Dallas Stars Toughest Lesson Will Be Letting Go Of Dedication

The free agent deadline is slowly approaching, and the Dallas Stars have a couple of decisions to make. One in particular is sure to sting more than you’d expect.

Fairy tales. Most of us remember them fondly from our childhoods. Whether it was hearing them in a bedtime story or watching a rendition of them at the movies, they more than likely had a positive impact on your life as you grew up. Some may still hold a positive significance in your life and always be there to help pick you up when you’re down.

But what comes to mind when you think about each story? You more than likely think of one thing in particular that all fairy tales have in common: happy endings.

Yes, the happy ending. It always serves as the pleasurable ultimatum awaiting you at the end of each tale. You know that no matter what trials the protagonist endures, the story always concludes on a positively high note. It’s what makes these stories “fairy tales” in the first place.

Sadly, life does not follow this pattern. While it is very possible to have a happy ending, there are plenty of rough patches awaiting in the journey of life.

Hockey and the NHL in general are known for luring in millions each and every year, promising a chance at greatness. As fans intently follow and dedicate their time, attention, and money to their team of choice, they know that only one select group will finish with a happy ending.

It’s so interesting to think about how 30 teams start out all believing they have a chance at the ultimate prize. But when it is all said and done, only one team hoists the Stanley Cup, concluding their season with the happiest of endings. But for the other 29 clubs, the season is simply chopped up as “a modest trial, but eventual error.”

Then the offseason comes along, and it’s a complete gamble. With free agents on the team potentially departing and/or new and exciting free agents hopping on board, you never really know how you are going to end the offseason feeling.

This offseason, the Dallas Stars are surely in for some tough decisions. Over the past few years, each offseason has been a positive and exciting experience. Bringing in names like Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, Jason Spezza, and Tyler Seguin has helped inspire Stars fans and give them hope, even in light of giving up special players in trades for those mentioned above.

But in this coming offseason, the Stars may be looking at a lot of goodbyes and not many hellos. It’s simply the way the dice have fallen.

The 2015-2016 Dallas Stars had a magnificent run. After falling well short of expectations in 2014-2015 and missing out on the playoffs, the Stars exploded out of the gate this year and did not look back. The team climbed above the competition and surged to their first Central Division title, as well as finishing first place in the Western Conference overall.

They trekked on to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they handled a surprisingly fierce Minnesota Wild team in six games in the first round. They moved to the Western Conference semifinals, where they would eventually fall in a hard-fought seven game set to the St. Louis Blues.

So while there were many happy and uplifting moments in the season, there was no happy ending.

And with that, there comes the necessary reset before the next season begins that all teams must endure, whether they want to or not. The Dallas Stars, let alone their fanbase, might have some serious trouble getting through this offseason.

While it is not entirely clear with what general manger Jim Nill has planned for the offseason ahead, one thing is certain: the Stars have a lot of free agents and not enough space to bring all of them back.

Every team has to deal with this, which eventually creates the need for a free agency market opening on July 1st.

But this offseason will more than likely feel different than ones in year’s past. It may be that the majority of the free agents have been with the Stars for an extended period of time, or that the team just concluded a journey substantially longer than any previous one over the past eight years.

Those may be viable excuses, but the main reason this offseason might sting more than a typical one is the fact that the Dallas Stars will more than likely be forced to part with some dedicated soldiers.

There are a certain handful of players on the Stars’ roster that are known around the NHL as superstars, such as Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Patrick Sharp. While those players are just naturally above the majority of the competition, it’s the other players in that Dallas locker room that show what it means to be determined.

Travis Moen, Patrick Eaves, and Vernon Fiddler are all great examples of this specific type of player. All three are currently scheduled to be free agents and will require a new contract with the organization or will be forced to move on to a new chapter.

This past season, Moen skated in just 23 regular season games and six playoff games. That did not inhibit him from going to practice every day and giving his all. In a regular season broadcast this past season, Daryl Reaugh deemed Moen one of the Stars’ “most dedicated soldiers.” He talked about Moen’s constant determination to get better and give his all whenever he’s on the ice.

Eaves joined the Stars in July of 2014 and has played a crucial role with the team over the past two years. Though he has dealt with some injuries acquired simply from his “net-front presence” attitude, he has contributed in every form possible with the team. He’s scaled the lineup, played on special teams, and provided a positive role in the locker room.

Vernon Fiddler is closing out his fifth season with the Dallas Stars, and you must seriously question your dedication to the team if he has not impacted your following experience over the past few years. A strong veteran leading by example and using his skills to aid younger players while playing the role of a fourth line grinder, Fidds contributions are impossible to calculate.

The same goes for some dedicated defensemen, such as Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, and Kris Russell. Each one brings their all to every game and are not afraid to lay it all out on the line. They each provide a special element that made the Dallas Stars’ 2015-2016 team one of a kind.

must read: Stars Could Benefit From Keeping Fiddler Around

The difficult part to come to terms with is that the Stars do not have the cap space or spots on the starting roster to bring all of these players back for another season. Some of these players will be difficult to negotiate with, some have their spots up for grabs with rookies playing for cheaper, and some are just getting to the danger zone with age.

It’s disappointing to say the least. On the bight side, the Stars have a good chance at bringing some of these players back. But there is not a possible avenue to take that would return all of these warriors. The fact of the matter is that in a cap-controlled world, nothing is easy.

So this happy ending we’ve been talking about all this time seems like a myth. But the fact of the matter is, it’s the contributions of these determined players that help round out teams and eventually push them to greatness. It’s a growing process, and it’s not an easy one.

The Dallas Stars will definitely miss some of these players next year once they’ve moved on to their next journey. But that’s all a part of the process, and the Stars will hopefully grow from it into a stronger team next season, ready to achieve more and reach new heights.

Next: FA Defenseman Market Not Very Bountiful For Stars

Happy endings? Sure they are real. But they don’t just form overnight. You have to go through a couple of bloody noses and heartbreaks along the path in order to truly appreciate the magical moments that you eventually stumble upon.