The Dallas Stars went from “keeping at least half of their UFA defensemen” to “shipping everyone away” in one simple move. Nothing is set in stone yet, but it does not look good for the remaining UFAs on the Stars blue line.
There were plenty of rumors and theories circling around the Dallas Stars and their jam-packed offseason, but I doubt anyone predicted what could very likely be happening over the next two weeks.
Just yesterday, the Stars made some early waves in their offseason journey by trading away the negotiating rights to veteran defenseman Alex Goligoski to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a fifth round draft pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft.
Goligoski, 30, was one of four unrestricted free agent defensemen on the Dallas Stars roster that they would eventually have to deal with, and now it is a done deal. While some are debating whether or not the Stars made a smart move in dishing Goligoski, the fact of the matter is that they never had a chance of bringing all of the defenders back.
The biggest road block that Dallas is facing this offseason is with forward Jamie Benn. The 26-year old captain is one season away from being an unrestricted free agent, and the Stars are playing it smart in attempting to lock him up this offseason for the long run.
The only problem is that Benn is due for a hefty raise, one that could reach the $10 million per year level. His current cap hit is at $5.25 million, meaning it would almost double. The Stars are currently tight on cap space, meaning that they will be forced to part ways with a couple free agents this offseason in order to make room. Goligoski was simply the first chip to fall.
That leaves Jason Demers, Jordie Benn, and Kris Russell as the other three UFA defensemen on the Dallas Stars roster. Early on in the offseason, Stars fans had a variety of opinions based on how they believed Dallas should work the situation out.
Some said sign Goligoski and Benn, leave the rest. Others thought that bringing Russell and Benn back was the way to go. Some said pick Russell back up and leave the rest. Just about every combination of the players was conceived, at least those in which would logically work with the cap.
But now that Goligoski is out, the Stars may be out on all negotiations with their UFA d-men. With Alex Goligoski out, the Stars shed $4.6 million in cap, giving them plenty of breathing room going forward. There is always a need for more, though. That begins with the Stars and their negotiating process this offseason.
Upon noticing Goligoski’s departure, a majority of Stars fans reverted to speculating whether the Stars should bring Demers or Russell back. But when you look at all of the outside factors, it’s pretty clear that the Dallas Stars may not re-sign any of the three.
No. Guess is they will not make offers to Russell or Demers. Could look at trade or UFA. Seems they will be patient. https://t.co/FjhCGkBvMS
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) June 16, 2016
As painful as that sounds (considering they would be waving goodbye to four reliable NHL defensemen), it can be done without crushing the entire defensive core.
Everyone more than likely remembers what happened in the 2014-2015 season when the Dallas Stars “trusted their young defenders.” No? Well, it did not pan out too well and the Stars fell into a goals against hole. It finished up with the Stars missing the postseason by seven points.
If the Stars cut ties with Russell, Demers, and Benn, they will be shedding somewhere around $5.5 million more in cap space. That would leave them with $10 million open in cap space.
So what do they do with it? Call nothing but young defenders up? Let’s hope not. Dallas tried that once, and it definitely did not work. The Stars made serious progress this year, and it would be a shame to let it all go to waste.
must read: Jordie Benn's Future With The Dallas Stars
So do they go find someone through trade or on the free agency market? There are not many options in the FA pool, but general manager Jim Nill could more than likely find something that works well with the system. Some fans threw out the idea of Keith Yandle, who will be a UFA this offseason. It could be difficult depending on the price he swings, but could be a viable option to look into.
Next season, the Dallas Stars have Johnny Oduya, John Klingberg, Stephen Johns, and Patrik Nemeth on tap to return to the blue line. Esa Lindell is a lock and Julius Honka has a chance to make the jump from AHL to NHL, and Jamie Oleksiak will be an RFA this coming July 1st unless the Stars re-sign him.
But in the end, it all rests on how much Nill is willing to give away in order to re-sign Jamie Benn long-term and keep the team on the cusp of success. Is it worth three veteran defensemen? Who knows.
There are just too many question marks left to be answered as of this moment, but the Dallas Stars could turn a lot of heads if they leave all four veteran defensemen in free agency. It’s still a possibility though, and is becoming more likely by the day at this point.
Next: Analyzing The Goligoski Deal: Did The Stars Make The Right Move?
Keep your eyes peeled and your ears wide open. It seems as though Alex Goligoski was only the first surprising move in a shocking offseason ahead. Get ready for one wild ride.