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. 

2. Stephen Johns

Contract details: Three years, $2.35 million AAV (three years left)

The first night of the 2018 NHL Draft brought a wave of excitement to Dallas. It was the city’s first time to ever host an NHL Draft and gave them the chance to show off the hockey culture in Texas.

But as round one approached, the Stars community was sidetracked by their news feeds as Stephen Johns, a pending RFA at the time, became the first Star to sign a new contract in the 2018 offseason.

And like Pitlick, Johns’ road to the NHL has come with a few bumps and turns. After being traded to Dallas by the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2015, the 2010 second-round pick made his NHL debut a few months later against his old team. Johns put together a decent performance late in the season and into the playoffs and earned himself a spot on the 2016-17 roster.

Sports Dallas Fort-Worth

That’s where his future shifted to highly questionable. Johns skated in 61 games in 2016-17, putting up four goals and 10 points along with a -10 rating. His defense looked to be lacking, his offensive contributions were average, and he didn’t necessarily look like a long-term solution for the Dallas blue line.

But a lot of that doubt can be blamed on Lindy Ruff’s system and style. Johns is a defensive defenseman, first and foremost. And considering Ruff preached a high-risk offensive push, it was only natural for Johns to struggle fitting in.

When Ken Hitchcock took over for the 2017-18 season, however, Johns hit a new stride. The 26-year-old thrived in Hitchcock’s “defense first” system and unlocked his potential.

Johns was more efficient in the defensive zone, using his size to his advantage. He broke up transitions both in his own zone and the neutral zone, used his reach to break up plays, and logged 201 hits through 75 games. His possession numbers were down and so was his ice time when compared to the 2016-17 season, but he still found a way to turn in a +10 along with an impressive season.

But his contributions didn’t stop there. Johns also found a way to chip in on offense, scoring eight goals and tallying 15 points. Johns tied with John Klingberg for most goals by a defenseman on the team and put on a solid showing inside both blue lines. He showed impressive skills on offense, defense, and penalty killing and stepped into his element.

And that’s why Jim Nill made him the first offseason signing of the 2018 summer. Johns was set to become an RFA on July 1, but Nill made sure to lock him down on a three-year deal worth an average AAV of $2.35 million.

Dallas Stars

The reason that Stephen Johns is considered to be on a bargain contract is because of how valuable he is to the team. Whether you notice it or not, the Dallas Stars don’t have many options when it comes to right-handed depth defenders. Klingberg is a no. 1 defenseman and there’s an argument to be made that Julius Honka could end up being the same way. Both are small, offensive-minded, puck-moving defenders that regularly use their speed and skating skills to their advantage.

But when you are looking for heavy-hitting, right-handed skaters for the blue line that can pack a punch on defense, contribute respectively on offense, and be a force on the penalty kill, your options run slim. And it’s not just on the Dallas blue line; it’s all across the league.

Johns is a rarity for his role and position, but also for the amount of success that he has in that role.

The fact that the Dallas Stars have him locked up for three more years at a team-friendly rate as he continues to develop into a dominant NHL force cannot be overlooked. Nill did a good job with the contract and Johns was more than happy to accept as he prepares for a potentially larger role going into 2018-19.

It was a win-win situation and reaffirms the Dallas Stars’ impressive stability on the blue line. Johns should play a sizable part in that going forward.

1. John Klingberg

Contract details: Seven years, $4.25 million AAV (four years left)

Have you ever heard a certain song or band on the radio or somewhere else before they become famous? You allegedly believe that you heard the band or song before it caught a big break. And because of that, you always boast that fact, whether people believe you or not.

“I heard It’s Time by Imagine Dragons before either hit the big times” you claim. And even if people say you’re lying through your teeth, you have that small sense of satisfaction deep inside that comes out every time you hear the band or song.

Jim Nill probably has that kind of feeling every time John Klingberg makes a stellar play on the ice.

Editor In Leaf

On Nov. 11, 2014, a young and wide-eyed Klingberg made his NHL debut against the Arizona Coyotes. It was in a season where the Stars defense was rough and rugged around the edges and ended up turning in the fifth-highest goals against average in the NHL. So, things weren’t necessarily looking promising upon Klingberg’s arrival.

But he didn’t let that set his pace. There was a spot to be won on the roster for the former fifth-round pick and he did everything in his power to claim it. As Klingberg continued to impress, he earned a full-time spot on the top pairing alongside Alex Goligoski and skated top-line minutes as a result. By the end of the season, Klingberg averaged 21:50 on the ice per game, which is pretty much unheard of for a 22-year-old rookie.

The thing about Klingberg that was so impressive was his high-caliber offensive talent mixed with his calmness on defense. With Goligoski acting as a safety net of sorts beside him, Klingberg had the ability to play “his game” in its fullest effect.

That ended up bringing him 11 goals and 40 points in 65 games along with a +5 rating. And considering he was on his way to RFA status, Nill struck while the iron was hot, signing the defender to a seven-year contract worth $4.25 million per year.

Klingberg had definitely earned it at the time. But nowadays, it seems like a steal of a deal.

If Klingberg were to have hit the market as a UFA this past summer, he likely could have garnered an eight-year deal worth at least $8.5 million per year. So, the Stars have him under contract for around half of his potential value. That’s huge.

Klingberg once again impressed in the 2015-16 season, building his status even more throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 2016-17 brought a bit of a learning curve with it as Klingberg was forced to learn what it meant to be a full-time no. 1 defender and a veteran as well.

More from Editorials

• Dallas Stars hockey is about to be the main attraction in Dallas this year
• Age Before Beauty: The impact of Benn’s new role on his Dallas legacy
• Dallas Stars hockey is the light at the end of the tunnel
• Dallas Stars coverage is lacking and it’s very concerning to be honest
• Sit back, relax and watch Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars draft scouts cook

But 2017-18 was his best season yet as Hitchcock helped transform him into a complete two-way defender that can crush opponents in both zones. Klingberg is structured and focused on defense, lethal on offense, and can quarterback a power play while also helping on the penalty kill.

This past season, he finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting and had an 82-game slate with eight goals and 67 points (23 of which came on the power play) along with a +10 rating to help boost his case. He also skated an average of 24:04 per game. He also earned a spot in the NHL All-Star Game.

The Dallas Stars have the ultimate bargain contract with John Klingberg. He’ll turn 26 years old on August 14, but still has plenty of time before he reaches the prime of his career. That’s the scary part.

Jim Nill heard Klingberg’s potential before anyone else and made sure to cash in before it was too late. That is solid management.

At the rate he is going, Klingberg will be an elite franchise defenseman for the Dallas Stars for years to come and could even win a few Norris trophies along the way.

And with four more years at $4.25 million per season, there’s not much more you can ask for.