In the past month, the Dallas Stars have taken major leaps towards redeeming themselves from last season. From acquiring goaltender Ben Bishop to bringing home head coach Ken Hitchcock, evidence suggests that the Stars mean business.
The Dallas Stars signed Big Ben to a six-year, $29.5 million contract extension on Friday. It complicates the decision of which of the two current goaltenders to buy-out; however, with Bishop on the Stars’ side, at least there is a silver lining.
Someone Has to Pack Their Bags
Bishop will blossom under Ken Hitchcock’s strict coaching. Unfortunately for the Stars, bringing in Bishop and Hitchcock pushes someone out of the picture. Coach Lindy Ruff made his departure in April but now GM Jim Nill needs to decide which of the Stars’ current goaltenders to say goodbye to.
The decision shouldn’t be too difficult.
Buying out Antti Niemi and leaving Kari Lehtonen unprotected for the draft seems to be the best option for the Stars. Lehtonen could be a solid backup for Vegas. The Stars would have the opportunity to bring in whoever they desired.
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Reunite Shattenkirk and Hitchcock
Considering the Stars’ urge to rebuild, going after UFA Kevin Shattenkirk would not be a bad decision. If Nill can find the position, money and work out a contract, reuniting Shattenkirk and Hitchcock would be almost too good to be true.
In 2013-14, Shattenkirk signed a four-year, $17 million contract with the St Louis Blues.
Normally, a trade of Shattenkirk’s caliber seems out of reach for the Stars but considering he will be a free agent and Hitchcock’s presence in Dallas, it seems as though it could be an enticing fit.
UFA Kevin Shattenkirk wants a bigger role somewhere. "I know I'm not Shea Weber ... but I've kind of done it all before."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) May 12, 2017
With Bishop between the pipes, why not bulk up the defense in front of him? Pairing defensemen Shattenkirk and Jamie Oleksiak would benefit the Stars in multiple ways: developing Oleksiak and creating a providing invaluable skill to the Dallas ice.
Shattenkirk Would Push Out a Current Defenseman
If the reunion between Hitchcock and Shattenkirk actually happened, it would mean losing one of the Stars’ current defensemen.
This coming offseason, both Jamie Oleksiak and Patrik Nemeth are RFA’s, meaning that either of their absences could provide an open slot. If Nill wanted to keep the roster the same, Stephen Johns‘ two-way contract ends in 2018, so his return to Cedar Park would be a viable option. Any transaction decision would be difficult; however, the bigger picture would need to be considered.
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Bringing Shattenkirk to the Stars would be a huge get for the Dallas Stars. If a large role on the ice is what he seeks, Dallas would be an ideal city for that to come true. For the Stars, the 2017-18 season already has a few good things going for it. Perhaps there’s still something or someone out there to bring back some glory to the city of Dallas.
Why not go for it?