The Dallas Stars will have to make a decision this offseason on whether or not they should keep dedicated and fan-favorite veteran Vernon Fiddler around. It’s not going to be an easy one by any means.
The offseason is a time full of difficult decisions. Jim Nill, the general manager of the Dallas Stars, is the man with the weight of those decisions on his shoulders and he’ll have to determine Vernon Fiddler‘s future in the coming months.
Becoming a Star
Fiddler signed with the Dallas Stars as a free agent back on July 1st, 2011. He then tested the market in July 2014, only to sign a new two-year deal with the Stars.
That contract, however, is expiring July 1st of this year and there has been no announcement of a new contract or an offer to the 36-year-old forward.
While No. 38’s future with the team is in question, there are strong reasons why he’ll remain in victory green as well as strong reasons he’ll be wearing a new sweater come puck drop in October.
Reasons He’ll Stay
Chance to Win
Fiddler has reason to be excited about the possibility of winning in Dallas. As a veteran forward without a Stanley Cup victory under his belt, the Edmonton native is searching for a way to conquer the feat before he has to hang up his skates for good.
The Dallas Stars are a team that has come out of their rebuild as a strong force in the NHL. Although their postseason was shorter this year than they would have preferred, the Stars can be happy about their performance and confident about their future.
To a player with only a few more years left in the league, that is just about all that he can wish for.
Genuine Love of Dallas
More than the chance to win a cup, though, is the fact that Fiddler and the Stars have a mutual love for one another. Fiddler has told media time and time again that he loves the organization and the city of Dallas and the Stars have responded to that with two deals over the last five years.
There’s also the added fact that when No. 38 tested the market in 2014 there were no teams that successfully signed him, securing his time in Dallas for two more years. If he was unable to find a new team back then when he was 34-years-old, it’s only going to be that much more difficult to sign a deal being two years older.
Reasons He’ll Leave
Cap Space
Unfortunately for Fiddler and the Stars, Dallas has limited cap space with which to play. Nill is aiming to get Jamie Benn signed to a new deal before the start of the 2016-17 season and he’s certainly earned a raise.
Until that contract is signed and complete, the Dallas Stars have limited options when it comes to re-signing players. There’s also the question marks in regards to defenders. Alex Goligoski and Jason Demers are two of the biggest decisions to be made, while Kris Russell‘s future with the club is also in question.
Price Cut
Overall the uncertainty of a large number of Stars players’ futures with the team make it hard for Nill to sign Fiddler, unless he takes a price cut.
His previous $1.25 million cap hit would seemingly have to go down in order to justify keeping him around and it’s uncertain if the veteran would be willing to take less money.
Overload of Forwards
Another reason he’d be wearing a new jersey in the fall is that the Dallas Stars are loaded at the forward position. They have a number of highly talented young players on the Texas Stars’ roster as well as players that have earned their place in Dallas over the last year or so.
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Those players, Radek Faksa and Colton Sceviour to name a few, are young and inexpensive at the moment. They make sense in the Stars’ locker room because they have the speed, skill and potential to be great in just a few short seasons.
Fiddler, on the other hand, is slower due to age and although his skating ability is great considering, he’s not a necessity on the roster.
Conclusion
Vernon Fiddler has been a great veteran presence for the Stars for the last five years, but he may be forced to find a new home rather soon.
While no decisions have been made yet regarding his future with the Dallas Stars, the level of confidence that he’ll still be in victory green next year is dwindling with each passing day.
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One thing is for sure, though, if Jim Nill wants No. 38 to remain on the team, he’ll find a way to make it happen.
Do you think Vernon Fiddler will be a Star next season? Leave your thoughts in the comments and, as always, thanks for reading!