Whether you know it or not, the Dallas Stars are a pretty young team. And after the 2018 offseason, there’s a good chance they will boast an even younger squad. That bodes incredibly well for the future of the franchise.
The Dallas Stars have hope. It may not seem like it after two straight seasons without a playoff berth, but it’s true. There is still plenty of potential for the franchise to bounce back and continue pushing to a brighter future.
A lot of that potential is being pushed by their AHL affiliate at the moment. The Texas Stars currently own a 3-2 series lead over the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL Western Conference Final. The team has put together an impressive push and is one win away from their third Calder Cup Final appearance.
But having youth thriving and developing in the lower levels isn’t the only reason the team is in good shape. The current build of their NHL roster is just as exciting.
Though they couldn’t complete the final push of their 2017-18 season, the Dallas Stars showed plenty of potential. Through a large chunk of the season, they were fast, skilled, multidimensional, and could hang with any team in the league. And with superstars like Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, and John Klingberg all returning next season, the chance at a playoff run is never out of the question.
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But this past year’s lineup won’t be the same one that is fronted next year. Every offseason brings inevitable change for every NHL team. Newly drafted players take a shot at cracking the NHL roster, players come and go in free agency, and there are always trades. Not to mention that “r” word that every athlete hates to give in to (retirement). And for non-playoff teams, the need for change is always more dire.
The 2018-19 Dallas Stars will look different than the 2017-18 Stars. And while they will hopefully look better and more prepared to make a run at the postseason, they could also look considerably younger. And yes, that’s a good thing.
In the 2017-18 season, the average age of the Stars’ roster was 27.2 years old after doing some math with the roster on Hockey-Reference.com. And according to the same site, the average league age at the end of the season was 27.8. So even at the end of the season, the Dallas Stars were a relatively young team.
But in the upcoming offseason, that number could drop even more significantly. A lot of it has to do with free agency.
As of right now, Dallas has four unrestricted free agents on their roster. Those are Kari Lehtonen, Antoine Roussel, Dan Hamhuis, and Greg Pateryn. A common thread between all four? They will all be 28 or older before next season begins. And if you believe in common threads, the typical NHL player hits their prime between the ages of 28-30.
Predlines
Lehtonen (34), Roussel (28), Hamhuis (35), and Pateryn (27) have all been in the league for a while. Specifically focusing on the older two, there’s a chance that neither will return to Dallas on a new contract next season. In fact, there’s a chance that GM Jim Nill moves on from all four of these UFAs. On top of that, players like Jason Spezza (34) have been linked to potentially being traded in the offseason.
If that’s the case, the Stars will drop in average age and open up more roster spots for younger talent or free agent signings.
It’s all a part of the youthful movement that the Dallas Stars are pushing. Next season, Dallas could very well only have four players over the age of 30. Depending on the players they sign in free agency or trade for during the summer, those numbers could change.
But what the Stars are doing is smart. Their contract situations are giving them the opportunity to open up roster spots for their promising prospects. It’s a chance to avoid answering so many problems with talent via trading or free agency and instead turn to the franchise itself. Young players are a key part of today’s NHL, and the Stars now that. The hiring of Jim Montgomery should only further this movement as well.
Next: Valeri Nichushkin Could Fill Significant Hole In Stars Lineup
The league is getting younger, and so are the Stars. The 2018 offseason will help them in ushering forth a younger class of talent as they continue to build on the hope that they have established. Who will move around?