While the Dallas Stars were busy making free agency moves on July 1, their roster was shifting internally. The team did not end up re-signing any of the six UFAs in the organization. And after two weeks, two of them have yet to find a new home.
It’s been two weeks since the Dallas Stars and the rest of the NHL embarked on the free agency frenzy. Seems like it was just yesterday, doesn’t it?
Two weeks ago, the Stars adjusted their roster. It’s a common thread with each offseason. The team signs new players on board from the free agency market and may potentially make a trade as well.
It all comes with the idea of improving before the season ahead. After all, 30 teams end the year with some form of a negative note. Only one team finishes the year on a happy note after achieving the ultimate goal. Everyone else is left to figure out what went wrong and make the proper adjustments.
Those adjustments typically come via the draft and the offseason. With that being said, did the Dallas Stars make the necessary moves?
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It’s hard to tell. Dallas made some decent additions in terms of veteran help and depth bottom-six scoring, but missed out on landing any “superstar” talent. Whether a big-name addition is necessary or not will become more relevant as the regular season gets underway.
But while many think of July 1 as the day for adding talent, it’s also a day for parting ways with talent. Both restricted and unrestricted free agents from current teams are either left without qualifying offers or simply not extended and sent to the free agency market to be signed as an asset by another team.
And that’s just what happened to many of the pending UFAs on the Dallas Stars roster. After six seasons with the organization, Antoine Roussel departed on the first and signed a contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Greg Pateryn turned into a full-time NHL defenseman last year and used that skill to earn a deal with the Minnesota Wild.
In terms of organizational depth players, Curtis McKenzie signed with Vegas and Mike McKenna moved to the Senators.
Those departures contribute to the free agency market along with the other 30 teams to make a deep and intriguing pool.
But sometimes, players don’t necessarily get picked up by new clubs on the big day. Sometimes, it takes a few days before they sign a new contract. Now that two weeks have passed, however, it seems as though most teams are done with their free agent endeavors.
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That doesn’t bode well for the final two former UFAs of the Dallas Stars. After all, it seemed as though Kari Lehtonen and Dan Hamhuis would be some of the first two Stars UFAs to find new work.
Kari Lehtonen finished his eighth full season in Dallas in 2017-18. Serving in the backup role for the first time, the 34-year-old Finnish goaltender had a decent year. As the no. 2, Lehtonen built up an incredible hot streak, holding a record of 11-6-1 along with a .919 save percentage and 43 goals against through 22 games played.
But once Ben Bishop landed on the IR with an injury, Lehtonen was forced to step back into the starter role down the stretch. He wound up being unable to carry the load and get Dallas to the playoffs, which consequently ended his time with the Stars. He still finished with a .912 save percentage and 2.56 GAA, which are his best numbers since 2013-14.
At the age of 34, however, he’s still proven that he’s a solid backup that can play in short periods of time. And with a capable defense and powerful offense in front of him, there’s no reason to doubt that he still has one or two good years left in him as a veteran leader in the crease.
The more surprising former Star still on the market is Dan Hamhuis. He spent the past two seasons in Dallas and quickly made a name for himself as a generous member of the Dallas community.
But he also made a positive impact on the ice, specifically in 2017-18. Playing alongside Greg Pateryn for the majority of the season, Hamhuis skated in 80 games, putting up three goals and 24 points. It was his highest point total since 2012-13 and marked his highest number of games played since 2011-12. Pretty impressive for a veteran defender.
Hamhuis plays a reliable style on defense, making the smart play at the blue line and in the defensive zone. He’s a quality skater on the penalty kill and owns good possession numbers throughout his career.
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There have been mild rumblings about both futures, but nothing significant enough to follow so far. It’s certainly possible that both stay on the market and find new homes either before the season begins or a little ways into the year (injuries happen, after all). Or, there’s a chance that both might call it a career and hang up the skates. With their age and family life playing a role in the decision, retirement might end up being the best option.
But considering it’s July 15 and teams are already setting up their lineups for next season, will these two former Stars find new homes? We’ll have to keep an eye out.