The next two weeks of the NHL offseason are going to be pretty frantic and crazy. That being said, it’s likely that you have some questions about where the Dallas Stars are headed. We answered some of them below.
It’s about that time, Dallas Stars fans. It’s almost time for the NHL offseason powder keg to finally be set off.
Over the next two weeks, the NHL Expansion Draft, NHL Awards, schedule release, and NHL Entry Draft will all take place. Just after that, the NHL free agency market will open. In other words, the next 16 days are the highlight of the NHL offseason.
And this offseason is different from all of its predecessors, primarily because of the expansion draft. With the Vegas Golden Knights entering the league next season, the draft is designed to help them build their roster. But with it comes plenty of opportunities for a lot of different things to happen to a lot of different NHL teams.
With that being said, it’s perfectly alright if you feel overloaded or confused at the moment. There’s so many moving pieces to keep up with and you are bound to have questions. We all do. That is what’s fun about the offseason: it’s unpredictable.
Dallas Stars
A few days ago, we put out a post on our Facebook and Twitter profiles asking for any questions that our followers might have regarding the Dallas Stars’ offseason plans. We got some really good responses, and we answered some of the best ones below.
If you submitted one, check for an answer below! And if you didn’t, read up and expand your thought procession. It’s only beneficial at this point. We will be having another call for mailbag questions in the near future, so if you missed out on this one, be on the lookout for the next call!
Question #1: I’m starting to hope we will keep our #3 pick, unless we get a great young player in a trade. Who should we draft at 3? (submitted by @long_aelong2004)
Answer: I’m with you on that one. As the draft approaches closer and I continue to delve through prospect profiles, I’m excited to see Dallas use the no. 3 pick on draft night.
This specific draft gives the Stars a unique chance. With Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier being the consensus no. 1 and no. 2 picks, owning third overall gives the Dallas Stars a world of opportunity to work with.
If I’m Dallas, I am going with either Gabriel Vilardi or Cody Glass. But if I had to choose, I go with Glass.
The Stars would be getting a decent sized center who has excellent vision and a strong hockey IQ. Not to mention he can make plays and score on a consistent basis. Last season, he scored 32 goals and tallied 94 points… in 69 games. The kid has a knack for offense and scoring in all situations. He’s remarkably fast and loves starting an offensive rush.
With his size, he handles the puck well and can create his own chances.
You could also take Vilardi and I wouldn’t say anything. But Glass just has something about him. He could work wonders for Dallas a few years down the road and has an extremely high ceiling as a right-handed center. If I’m the Stars, that’s who I call at no. 3.
More From Blackout Dallas: NHL Entry Draft Coverage
Question #2: If you were the GM, who will you select with the two first round picks? (submitted by Rishi Trikha)
Answer: I knew I’d be getting at least one question on who I would pick if I were GM, so my no. 3 pick is already posted above.
In terms of the 29th pick, there is still two ways to go about it. I don’t believe the Stars should or want to trade the no. 3 pick at this point, but the 29th is still up in the air. Could they package the pick with a player and scoop up a defender or right wing to fill one of their voids?
If they do go that route, it could prove to be very beneficial and the Stars would still have the no. 3 and no. 39 picks to use.
But if Dallas does keep no. 29, I’m completely on board with the “draft a goaltender to develop” idea. There are some talented goalies in this draft that could go late in the first round or early in the second round. They might be able to save a goalie pick for no. 39, but if things pan out and Dallas needs to act at 29, why not do it?
I loved watching Jake Oettinger‘s play with Boston University this past season (.927 SV%, 2.11 GAA). He tracks the puck well and is a mobile goaltender that can handle the puck. If the Stars are going to take the opportunity to make this draft the one where they jumpstart their goaltender development, I like Oettinger as the pick.
If they wait on a goalie until the second round, I see the Dallas Stars going after a defenseman or right winger with no. 29. But that’s just me.
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Question #3: Can Niemi or Kari be waived or does it require a buyout/trade/Vegas draft for them to be gone? (submitted by @shiekofarabie)
Answer: If the Dallas Stars wanted to, they could waive one of the two goaltenders.
But the problem with that solution lies in if no team picks up the goaltender. Both goaltenders are under one-way contracts, meaning they are paid the same salary ($5.9 million for Lehtonen, $4.5 million for Niemi) regardless of where they play. If Dallas puts one of them on waivers and they are not picked up (which they likely wouldn’t be), they would be demoted to the AHL all while being paid their same salary.
Paying a 34-year-old goaltender an NHL salary while he plays for an AHL team is not a good scenario. That’s why Nill isn’t taking the waiver route and is aiming for a way to trade or buy one of them out. And there’s always the possibility that he is trying to craft a way for Vegas to take one off of the Stars’ hands.
Question #4: 3 possible FA for the Stars and 1 possible trade acquisition? (submitted by @long_aelong2004)
Answer: This is a good question. With the NHL expansion draft, there could be a way that the Stars could fulfill both in the same player (i.e. trading for a player’s negotiating rights).
In terms of three potential free agent acquisitions, I would have to say RW Justin Williams, D Brendan Smith, and RW Patrick Eaves. I don’t think the Dallas Stars will get all three of these (maybe not even one), but all three could help the Stars in one way or another.
Sean Shapiro has gotten me on the Smith train as a valuable top-four fit for the Stars’ blue line. Williams could work wonders alongside Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin on the top line and still has plenty of great hockey left in him as an effective scorer. And then there’s Eaves. Though he’s more of the “fan” pick, he could make a triumphant return to the Stars and do some more damage in the top six after capping off the most successful year of his career in 2016-17.
In trade news, the talk of Chris Tanev has started rumbling. Though I don’t see it happening, anything is possible. Tanev could play in the top four with the Stars defense and help round it out, but it sounds like the Vancouver asking price is pretty steep. That being said, it’s nothing more than a rumor at this point. But I could see it happening if the price is right.
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Question #5: Will they re-sign Sharp for at tops 3.5 million to add depth on the right side? And if you were trading the third pick who would you want as a top-four defenseman? (submitted by Myles Krahn)
Answer: I personally love Patrick Sharp’s play and his presence in the Stars’ locker room as a leader is invaluable. But the questions have to be faced.
Is he going to come back 100 percent healthy from his hip surgery? And if so, would he sign at a reduced rate?
His most recent cap hit was $5.9 million, but there’s no way a 35-year-old fresh off of hip surgery is going to make that. Sharp had a bad 2016-17, but his heart and focus are still in the right place and the Stars could still use him as right wing depth.
At the end of the season, it sounded like the Stars would still be interested in signing Sharp if he heals completely and skips out on retirement talks. He can contribute solid numbers even at his advanced age and can work well both on the first and second lines.
I wouldn’t necessarily offer him 3.5 million, but somewhere in the 2.5-3.0 million range could be deemed acceptable. But all of that talk rests on Sharp making a full recovery first and foremost.
In terms of trading the third pick for a defender, I’m not really on that train anymore. I think the Stars spend that third pick on a valuable and skilled prospect. If they did, it would likely have to be swapped for a player AND pick. The names Chris Tanev and Brendan Smith have been tossed around, and both are defensive defensemen that could help the Stars. But neither are worth a no. 3 pick straight up. It would have to involve more.
But then there are all of those lovely defenders on the Minnesota Wild that won’t be able to receive protection. Could Nill make a call in their direction? Can’t say for sure, but any of them (Marco Scandella, Jonas Brodin, and Matt Dumba) could all do some serious damage for Dallas. I would be all for trading no. 3 if their names were involved.
Question #6: So uhhh weird question here but what are your thoughts on a new goal light in the AAC? The same small red bulb is a little old and outdated. (submitted by @DomGibby)
Answer: This question intrigues me. I’ve never really had an up-close view of the bulb, but it could be a good idea to liven it up a little bit. In all the games I’ve been to, I haven’t really ever noticed the goal light. So you could be on to something considering it doesn’t even catch someone’s eye.
And with all of the revamping going on around the Dallas Stars franchise, why not make the goal light a part of the new look?
Wow, what a mailbag. Those were some excellent questions. Thanks to all the Stars fans who submitted and I’m glad I could hopefully help clear the air. If you did not ask your question this time, look for another mailbag tweet in the next few weeks after the expansion draft and entry draft have been solved and we have free agency to look forward to.
Next: Stars Projected Extremely High In 2018 Stanley Cup Odds
Until then, keep a sharp eye out. It’s only a matter of time before something completely unexpected happens.