Dallas Stars: Three Best Player Contracts Going Into 2018-19 Season

Every NHL general manager has their good moves and their bad moves. Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill is no stranger to this. But when Nill makes a good move, he knows how to make it count considerably in the long run. Here are three of the Stars’ best player contracts going into 2018-19.

There’s nothing like buying an item when it’s on sale. Whether it’s a flat-screen TV that you’ve been eyeing months ahead of the Black Friday sale, a Dallas Stars jersey at an end-of-season sale, or simply a can of vegetables at the grocery store, there’s not much that beats that small sense of satisfaction.

It’s natural to feel that way when you get exactly what you want and have to give up less in return than you normally would. Saving money and getting the same value is an ideal situation, after all.

The same situation can be found in the NHL. When a team signs a player to a cheap deal and the player ends up paying off in massive dividends, that satisfaction can be felt by the general manager, the team itself, and the entire fan base.

It’s a feeling that most NHL teams get to boast, though some may not necessarily have the same luxury as others.

More from Blackout Dallas

• Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
• Grushnikov and Stankoven lead Dallas Stars to 6-3 win over Columbus
• Dallas Stars prospects look to wrap up tournament with a win
• Burn the tapes: Dallas Stars prospects lose 5-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs
• Dallas Stars look to continue success today against the Maple Leafs

There are some, however, that have multiple “bargain” contracts on their roster. They can vary in terms of the player’s role and significance, but any bargain is a good one.

And what is a bargain contract? It’s basically a player contract that involves a good deal in BOTH the salary/AAV as well as the term of the deal. In other words, it’s a player that is signed for cheaper than his skill set demands and for a longer term that gives the team impressive flexibility going forward.

Now, certain skilled or elite players don’t typically sign for little money and long terms. But if a team can sign them at the right time and make the bargain deal happen, the payoff can be huge.

The Dallas Stars have a handful of bargain contracts on their roster right now. These team-friendly deals are associated with both big-name players as well as players with smaller, more specific roles. But the benefits from both can be substantial.

Jim Nill has a knack for signing some of his players to very friendly deals and spotting talent at the right time in their respective careers. That can be a tough skill to acquire for many GMs, so Nill has this working in his favor (at times).

Considering it’s August and the 2018-19 season is slowly approaching over the horizon, let’s take a look at some of the Dallas Stars’ best value contracts. Somewhere down the road, we’ll also break down some of their worst contracts.

But for now, let’s focus on the positive side of things. Here are three Dallas Stars players in particular that are riding on team-friendly contracts and giving the team a consistent mega sale along the way. These are players that have already proven themselves to be bargains and that also have a fair amount of term left in their deal.