Dallas Stars’ Offseason Moves Could Make Them Contenders Or Busts

Jim Nill has molded the Dallas Stars into the team he’s likely envisioned for years, but will his big moves this offseason yield success or detrimental failure?

The Dallas Stars have been one of the busiest teams this offseason. Every position – from skaters to goaltender to coaches – has been altered in hopes of creating a successful team for 2017-18.

While Nill’s moves seem to have made the Stars stronger, they really could go either way.

Success

If all of the pieces fall perfectly into place, Dallas will be a team to beat in the Western Conference. With strong players at every position and a coach with a winning past, there’s seemingly nothing standing in the way of adding a few new banners to the American Airlines Center.

Ben Bishop’s style of play is different than Dallas’ previous net minders, but he’s proven to be more reliable than them as well. The Stars’ newest defender in Marc Methot is expected to play alongside young gun John Klingberg to create a dynamic first defensive pair. If the two have a chemistry that works, Dallas is in for a treat.

More from Analysis

• Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
• Taking a look at the teams the Dallas Stars will be playing in the preseason
• Should the Dallas Stars revisit signing Patrick Kane this season?
• Realistic regular season stats for Dallas Stars Roope Hintz
• Realistic regular season stats for Dallas Stars Joe Pavelski

Up front the Stars added a few new faces who can certainly make a difference. Martin Hanzal is a sizable forward with a physical edge to his strong offensive capabilities, while Alexander Radulov has proven to be a highly skilled forward in his own right.

If the Stars’ offseason changes go in the right direction they’ll be set, especially in combination with the existing players that have already fortified the team in recent years.

Failure

However, things don’t always go as planned. While the hope is that the Stars will be able to find success with their numerous new additions, there’s also the chance that pieces might not work out as planned.

Chemistry is a strange thing in hockey and signing players specifically for certain lines or defensive pairs often doesn’t pan out as expected. Of course, they can be slotted in other spots, but Nill has a vision for the Stars that likely relies on certain combinations. If it doesn’t work out, there could be issues.

Injury is also another issue to be concerned about. The Stars have dealt with significant injuries in the last few years and are doomed to be struck by it again, it is unfortunately an inevitable side effect of contact sports. Which players are injured and how long they’ll be out for are really the biggest factors.

Bishop in particular poses a concern in regards to being sidelined. His track record for staying healthy is not nearly what it should be considering hi young age and while the Stars have kept Kari Lehtonen around as the back-up, there’s a reason he’s been demoted.

Next: Jim Nill's 10 Best Offseason Moves

What’s to come

Ultimately the Stars’ season will remain up in the air until the puck drops in October. There are a lot of things that can go wrong during a season and a lot of surprises too. With all of the changes that have been made, though, it will be particularly interesting to see how it all pans out.

What do you think about Dallas’ moves this offseason? Leave your thoughts in the comments.