Dallas Stars: Five Things To Watch For On Day One Of 2018 Free Agency

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The free agency market is officially open for the 2018 offseason. And like every other team, the Dallas Stars look prepared to embrace the craziness. Here are a few things to watch out for in their first day of the frenzy.

It’s July 1, 2018. Though it may seem like a regular day, it’s actually a pretty influential one for the Dallas Stars and the rest of the NHL. In fact, it’s probably the biggest day of the entire offseason.

For the past few years, July 1 has served as the opening day of the free agency market. It’s the first day for free agents across the league to sign new contracts and potentially venture to new destinations.

All 31 teams have a chance to make significant changes to their rosters starting today. Whether it’s crafting up a trade or signing a talented UFA, this is a prime opportunity for teams to begin reconstructing and realigning in preparation for 2018-19.

That includes the Stars. Ever since April 7 when Dallas knocked off the Los Angeles Kings in their final game of the 2017-18 season, they have been preparing for this day. And rightly so, considering July 1 means more to teams that missed the playoffs than it does to teams that qualified.

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After two consecutive seasons of falling short of the postseason, the Stars once again need to concoct a rebirth this offseason.

But the summer is where the Stars and GM Jim Nill know how to thrive. In July 2013, they added superstar center Tyler Seguin via trade. July 2014 brought a trade for veteran center Jason Spezza and a contract for Ales Hemsky. Following that, Dallas acquired Patrick Sharp and Stephen Johns via trade and signed Johnny Oduya throughout July 2015. Dan Hamhuis was the major add through free agency in July 2016.

And then, the 2017 offseason found a way to trump all of its predecessors. From trading for goaltender Ben Bishop and defenseman Marc Methot in May and June, to signing Martin Hanzal and Alexander Radulov in July, the Dallas Stars revamped their roster in a major way during the summer of 2017.

And while this summer doesn’t require as much retooling, Nill and the Stars have already been hard at work in their 2018 offseason moves. They have a new coach in Jim Montgomery and a brand new coaching staff. On top of that, they pulled out a solid 2018 draft class that should benefit them down the road.

And up until Saturday night, they were one of the six teams remaining in the John Tavares sweepstakes.

It’s been an interesting ride so far, and it’s only bound to get more interesting as we push through this Sunday morning and into the afternoon.

But what is it exactly that the Dallas Stars need? What should they be involved in on the market? And what situations must they deal with in-house?

Here are five things to keep a sharp eye out for in the Stars’ corner as this crazy offseason officially gets underway.

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