Dallas Stars Free Agency: Five Realistic Options For Offensive Depth

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TORONTO, ON – MARCH 14: James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates after scoring his third goal of the game against Kari Lehtonen #32 of the Dallas Stars as Esa Lindell #23 and John Klingberg #3 defend during the third period at the Air Canada Centre on March 14, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

There are a few things that the Dallas Stars have to fix in the 2018 offseason. One of those things is their ailing second line and its lack of production. Here are five potential UFA options that could turn the Stars’ depth misfortunes around.

July 1 is on the horizon. That’s big news for a Dallas Stars team that has been patiently preparing for its arrival since April 7.

It’s been another extended offseason for the Stars. After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second season in a row, Dallas has spent the past three months trying to mend their flaws. It’s been a trying and repetitive process, but they are taking the right steps.

They’ve once again brought in a new head coach with the hiring of Jim Montgomery. Along with Montgomery, they are also bringing in a new handful of assistant coaches. The staff is being revamped with a new direction in mind in hopes of changing the franchise’s overall vision.

On top of that, the Stars hosted their first ever NHL Draft and brought in an intriguing new class of prospects. They’ve since hosted their annual development camp in an attempt to see where some of their brightest prospects stand talent-wise.

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But the pinnacle of any NHL offseason is less than 48 hours away. On July 1, the free agency market officially opens, giving way to what should be another exciting year. From UFAs signing with new clubs to unexpected trades being announced, there’s a lot on the line.

The Dallas Stars will likely be in the thick of it, as they should be.

At the end of the 2017-18 season, GM Jim Nill and the rest of the Dallas management sat down and examined everything from a wide scope. They took into account all of the team’s flaws and which of those flaws significantly held the Stars back from laying claim to a postseason spot. Those are the flaws that must be fixed this offseason.

After watching their 82-game campaign, the team’s issues seemed pretty clearcut. The lack of a backup goaltender that could play the role of starter if necessary was one big issue. The other dealt with the need for a capable and dominant second line.

Dallas had a problem with their offense this past season in the fact that they had too many spark plugs in the lineup. But there was a severe lack of regular and competent scorers outside their top line. That ended up heavily contributing to their demise on nights when the first line couldn’t provide all of the scoring.

So the need for help on the second line is crucial as they enter the month of July. The easiest way to find that help is on the UFA market. So which unrestricted free agents could fill the void for Dallas and provide them with the scoring depth they need?

Here are five affordable and reliable options that the Stars might end up looking into.

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