Dallas Stars: What Happened To Kris Russell?

The NHL free agency market is a ghost town at this point in the offseason. But one former Dallas Stars defender is still out in the open, looking for a new home.

The NHL free agency pool started out in a whirlwind form on July 1st. There were numerous assets available for selection, and all of the teams tried to keep up with the rapid and intense pace.

That whirlwind pace has quickly changed to a lazy river pace over the past few weeks. The majority of the free agents, both unrestricted and restricted, were scooped up in the first few hours of the market opening. Then there were the few that came later in the day and even throughout the next couple of days following.

But by the second week of July, it seemed as though all of the big free agent names had settled down in their new homes. This is true, except for one major name that still lingers in the balance of unrestricted free agency: Kris Russell.

The Dallas Stars said goodbye to a lot of assets this offseason via unrestricted free agency and/or forced trade as a result of UFA status. Headlining the list were names like defensemen Alex Goligoski and Jason Demers and forwards Vernon Fiddler and Colton Sceviour.

Russell was one of the names on the Stars blue line with the UFA tag next to it, and he seemed ready to test the market.

Dallas acquired Russell at the trade deadline back on February 29, 2016, in a trade with the Calgary Flames that many Stars fans claimed to be “a bad deal.” The Stars sent a hefty package to Calgary in return, including starting-caliber defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka.

The trade seemed crazy at the time. Dallas was definitely in need of some help on defense before the Stanley Cup Playoffs kicked off, but a 5-10, 170 lb. leftie did not seem like the best void filler.

Russell fell to an injury in mid-March that sidelined him for three weeks, leaving him available for the final two games of the regular season.

He proved to be an effective player for the most part, especially in the shot-blocking department. He was a determined skater on the ice and injected his play with a lot of emotion.

Russell showed off his leadership skills throughout the postseason, skating in 12 of 13 games. But in the end, he just was not what the Stars were looking for.

The Dallas Stars decided to part ways with the 29-year-old defender and let him test the free agency market. Within the first three hours of the market opening, the Stars seemed to have their defensive lineup already squared away for next season, with no intentions of inserting Russell back into it.

So Kris Russell went out into the free agency pool to test his worth, and things have not gone so well for him. While all of the other veteran NHL defensemen have been handed reasonable contracts and signed with new teams, Russell remains an unrestricted free agent. It is very rare for a veteran player to still be homeless in late July, but Russell is just that.

Is he going to be picked up by anyone soon? Or will he actually start the regular season as an unclaimed player. That’s a horrible shot to the reputation of any player.

Right now, it seems as though money is the problem. Russell has reportedly been looking for a contract in the $4 million per year range at a somewhat long-term rate.

must read: A Stars Fan's Guide To Surviving The Offseason

The snag is that most teams are already assembling their opening night rosters with the pieces they have. They are either close to or right at the salary cap limit, so not many teams have room for a $4 million plus deal.

And on the other hand, Russell might not be worth that kind of money. Sure he is a great shot blocker and has a lot of heart, but the Dallas Stars did not see the defensive side they needed out of him. In addition to that, he produces offensively at an average rate. There is nothing extra special about him. He’s simply just another NHL-level defenseman.

All in all, Russell is simply digging for something he probably will not find. There have been rumors for weeks now about teams who have reached out to Russell, considering he was one of the top defenders on the UFA list at the start of the offseason. But nothing has connected, as you can see.

Next: When Exactly Do The Stars Hit The Ice Again?

Will Kris Russell continue to hunt for a $4 million deal and have no luck? Or will someone throw the money his way? It will be an interesting story to follow as the lowly and depressing offseason continues to drag on. One thing is for sure: the Dallas Stars made the right choice sitting back and putting that potential $4 million towards Jamie Benn‘s new deal.