Dallas Stars: Looking Ahead At 2017 Free Agent Class
The Dallas Stars had to deal with plenty of free agency troubles this past offseason. Looking ahead, it looks as though next offseason will be a lot of the same.
It’s never easy to see a player leave your favorite hockey team, especially one who plays a significant role on the team itself. It feels as though a piece of your soul is departing with the player as they depart for a new home.
This past offseason, the Dallas Stars took felt these emotions head-on. A total of eleven free agents were on the ropes for Dallas, including eight unrestricted and three restricted. With the cap space closing in due to a collection of superstar players, the Stars had to make some sacrifices.
The Stars ended up bringing back all three RFAs either by qualification or just re-signing in general, but only two of the UFAs (Patrick Eaves and Jordie Benn) returned.
The departure of six UFAs left the Dallas Stars vulnerable in multiple areas. As a result, they will look for younger players to fill the voids in the upcoming season. It will be interesting to see if these rookies and sophomores can break onto the NHL scene with a bang and perform at the necessary level.
But come the offseason of 2017, the Stars will be back to making tough decisions. That’s because after a season full of expectations and potentially even a Stanley Cup, Dallas will have a flurry of free agents to deal with once again. Let’s take a quick look at who will be a member of the FA class at the current moment:
RFA:
UFA:
Patrick Eaves
There are some very significant names on that list that play large roles in the current Dallas Stars’ makeup. Depending on what kinds of trades the Stars make this coming season and who they decide to keep, the cap space could be very influential on who stays and who goes.
If the Stars sink this season and playoff hopes are a distant dream near the deadline, look for Dallas to more than likely dish some of the veterans like Sharp and Hemsky to other clubs that have a serious shot at the Cup. But if Dallas is on top or even in the middle of the fight, they’ll retain the players helping them succeed and may even be inclined to trade for one or two (yes Ben Bishop, we’re talking about you).
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The expansion draft will be another big factor. The Stars can only protect five forwards (considering Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza are locked in) and three defenders. It might not be the best idea to lock a free agent up and waste a spot that might never even be claimed by that FA on the team. It’s definitely a gamble.
At the current moment, it’s pretty clear that Janmark and Faksa deserve new deals. Then Nemeth, Ritchie, and McKenzie will probably pick up new contracts also. Cracknell is a toss-up, considering he is more of just a utility/13th forward player, at least for now.
The UFA’s are an entirely different story. Do you bring Johnny Oduya back and keep the veteran defensemen balanced, or do you give the spot to Esa Lindell for good? Will Sharp and Hemsky perform up to par and earn their new contracts, or will the younglings knocking on the door take their spots in the lineup? Will Eaves’ play this season necessitate another one-year deal? And is Jamie Oleksiak going to prove his worth this year?
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There’s a lot that needs to be answered between now and the next offseason, and the 2016-17 regular season will help with the decision-making process. Either way, the Dallas Stars have a lot of players on the brink that could use a strong showing this year. Those performances could be what carries Dallas to their long-awaited shot at greatness.