars. At the age of 27, he has a bright future ahead of him. That also includes a big time deal this offseason, and the Dallas Stars may not be ready to spend that kind of money.

Kris Russell only played two and a half months with Dallas, but he put together an impressive show. He proved to have a lot of heart and spirit, and played very well in the defensive zone. Known for his shot blocking abilities, the 29-year old is a strong choice among small and quick defensemen. But with his size and the offers he could receive, the Stars may not have enough ammo.

Lastly is the reliable 28-year old Jordie Benn. He’s a good-sized defender and knows how to help shut down an offensive rush. He can also aid on the offensive side of the puck. But considering he sat the last few games of the season and played the healthy scratch role behind the other defensemen, are the Stars going to re-sign him or move on to other rookies?

All in all, most of these decisions will simply come down to money. That’s where it’s going to alert the Dallas Stars that they can only bring a select few back.

But they will need to bring at least one back. Letting all four defensemen float into the market would be the worst decision the Stars have made in a while. There are two reasons why this cannot happen.

First off, the defensive free agent market is nothing to smile at this year. Aside from names like Dan Hamhuis and Keith Yandle who will be receiving steep offers on the market, there are no other defenders not on the brink of retirement that fit the Dallas Stars’ style.

Most of the UFA d-men are either locks to be re-signed by their current clubs or heading out of the league. The Stars would have some serious trouble finding a valuable defenseman to their scheme, unlike last year when they scooped Johnny Oduya.

Secondly, the experience of the blue line would crumple almost entirely and the Stars would be put into a similar hole that they faced in 2014-2015, only this time it would be worse.

If Dallas were to let go of all four of their veteran defensemen, the blue line would more than likely be made up of John Klingberg, Johnny Oduya, Stephen Johns, Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Esa Lindell, and Julius Honka as a seventh man.

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On paper that may look alright, but all you have to do is rewind to 2014-2015 when the Dallas Stars were set to “trust their young defense.” They ended up giving up the fifth most goals per game of all teams in the NHL that year and missing the playoffs by seven points. That’s not the best way to be spending some of our veterans’ last few seasons.

The Stars simply cannot attempt to rely solely on their young defense. It has not worked in the past, and it will not work now. The NHL is simply too much for a fledgling defensive group to bear. Pushing too many rookies to the top at one time is a recipe for disaster.

It’s still very unclear of what general manager Jim Nill is planning to do over the next month in terms of contract negotiations. Most speculate that he will either try to re-sign Goligoski or Russell, or even to try and work his magic to swing a deal for both. After all, they would be signing on for another year with a stacked team with plenty of potential to make a Stanley Cup run.

But who knows? That’s what the offseason game is all about. Waiting and wondering what is going to happen. In the end, not all four UFA defensemen will be wearing victory green, which is alright. Some changes are still necessary in order for the Dallas Stars’ blue line to become championship ready.

The one thing Nill cannot do though is let all four disappear. If that happens, there is no telling what sort of dark hole the Stars will disappear down next season.

Next: A Tale Of Four Defensemen: Which UFA D-men Do Stars Keep?

So until the end of June hits and things start to get interesting, just sit back and, well, wait. It might be a little more difficult to do than you initially think.