The free agency market is open. With it, a number of restricted opportunities have now become accessible for all NHL teams. Here are three of the top things you might want to look out for in regards to the Dallas Stars’ actions.
It’s time! At 11:00 a.m. CST this morning, the NHL free agency market will officially open up, leaving a world of potential to be explored! We here at Blackout Dallas have been counting down the days for this simply because we finally have something to write about again besides speculation! So celebrate!
As the market opens, there are plenty of intriguing storylines to follow. Is Milan Lucic heading to Edmonton or Dallas? Where are Kevin Shattenkirk and Cam Fowler going, if anywhere at all? Who will be the new team of Loui Eriksson, Andrew Ladd, and Kyle Okposo? The opportunities are endless.
But of course, the big question on your mind is probably regarding what the Dallas Stars are going to be indulging in.
After a wonderful 2015-16 season, the Stars are on the hunt to round out the rough edges of their team and move into Stanley Cup talks this coming season. They have a legitimate chance at winning it all if they can pick up the right players. The best part is that Dallas is only one or two players away from being a championship contender.
But what do the Stars need to do this offseason to make those championship aspirations a reality? The offense is looking like it will be just as lethal as it was last year. What about the defense and goaltending? That’s a different story.
Here are three things that you might want to mark on your Dallas Stars’ watchlist. What will they ultimately do? Take a look below and keep a stern eye out.
1. Who is on their way to Dallas?
The Dallas Stars are no strangers to making some big noise in the offseason. General manager Jim Nill has proven that over the past three years by bringing in Tyler Seguin (2013), Jason Spezza (2014), Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya (2015) all past the July 1 opening.
Now to be clear, Oduya is the only member of that above list that has come to Dallas through the free agency market. The other three involved a blockbuster trade. But once 11:00 a.m. hits tomorrow, there is just as good a chance that the Stars sign a player as there is they trade for one.
So who is out there that could be on the Dallas radar? This offseason is an interesting one in the fact that the Stars could go any number of ways. They could even find a way down an avenue that rumors and reports have yet to even sniff out yet. That’s the fun and intriguing part.
The first name that probably comes to mind is Ben Bishop. The Stars have been rumored to be in on the Bishop trade watch since the first day of the NHL entry draft on June 24th. With an expansion draft coming up in just one year, the Lightning are more than likely looking to move one of their NHL starting-caliber goaltenders.
With the cap tightening, it looks like Bishop is on his way out sooner or later. The Stars could definitely go after him, but they would have to lose a goalie (either Kari Lehtonen or Antti Niemi) in return. Things do not look entirely favorable, but anything can happen.
Meanwhile, there are some defensemen on the horizon that Dallas could be eyeing. The Stars lost three starting defensemen this offseason and will need another veteran presence or two to balance out the youth.
Brian Campbell and Dan Hamhuis seem to be the top choices as of now, and each has their own set of positives. Both are free agents, so the Stars can reach out to them with a contract and see what happens from there.
Then there is this new rumor that the Stars are one of two final teams on F Milan Lucic’s list. It seems as though Edmonton, the other team on his list, is ready to offer him a max deal. It seems crazy that the Stars are even in on this sweepstakes, but we’ll have to see where Dallas goes with this. If Jim Nill really does want him, he’ll more than likely find a way.
All in all, the Stars could realistically add two players to the roster today. Or they could end up with zero. Stay tuned to Twitter, DallasStars.com, or any other social media outlet to keep up with news throughout the day.
2. Who is leaving Dallas with no hopes of returning?
The Dallas Stars entered this season with a massive amount of unrestricted free agents. Eight of their 20 regular starters became pending UFA’s after the game seven loss, and a majority of them will be hitting the market tomorrow.
Since the Stars began the offseason, they have re-signed defenseman Jordie Benn and traded defenseman Alex Goligoski. That leaves six more UFA’s, and it looks like all six will test their worth on the market.
Defensemen Kris Russell and Jason Demers seem to be looking for big money, longterm deals. The Stars aren’t necessarily looking to sign either of them to contracts with those parameters, especially after their performances this past season. Each have apparently been contacted by multiple teams about signing today. Keep an eye out to see where they go and what they charge.
Meanwhile, the four forwards could go either way. While Travis Moen is definitely gone, there is a chance that Patrick Eaves, Vernon Fiddler, and Colton Sceviour could be returning. At the moment, all three are hitting the market, looking for new deals.
But this is the same approach that Fiddler took after the 2014 season. He ended up signing with Dallas a day or two later after examining his other offers. Nill has expressed that he could potentially be open to revisiting the players if they don’t find what they are looking for, but he is insistent on them using their free agency tag to its fullest extent and finding their worth.
It seems as though Demers and Russell are definitely on their way out and that Fiddler, Eaves, and Sceviour could find their way back. Out of those three, Sceviour could be the most likely option to return. But then again, him being a young forward with potential could make him attractive to plenty of other teams. Keep a lookout to see where these former Stars land and how much they land for.
3. Jamie Benn set to negotiate new deal
Perhaps the biggest and most hopeful story of the Dallas Stars’ 2016 offseason is the fact that they will immediately begin talking out a new deal with their captain, Jamie Benn. In three years as captain, Benn has led the Stars to two playoff appearances and won an Art Ross Trophy. He is the complete package of a hockey player and has a bright future as one of the best players in the league.
That being said, it is clear that the Stars need to lock him up for the long run. At age 26, Benn’s contract expires at the end of the 2016-17 season. To avoid the heart attacks similar to what the Lightning dealt with this season with Steven Stamkos, Nill is taking the safe route and trying to lock Benn down this season.
must read: Stars' Offseason Coverage
The Stars have sent some players away this offseason in order to open up cap space for the captain. Benn’s current contract consists of a five-year deal with a $5.25 million cap hit. But after his performance the past few years, Benn could be looking at a cap hit and AAV of around $10 million a year.
The Dallas Stars are more than likely ready to offer Benn somewhere in the neighborhood of an eight year, $80 million deal. On the bright side, he is worth every penny and deserves to be one of the highest paid players in the NHL considering he is one of the best.
Nill has told the media that he plans on negotiating the deal as soon as he is legally able to. That day is today, so be watching for news on negotiations.
Next: A World Of Opportunity Awaits Stars In Free Agency
All in all, it looks like it will be another entertaining offseason for the Dallas Stars. The Christmas day equivalent of the hockey offseason is finally here, so keep your eyes peeled. You just might witness something magical.
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