Dallas Stars Had To Split With Fiddler, Sceviour

The Dallas Stars were forced to make some significant cuts to their roster this offseason. However you look at it, the fact is that each UFA released was the best move for Dallas, including two starting forwards.

It’s been about a month since the NHL free agency frenzy occurred, and it’s crazy to look at how different things are now.

The Dallas Stars were one of the teams heavily involved in both the signing and parting process. They had to wave goodbye to a good number of valiant soldiers, but added and brought back a few solid players.

Among the cut list were defensemen Jason Demers and Kris Russell, along with forwards Travis Moen, Vernon Fiddler, and Colton Sceviour. Defender Alex Goligoski was traded as a pending UFA back in June for a draft pick.

Meanwhile, the Stars re-signed forward Patrick Eaves and defenseman Jordie Benn.

Going into the July 1st market opening, there were multiple theories swirling around about who the Dallas Stars would keep, attempt to keep, and who they would let go. In the end, the results were a bit surprising.

Many knew that Dallas would not be able to keep all four of their UFA defensemen. With all four still relatively young and reaching their peaks, each would be commanding a rather hefty price on the market. The Stars were a bit strained on cap space, so it looked as though they would be lucky to get one of the four back. The majority of guesses were centered around Goligoski, Demers or Russell.

Instead, the Stars let all three go and signed Jordie Benn instead. On the forward side, it was pretty clear that Moen would head for the market. Some suggested that Fiddler deserved a new deal, and many assumed Sceviour would be offered a new contract.

But as the market opened on July 1, Fiddler and Sceviour disappeared within the first hour without any attempt at retainment from Dallas. Eaves ended up being the only forward re-signed.

It seemed inexplainable when it first happened. Fiddler was a determined fourth-line grinder that provided a valuable scoring touch. He could run a penalty kill and win face-offs at a consistent pace. He would also sign for cheap. Why not keep him and give him one more strong run at the Stanley Cup?

On the other hand, Sceviour was a growing threat on the wings. At age 27, he had a lot of good hockey left in him. Since joining the Dallas Stars in 2014, he had played a decent amount at all three forward positions and contributed in each spot. He would have also signed to a small contract and continued to help lead the bottom six. Why not at least sign the young guy?

But now that there has been a month of adjustment and settling, it’s pretty clear why the Stars left both of them for the market.

When you take a look at the Dallas Stars’ projected lineup on offense for 2016-17, it is arguably more dangerous than it was last season. Here’s a quick peek:

Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Patrick Sharp

Mattias Janmark – Jason Spezza – Valeri Nichushkin

Antoine Roussel – Radek Faksa – Ales Hemsky

Brett Ritchie/Curtis McKenzie – Cody Eakin – Patrick Eaves

Of course, this is not the official starting lineup. These are the lines used at the end of last season, with the open spots filled. There could be plenty of movement between now and October 13. Seguin could move to a wing. Eakin could be promoted to first line center. Faksa could be moved down to a fourth-line grinder. There is plenty left to be solved.

must read: Why The Stars Have A Chance At Winning The Central This Year

But that’s just the reason why Sceviour and Fiddler had to go. Sceviour primarily played on the wings, and the Stars have a plethora of NHL-ready forwards eagerly waiting for playing time. Ritchie and McKenzie are at the top of this list, and one of them will more than likely play the majority of the upcoming season.

On the other hand, Fiddler would have given the Stars an overstocking of centers. The fact that Fiddler was the oldest of the five and up for extension, Dallas simply decided to go with Seguin, Spezza, Eakin, and Faksa. As much as it hurts to watch a dedicated soldier like Fiddler depart, it was the best decision for the lineup.

Next: Why The Stars Might Not Win The Central Division This Year

All in all, free agency is a confusing process. Moves may not make sense when your favorite team initially makes them, but the answer will come along sooner or later. The decision may be painful for you, but in the end it was probably made for the betterment of the team. It’s all a part of the business, after all.