Dallas Stars: Ranking Each Offseason Of Jim Nill Era
By Josh Clark
3. The 2013 Offseason
Notable additions: head coach Lindy Ruff, C Tyler Seguin, C Shawn Horcoff, RW Valeri Nichushkin, D Sergei Gonchar, G Dan Ellis
Notable subtractions: RW Reilly Smith, LW Loui Eriksson, LW Eric Nystrom, G Richard Bachman
Once again, this was an offseason that saw the Stars make a significant splash on the market and make the blockbuster deal of the summer throughout the NHL. That move was bringing in young superstar Tyler Seguin in a seven-player trade. Four years, later the trade is considered one of the worst in Boston Bruins’ history, but we won’t get into that right now.
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The Stars’ only sizable loss in Nill’s first offseason with the team was forward Loui Eriksson, but he was immediately replaced on offense with Jamie Benn, who was replaced by Seguin in the dot. In other words, Dallas came out better than when they entered.
But, like the 2014 offseason, the Dallas Stars did not successfully round out their entire roster. Instead, the Stars made some additions to stabilize themselves, but didn’t do enough to overpower the team.
Still, Dallas qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Nill’s first season in the chair, effectively breaking the five-year drought. Behind Lindy Ruff’s coaching scheme and new mechanics and a young and fresh lineup, the Stars managed to make it to the first round of the postseason before falling in six games.
It was a good beginning to Nill’s tenure and gave Stars fans plenty to look forward to down the road.