Dallas Stars: Ranking Each Offseason Of Jim Nill Era

6 of 6

TAMPA, FL – APRIL 5: Goalie Ben Bishop /

1. The 2017 Offseason

Notable additions: head coach Ken Hitchcock, C Martin Hanzal, RW Alexander Radulov, D Marc Methot, D Miro Heiskanen, G Jake Oettinger, G Ben Bishop

Notable subtractions: C Cody Eakin, RW Patrick Sharp, RW Ales Hemsky

It’s no surprise that the 2017 offseason has been Jim Nill’s best yet as general manager of the Dallas Stars.

After an abysmal year that began with strong aspirations and ended in flames, it seemed as though Dallas had stepped back into square one yet again. Another wasted year. There was a lot that needed to be fixed and Nill did not have a lot to work with. He didn’t have a lot of time either.

More From Blackout Dallas: Power Ranking Nill’s Moves In 2017 Offseason

But he wasted no time. Within the first week of the Stars’ offseason beginning, the defensive mastermind Ken Hitchcock had been hired as the newest head coach. In early May, Nill traded for elite starting goaltender Ben Bishop and signed him to a long-term and cost-friendly deal.

More from Blackout Dallas

He crafted his protection list for the expansion draft perfectly, and Vegas walked away with Cody Eakin, leaving Dallas in good standing. Then Nill got to work on the entry draft.

In the first round, he drafted defenseman Miro Heiskanen and goaltender Jake Oettinger. These two were considered the best prospects in their respective positions in the draft class and could become franchise cornerstones for Dallas in the near future.

A few days after that, Nill filled a gaping hole on defense by trading for veteran defender Marc Methot to play on the top pairing.

Then came July 1, and the flood gates opened. Within three days, the Dallas Stars had acquired center Martin Hanzal and right wing Alexander Radulov. These acquisitions might make the Dallas Stars’ offense even stronger this coming season than it was in 2015-16, and that seems very hard to believe.

All in all, Nill upgraded each position on his roster. He had a lot thrown at him, but handled everything with patience and skill. In the end, his team was without a doubt the most improved team in the league. Oh, and did I mention that he did it all while staying under the cap hit?

Next: How Will The Stars Manage Their Goaltending Duo?

This was an amazing offseason for Jim Nill, but of course this judging is premature. We have to see how things go on the ice before we can validate this claim. But on paper, this offseason beats the others by leaps and bounds. That is saying something for a guy like Jim Nill.

Home/Editorials