Dallas Stars Closing In On Trade Deadline With No Rumblings Yet
The NHL Trade Deadline is one day away and the Dallas Stars have yet to make any rumblings. Will the team actually make a move or will they stick to their guns?
On Monday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. CT, the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline will hit. With that being said, the time for teams like the Dallas Stars to make a move is disappearing quickly.
The arrival of Sunday morning brought plenty of excitement and headlines with it. It all kicked off when Rick Nash, one of the hottest names on the trade block, was dealt to the Boston Bruins. This move was followed up by names like Tomas Plekanec and Mark Letestu also being moved around.
And while all of these big trade are going down, the Stars are recovering from their loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night. In addition to that, it doesn’t seem as though they are making any moves in the trade market.
Or are they?
When trade deadline talks started heating up in early February, no one knew where the Dallas Stars would land in the market. They were playing some of their best hockey on the season, were starting a significant win streak, and looked to have very few holes in their lineup. With that being said, there were some that believed the Stars’ best move was to stay quiet and not overpay for a rental at the deadline. But there were others that still believed making a move was the best idea.
Dallas Stars
And now here we are with about 24 hours to go. The Stars have lost four of their last six games and are struggling to make ends meet. Though they are still in the playoff picture, they are closer to the wall than before and cannot seem to right the ship. The offense is producing at a minuscule rate, the defense is a mess and cannot seem to stop the bleeding, and neither goaltender seems able to lock down the crease on a consistent basis.
So do the Stars need to make a move at the deadline now? Potentially, yes. But with the fire sale that is taking place as we speak, are they too little, too late?
The answer to that question is no, at least not entirely.
Though some players that were suspected to be targets on the Stars’ radar are off to new homes, there are still plenty of assets on the block. In addition to that, GM Jim Nill has acted accordingly up to this point. The price for Rick Nash turned out to be absurdly large, so it was a good thing Nill strayed away. The same can be said about some of the other trades that may have benefitted the Stars.
But with the deadline coming down to the wire, something needs to be done and soon. The real question is whether the Stars are planning on doing anything.
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It’s still up in the air. If the deadline had happened on Feb. 10 (immediately following a five-game win streak for Dallas), it would only seem right for the Stars to stand pat. But now that they are in the midst of a skid, some problems are becoming prevalent.
While the defense and goaltending seem to be locked in for the remainder of the year, there is an obvious need for scoring help. Unless some of the Stars’ forwards are preparing to turn things around immediately and go on a hot streak, some help may be necessary.
Names that come up as potential acquisitions include Max Pacioretty, Evander Kane, and Mats Zuccarello. All are still available and are rumored to be on the way out from their current teams, so is Nill going to make a run at any of them?
If he is, something needs to be done and fast. This team has talent (regardless of what some people may say) and have a great chance to get into the postseason and catch fire. But they will likely need some help with running the rest of the race.
Next: Who Should The Stars Target At The 2018 Trade Deadline?
So, it’s now all up to Jim Nill. Is he going to take a stab at the deadline and strengthen the lineup for the final push? Or will he take what seems to be a significant gamble and stick to his guns for the final 20 games?
It’s anyone’s guess as to how the final 24 hours will go for the Dallas Stars. All we can really do is buckle up and brace for impact.