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Dallas Stars: A Complete Guide To The 2017 Offseason

By Josh Clark

Apr 6, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) takes the ice to face the Nashville Predators at the American Airlines Center. The Predators defeat the Stars 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) takes the ice to face the Nashville Predators at the American Airlines Center. The Predators defeat the Stars 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dallas Stars
Jan 4, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec (14) and Dallas Stars center Cody Eakin (20) chase the puck during the third period at the American Airlines Center. The Canadiens defeat the Stars 4-3 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Expansion Draft Coverage

The 2017 NHL Expansion Draft is going to bring new levels of insanity to the league as a whole. So before we dive into anything, here is a disclaimer for you: THIS WHOLE EXPANSION THING MAY BE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND SPECULATE ON, AND THAT’S OKAY.

If you sit back and think on the Dallas Stars’ expansion draft situation, the possibilities truly are endless. There are so many moving pieces that it is hard to speculate not only who Jim Nill will end up protecting, but also who Vegas will end up taking away.

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    • It could be as simple as Vegas selecting Gemel Smith and being done with it, or it could get as complicated as Dallas trading a few picks to Vegas in exchange for the Golden Knights taking Antti Niemi off of their hands so they can avoid a buyout. That’s just how vast this situation goes.

    Here’s a quick reminder of the basic rules:

    Each team can either protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltender OR a combination of eight skaters and one goaltender.

    For more in-depth rules, click here for the official posting.

    It’s pretty obvious at this point that considering the Dallas Stars are a team stacked with offensive talent, they will go with the first option.

    Ben Bishop will be the protected goaltender. That one is easy to see.

    In terms of defenders, the Stars will more than likely protect John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, and Stephen Johns. That leaves Dan Hamhuis, Jamie Oleksiak, Greg Pateryn, and Patrik Nemeth exposed (in terms of defenders who played at the NHL level this past season).

    Oleksiak and Nemeth are both RFAs, which means that their contract situation could come up in discussion depending on where they sit come June 18. Hamhuis is a veteran that could provide solid depth and leadership for Vegas, but do they want a 34-year-old with only one year left on his deal if they are trying to build for the future? That all has to be determined.

    The forwards are where things get interesting. Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza must be protected due to no-movement clauses in their contracts (though both were no-brainers for protection in the first place). Tyler Seguin and Radek Faksa are also on lockdown. That leaves three spots open and names like Antoine Roussel, Cody Eakin, Curtis McKenzie, Brett Ritchie, and Valeri Nichushkin open for exposure.

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    Ritchie will likely be protected and Nill has expressed desire to protect Nichushkin as well, even though he is currently playing in the KHL. So do you protect the fan-favorite and developing Roussel? Or do you look past Eakin’s bad 2016-17 and bet on him being a part of your future even though you are already stacked at the center position? Do you try and trade Eakin?

    The illustrious Mark Stepneski of Stars Inside Edge wrote up a solid and in-depth piece about everything expansion. It’s a quality read and can be found here. Make sure to give it a whirl.

    Where does Vegas go? That is the question. Does Nill try and swing a deal via trade? Do draft picks come into play? Maybe Vegas signs one of the Stars’ pending UFAs or RFAs and claims their player that way during the 72-hour window?

    There’s just too many pieces moving right now, but that’s why it’s fun to speculate. There are a number of ways that both Nill and Vegas GM George McPhee could go that make sense. But the question is which route the two will actually take.

    Keep your eyes peeled for developments as these four days approach. June 18 at 10 a.m. is when things will become MUCH clearer. Until then, let’s have some fun guessing and hypothesizing.

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