Dallas Stars Free Agency: Five Realistic Options For Offensive Depth

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.

1. David Perron

It’s been quite an eventful ride for David Perron over the past six years.

Since the 2012-13 season, Perron has made six different stops throughout the NHL. That includes two with St. Louis and one each with Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Vegas.

His career took another sharp turn in June 2017 when he was selected in the expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights. For most of his career, Perron has been known as a middle-six forward, filling the role well. Going into the 2017-18 season, he had played in 652 career games, scoring 159 goals and 378 points while skating an average of 16:31 on the ice through 10 seasons.

Puck Prose

But in 2017-18, he took a step up and was more than just a depth forward for Vegas. While he skated an average of 17:49 per game and filed onto the second line for the majority of his 70-game season, Perron was an electric forward.

He finished the season with 16 goals and 66 points. While the goals aren’t entirely impressive, it’s clear that he was a prime set-up player that knew how to find and generate offensive chances.

Perron carried that same consistency into the playoffs, scoring one goal and tallying nine points in 15 games. He’s a dynamic forward that can be a solid depth option for any team and still put up big numbers.

At 30 years old, the left winger carried a cap hit of $3.75 million in 2017-18. That is likely to rise considering his impressive production last season, so a contract in the $5 million range might be a fair estimate.

The fact that he has only passed the 20-goal mark on three different occasions (with the last time being in 2013-14) might be worrisome if the Stars are looking for a big-time forward who puts the puck in the back of the net on a regular basis.

But if Dallas wants a natural forward with plenty of good years left that can play with younger guys and revitalize the second line, Perron might be the perfect choice.

The reports out of Vegas say that Perron will not be signing a new contract with Vegas and is looking at other opportunities as a result. If the Dallas Stars need a veteran winger to help provide a one-two punch with their first line and work well with younger guys, Perron could be a really good option.

3. Michael Grabner

Wouldn’t it be funny if the Dallas Stars found themselves in another Dan Hamhuis situation this summer?

In the summer of 2016, the Stars signed Hamhuis as an unrestricted free agent. But a few months prior, they had tried to land him in a trade with Vancouver at the deadline. The Canucks’ asking price turned out to be too high, so Dallas (who was rolling at the time) moved on to a cheaper option in Kris Russell.

Now, there weren’t any rumors that the Dallas Stars were in on the Michael Grabner hunt at the 2018 trade deadline. But considering he was one of the top depth forward options on the market and Dallas needed depth help, it was assumed by many that he was a candidate. But, as we all know, the Stars ended up doing nothing at the deadline, thus setting themselves in motion to endure a horrible fate. Let’s not focus on that.

Eyes On Isles

Instead, let’s focus on the fact that Nill and the Stars can right that wrong come July 1. Could Grabner still be a solid target and second-line option?

The stats say yes. Grabner is coming off of back-to-back seasons with 27 goals. In 2016-17, he followed it up with 40 total points in 76 games. This past season, he split time between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, playing in 80 games and finishing with 36 points. He also boasted an incredible +33 rating during that span. And considering his possession numbers (44.3 CF%) were remarkably poor, it makes his statistics look even more impressive.

He’s a small winger that can use his speed on varying levels. In addition, he also possesses good puck handling skills and is a terrific defensive forward that thrives on the penalty kill (six shorthanded points over the past two seasons).

At 6-1, 188 lb., he’s one of the smaller options. But the point is that he knows how to get the puck in the back of the net, using both his size and speed to get the job done. That’s hard to find in wingers, especially ones that only skate 14-15 minutes per game and don’t play on the power play unit.

Grabner owned a minute cap hit of $1.65 million this past season. That turned out to be a steal of a value. It will likely spike significantly this summer considering Grabner’s recent performance. Signing the 30-year-old to a deal worth around $4-5 million per year with a term of 3-4 years might be a fair bet.

This would be another solid add for the Dallas Stars. He’s a proven player that checks a lot of boxes with his play and maximizes his time on the ice. Grabner could fit really well on the second line just behind Alexander Radulov on the right wing and provide the Stars with that consistent scoring depth they need.

4. Paul Stastny

He may end up being one of the most difficult fishes to land in the offseason pond, but he would be a dynamite add for a Stars offense in need of depth.

Paul Stastny has spent his entire career budding with Central Division clubs. After being drafted by and playing with the Colorado Avalanche from 2006-14, he became one of the bigger names to move in the 2014 offseason when he signed with St. Louis. After three and a half seasons with the Blues, he was dealt at the 2018 deadline to the Winnipeg Jets.

Causeway Crowd

But through all of the moves, one thing has remained consistent: his production. Not counting the 2012-13 shortened season, Stastny has not dipped below 46 points since the 2008-09 season when he put up 36 points in 45 games.

The bottom line is that he is a consistent center and a great playmaker that can play in the top six in any situation and find ways to produce. On top of that, he knows how to make the players around him better.

Last season, he finished with 16 goals and 53 points in 82 games between two teams. He also turned out to be one of the Jets’ best playoff performers, scoring six goals and tallying 15 points in 17 playoff games.

He plays big minutes and can be a solid add on the power play.

There’s no doubt that he would be a great addition for the Dallas Stars and would help fix their second line problems. But at what cost?

The addition of another center would give Dallas an overstocking and would likely require them to move at least one. On top of that, there’s a chance that Stastny (who was paid $7 million this past year) could be in line to make up to $8 million in the seasons to come. He is 32 years old, but has shown no signs of slowing down in the recent past.

And finally, there’s a chance that he doesn’t even hit the market. The Winnipeg Jets have been pushing to re-sign him for the last few weeks, but have been caught up in trying to make it work with their lack of cap space. He’s entertained the idea of returning as well, so a deal may get done in the near future. That’s anyone’s guess.

But if the playmaker and leader is available on July 1, it’s hard to see Dallas not finding a way to get into the conversation. He’d be an immediate remedy to their second-line blues.

5. James Neal

No, he’s not on this list just because a reunion might be fun or so Stars fans can dust off their old Neal jerseys and once again put them to good use. James Neal is on this list because he’s a consistent scoring winger that can put up solid numbers at a second-line pace.

In the past five seasons, Neal has split time between three different organizations (Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Vegas). And in 349 games, he’s scored 129 goals and tallied 241 points along with a +33 rating. He’s also skated an average of 18:07.

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In the past season with Vegas, he put up 25 goals and 44 points in 71 games. And if you’ve been a Dallas Stars fan for more than seven seasons, you remember Neal.

Bottom line: he’s a scorer with an accurate shot and can put some serious speed on it. He’s also a big and physical winger that can play well in the corners. Neal is a veteran in the league with significant playoff experience and could serve as a valuable leader to the younger Stars.

And to top it all off, he provides excellent depth scoring. He can play second line minutes and put the puck in the back of the net both at even strength and on the power play.

In 2017-18, he finished up the last season of a six-year deal with a cap hit of $5 million per year. He is probably looking at a raise, but it should’t be a significant one. His age has to be taken into account as well considering he will be 31 before the season begins.

Neal is a great add if the Stars are looking for a dedicated and and physical winger who can put the puck in the back of the net behind Jamie Benn. That’s definitely a need for the club, but is Neal the right guy to do it? Or might he bring a significant bidding war with him?

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These are simply five realistic options that the Dallas Stars could bring in to help cure their offensive woes outside of the first line. The second line needs help, and the players listed here could all help fix it in a way. But which way is the right way? We’ll see what Jim Nill is thinking here shortly.