The Dallas Stars are approaching another crucial offseason, one that could end with Stanley Cup expectations if worked out properly. Is there anyone left in the defensive market that the Stars could swoop up to help improve the blue line?
Things are getting a bit slow here at Blackout Dallas, as I’m sure they are with most of you as well. The hockey news is drying out quickly and there is not much to talk about.
Not to fear though, as the news will quickly ramp back up in less than 48 hours when the free agency market opens across the NHL. The Dallas Stars will be one of many teams more than likely perusing into the free agent pool, looking for improvements.
Many current Stars will be departing from the team’s nest and moving on in their UFA status, looking for intimidatingly steep contracts. Some of these names include Jason Demers and Kris Russell. Vernon Fiddler, Patrick Eaves, and Colton Sceviour are also out on the hunt.
For the first time in a while, the Dallas Stars will be acting very passively this offseason. With a hefty number of free agents, mainly UFA, the Stars have been forced to either trade them or let them test the market for their worth.
The cap space is not a full-blown issue at this point, but things were getting a tad tight. With a Jamie Benn contract extension needing to be arranged this offseason, there will need to be a substantial amount of cap left untouched for the Stars captain.
With these free agents wading into the FA pool, there are plenty of gaps in the Dallas Stars roster that need to be filled in. Besides Johnny Oduya, the defense will be comprised of mainly youthful players, assuming Russell and Demers do not come running back. Also, the goaltending tandem was strong enough to get the Stars 50 wins, but did not fare so well in the postseason.
For weeks, there has been speculation on who general manager Jim Nill could be aiming for. A capable and confident defenseman? A reliable, franchise goaltender? Neither? Both?
While Ben Bishop rumors have entertained Stars fans since the draft this past weekend, there is one vague report that many are leaving in the dark. Brian Campbell could very well be on his way to Dallas.
The first thing fans do when they hear Campbell’s name is look at the cap hit on his most recent contract. Campbell just finished up a longterm deal with the Florida Panthers with a cap hit of $7,142,875. That’s uproarious. But considering the fact that Campbell just turned 37 years old, he doesn’t have a lot of miles left. With that, the Dallas Stars could find a way to get him around $3.5 million a year or so.
Campbell is basically an older and more experienced version of Alex Goligoski. He currently stands at 5-10, 192 pounds. He is known as a puck moving defenseman that can help on the power play and penalty kill. His possession numbers are impressive, and he can skate a valuable number of minutes even at 37. He averaged 22:17 on the ice this past year.
Since joining the Florida Panthers in 2011, Campbell has yet to miss a game. That means he has played 376 straight regular season games in the Sunshine State. Can you say reliable?
He’s averaged around 32 points a year over the past three seasons, and posted a career high +31 in the on-ice rating column.
Those numbers are nothing to scoff at. If he had played with Dallas last season and posted these totals, he could very easily have been considered their best defender.
must read: Ben Bishop's Chances Of Coming To Dallas
Now the question comes into play: could the Stars make it a reality? Bringing Campbell onto the blue line would not only help on the experience level, but also on the success of the Dallas Stars’ defense as a whole.
At the current moment, it seems as though the Stars and Chicago Blackhawks are the two suitors. Up until just moments ago, it looked like Chicago was the frontrunner. But a tweet from the Panthers’ beat writer with the Miami Herald this afternoon shows that the Stars are in the hunt and anything is possible.
Although I said it sounded like Brian Campbell was headed back to the #Blackhawks, now hearing Dallas. Again, we'll see. #nhlStars
— George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) June 29, 2016
There were rumors floating around before the draft that Dallas was looking to sign the free agent, so the Stars have definitely done their homework. They know what they are getting into.
Overall, Campbell is hands down the best free agent choice on defense for the Dallas Stars at the moment. His resume, experience, and price make him a prime target. Not to mention he won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010 with Patrick Sharp. So he’s already been to Chicago. It’s time for a change of scenery.
Next: Keep Up With What's Going Down In Dallas
Mr. Campbell, how about Big D? Come on over, we’d love for you to boost our Stanley Cup aspirations and make us an elite contender. Let’s do it.