Dallas Stars: Trading For Max Pacioretty Could Bolster Second Line

The Dallas Stars didn’t open up the free agency frenzy by adding a top-six forward like many thought they would. And now that they are 11 days in, the need still stands. Who could they go after? Max Pacioretty could be a great solution.

Though there are a few to list, one of the costliest moves that the Dallas Stars committed in the 2017-18 season was staying quiet at the NHL Trade Deadline.

Yes, you can blame the injury of Ben Bishop that led to the inefficiency of Kari Lehtonen as a full-time starter. And yes, you can also point out the winless road trip as a significant nail in the coffin of their playoff hopes.

But there’s a chance that if the Stars had made a move (or moves) at the deadline, none of those issues would have arisen. You could even make an argument that the Stars would not only have remained afloat, but also would have powered through the month of March. They might even have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But they decided to stay quiet, and it costed them dearly.

The thing about wrong decisions is that you dwell on them for a long time. You probably dwell on them even longer than you celebrate correct choices.

Why didn’t Dallas address their second line needs at the deadline? Why didn’t they add a competent and skilled forward to complete their top six?

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These questions have rattled around in the minds of Stars fans since the beginning of March. But they have since morphed into a slightly different angle. Now, the question reads somewhere along these lines:

Why haven’t the Stars added a second line forward in the 2018 offseason?

That’s a good question.

One of the Stars’ biggest issues in the 2017-18 was the lack of a powerful second line. Their third line was arguably one of the best in the NHL and their fourth line had young and developing talent cycling through.

But the second line was an issue. Every successful NHL team has a dominant second line to fall back on so that when the first line has an off night, the group below it can carry the load.

The Dallas Stars didn’t have that last season. The team constantly tried new pairings and players in the mix, but couldn’t find a long-term solution. And when Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov couldn’t get the job done, there was no other practical source of offense.

It was a need that carried into the offseason. And as July 1 approached, Dallas Stars fans and media began concocting new theories about which players the team could add to fix the problem. John Tavares, James Neal, Michael Grabner, and James van Riemsdyk all came into the fold.

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But the Stars exited day one with none of the expected targets. And though GM Jim Nill openly stated that he thinks his depth scoring is fine the way it is, there’s reason to believe that he has yet to finish making moves. The trade market is still wide open, and Nill seems to be a player.

"“I get back to I keep hearing about this ‘depth scoring.’ After 50 or 60 games last year, we were eighth in the league in scoring, and then it dropped off. So, it was there for 60 games. I think that’s an overhyped question and I don’t know why it keeps coming up. I think we can score with anybody and I think we added to that today and with the young players we’re adding.” – GM Jim Nill on July 1"

So if he wants to make a move to bolster his second line, who might he add? There are a few options, but trading for Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty might end up being the best of them.

On Tuesday evening, a report surfaced that the Canadiens would not be extending their captain’s contract and would look to trade him “as soon as possible.” It’s a difficult situation for Pacioretty, who has openly stated that he loves Montreal and wants to play there for much longer. But he’s been linked to the trade market since December 2017 and it looks as though his time as an Hab has come to an end.

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Could Dallas fall onto the list of potential suitors? It certainly seems like a good idea.

Pacioretty is a talented winger that is just now entering his prime. Excluding the 2017-18 season (where he only played in 64 games), he put together four consecutive 30+ goal and 60+ point seasons. He’s an offensive machine with an accurate shot and great puck-handling skills to go along with impressive speed.

He also plays a solid two-way game. Pacioretty boasts an effective style on defense that can also translate to success on the power play and penalty kill. He has a shorthanded goal in each of his past four seasons and put up 15 points on the man advantage last season.

Even in a down year in 2017-18 that included injuries and trade rumors swirling, Pacioretty put up 17 goals and 37 points in 64 games.

Pacioretty is 29 and will turn 30 in November. He’s in the middle of his prime and is producing at a valuable rate. His presence on the Dallas Stars’ second line could truly bolster their top six and give them a significant one-two punch. Entering the 2018-19 season with Benn, Seguin, Radulov, and Pacioretty in the top six would be a great start to what would likely be a productive year on offense.

But what would they need to do in order to make it happen? Well, a trade is required.

The Canadiens are in a bit of a mess right now. Some ineffective trades and injuries have them looking at another potentially discouraging season in 2018-19. Two things that the team could definitely use are NHL-ready centers and defensemen (preferably right-handed).

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Down the middle, the Canadiens have very little to rest their hopes in besides Jonathan Drouin. And on defense, they currently have only two healthy right-handed defenders (considering Shea Weber is out for the next 5-6 months following surgery). Only one of those defenders has played in more than 30 NHL games. Things are looking pretty slim in those two areas.

Dallas has assets to offer in both categories. Players like Devin Shore (who is a natural center) and Julius Honka (a right-handed shot with a high ceiling) are two names that have been thrown around in Stars’ trade talks recently. If the Stars wanted to, both of those players are NHL-ready and would likely appeal to Montreal.

Another category that must come into play is Pacioretty’s inevitable extension. He’s currently considered one of the best bargains in the NHL as he will serve out the final year of a six-year contract with an AAV of $4.5 million. With his recent performance, he will likely be looking for a significant extension. Somewhere in the $7 million range could be a viable estimate.

If the Dallas Stars wants to trade for him, it probably needs to be under the circumstance that he would want to re-sign with the team. Otherwise, they might go for another option.

Next: Who Could The Stars Target In A Trade This Summer?

This is just an idea, but it seems like a good one on the surface. Max Pacioretty is a proven player with first line talent and could be an invaluable addition to the Stars’ top six. If the trade price is right and an extension is possible, there’s a good chance Nill might reach out and look into it.