3. Which Defenders Will Be Dealt?
This move may not come until after training camp, which is perfectly alright because it will make competition a big factor on the blue line during training camp.
It’s no secret that after trading for Marc Methot and the presumed call-up of Julius Honka for a full-time role, the Stars now have too many defensemen to juggle.
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At the moment, Dallas has nine defenders who are considered NHL-ready and are not fit for an AHL role. But on an NHL team, having nine defensemen is ludicrous. The Stars should be looking to carry seven (or eight, but only if they can’t find a way around it) defenders next season, so there will have to be some adjustments.
John Klingberg, Marc Methot, Esa Lindell, Stephen Johns, Dan Hamhuis, Julius Honka, Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, and Greg Pateryn. You can only keep seven. Who would you choose?
This decision will likely be made after training camp. The Dallas management and coaching staff will assess the blue line in September, and might even take a few preseason games before making their final decisions. But one or two defenders will have to be moved, likely through trade.
There also has to be a market for the one or two guys that are put on the block. The Stars will have to find a trading partner before anything else can happen, and they have to make sure there is somewhat of a decent return.
The preseason is where teams can become desperate for help, whether their team isn’t gelling or an unexpected injury comes up. That may be the best time for Dallas to find a dance partner.
Until then, it’s all just speculation.