Dallas Stars: Ranking Each Of Their Major 2018 Offseason Signings

1. Valeri Nichushkin

As funny as it may seem, the player that will likely play the most influential role of all newcomers for the Dallas Stars this season isn’t even a true newcomer.

Just a little over two years ago, Valeri Nichushkin was skating in game seven of the Western Conference Semifinals as a member of the Dallas Stars. And at the time, there was no thought of him leaving the NHL to return to Russia, especially considering he was only 21 at the time.

But that’s what happened. After three seasons with Dallas, Nichushkin became an RFA and was unable to come to terms on a new contract with the team. As a result, he signed a two-year deal in the KHL and left the Stars just weeks before the start of the 2016-17 season. And while he wasn’t one of the team’s superstar players, he was definitely missed in the offensive ranks. It’s also never easy watching one of your first-round picks voluntarily leave the team.

Nichushkin returned to Russia and played two years in an effort to further develop his skills and prove his value to the Stars organization.

It seems to have worked. After months of reports and rumors, Nichushkin officially signed a two-year deal with Dallas on July 1. The deal carries an AAV of $2.95 million and ended up being the Stars’ biggest acquisition cost-wise on the opening day of free agency.

So why should things be any different? When Nichushkin played his first stint with Dallas, injuries and inconsistencies contributed to the young winger falling from a productive rookie season into a serious funk. Is he really going to be any better?

He very well should be, and the Dallas Stars are counting on that happening.

The reason Nichushkin will have such a significant impact on the Stars’ success this year is because he was brought in to fill the team’s biggest hole from the 2017-18 season.

After avoiding any big name acquisitions though trade or free agency throughout July, the assumption is that Nichushkin will slot in as the right winger on the second line to start the season. That’s where some of the Dallas Stars’ biggest question marks lie going into next year.

Last season, the second line became a liability for Dallas. While their first line was dominant and their bottom six did alright, their second line lacked the necessary talent and production that teams need in order to be successful. As a result, their offense stalled down the stretch and turned into a primary factor in Dallas missing the postseason.

Many thought that Nill would go out and land a superstar player to slot in the top six in free agency, but he settled instead with bringing Nichushkin back.

That’s definitely a high risk, but could also come with a high reward. In Jim Montgomery’s new scheme and with a more developed Nichushkin, the Stars’ second line could be in good hands. But a lot will rely on how quickly Nichushkin can acclimate back to NHL play and familiarize himself with his teammates and with the new system.

“Val’s a top-10 pick in the NHL, played in the NHL when he was 18, and was a very effective player,” Nill said shortly after making the signing official on July 1. “He missed one full year because of hip surgery and because of that, he probably had a little bit of a frustrating, slow start to the next year. And then, unfortunately, because of contract situation or wanting to go play back home, he did that.

“But he’s a player. He’s been playing on the Russian national team, which is one of the top teams in the world. We’re getting a better player back and he’s excited to be coming back. He’s 6’4, he can skate, and he’s a bull on the puck. So, we’re looking forward to his addition.”

Though there’s an argument for a few of the new players, Nichushkin is probably the team’s most important offseason acquisition. He will play a significant role in helping get the offense back on track. The real question is whether he will be able to follow through.

2. Anton Khudobin

Coming in at no. 2 on the list is goaltender Anton Khudobin.

The Dallas Stars have struggled with a lot of things over the past decade. But one of their biggest issues has always been the goaltender’s crease.

From failing to properly develop top goaltending prospects to constantly recycling goalies who were past their primes, Dallas has struggled heavily in recent seasons with getting their goaltending in a good, consistent spot.

That could change this year with the addition of Khudobin.

The acquisition of Ben Bishop last summer worked particularly well for the Dallas Stars for most of the 2017-18 season. He was a solid no. 1 goaltender when healthy and gave Kari Lehtonen a chance to show off his strengths in a more relaxed role as the backup.

The two put together a formidable tandem for the first few months of the year until Bishop went down with an injury in early March. With their starter out for practically the remainder of the year, Lehtonen was forced to assume the role of no. 1 and couldn’t keep the team afloat.

Khudobin should change that. While he’s 32 years old, he’s only competed in 147 NHL games in his career. In other words, he’s played a primary backup role for the majority of his career.

But in that role, he’s also been able to prove his reliability as a starter in times of crisis.

In his few years in the NHL, he’s been through some different situations. He was in Carolina for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons and dealt with a bit of a 1A-1B situation in net, much like the Stars used with Lehtonen and Antti Niemi in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

The last two years, however, he’s served as a backup to Tuukka Rask in Boston. And though Rask is a solid goaltender, he has a bit of an injury history in the recent past. And whenever he was missing from the crease, Khudobin was there to clean the mess up and keep the Bruins in the game.

He finished the 2017-18 season with a 16-6-7 record along with a .913 save percentage and 2.56 goals against average. Those are solid numbers for a backup goaltender, especially one that was forced to step in as a no. 1 at times.

That’s something the Stars needed to plan for when choosing their new backup. With Bishop’s own injury history, there’s no need to risk not being prepared in case something goes awry this season. If Bishop exits the lineup, Dallas needs a reliable option at the no. 2. Khudobin should be that option.

“We had our meetings back and he was one of the top goalies and we thought he was a good fit for us,” Nill said on July 1. “We have some players that had prior experience with him. You always do your background checks. We talked about his work habits and how does he work with another goalie and that. He checked most of the boxes.”

Khudobin could very well end up playing a critical role in the Stars’ success this season and even in their playoff chances. It’s still undetermined whether he will or not, but it’s nice to have a reliable goaltender to fill the void.

Expect Anton Khudobin to have a sizable role in keeping Dallas up and running this season.

3. Blake Comeau

When the announcement first broke that the Dallas Stars had signed Blake Comeau to a three-year deal, it came with a fair amount of skepticism.

For one, the expectation was for Dallas to bring in a big name as they always seem to do. Comeau’s known more as a depth forward that can use his size and scoring instincts to serve as a solid option for the bottom nine.

In addition, it was also weird seeing the team sign him for three years. At the age of 32, Comeau isn’t necessarily in the prime of his career. But he still earned the longest term of any of the Stars’ free agent additions.

And finally, seeing Comeau on the roster for the next three years raises some question marks about the Stars’ prospect pool. After all, if Dallas keeps filling their holes with veteran free agents, how will the young players ever get a chance to break into the lineup and earn a full-time spot?

But there’s a good reason why the Dallas Stars signed Comeau. The Stars brought Comeau in to give them two things that they lack in their offensive depth: leadership and flexibility.

When looking at the projected starting offense for Dallas, one thing stands out about their bottom six: it’s a predominantly young group. Not many of their starters have more than two or three full years of NHL experience and that brings a bit of a learning curve with it.

That’s one area where Comeau will be able to step in. Being a veteran leader and depth player for the Dallas offense should give them a sizable advantage when trying to flex all four lines in a game.

But he should also give the team a fair amount of flexibility when crafting the offensive attack. Comeau can play both wing positions on offense, is a talented penalty killer, and can play both as a scorer or as a grinder, depending on the situation.

That should give Jim Montgomery a fair amount of flexibility when crafting his lineup. He could virtually stick Comeau on either wing on any of the four lines. Whether he needs Comeau scoring in the top six or playing a physical, “wear down” style in the bottom six, he can check most of the boxes. That level of flexibility could be a major key in generating and balancing out the offense.

“He’s a great veteran presence,” Nill said of Comeau on July 1. “He’s had a strong career and has done a good job in Colorado the past couple years and played well against us. He’s a very versatile player. You can play him first line, play him on third line, left side or right side. I like the veteran presence in the dressing room.”

Comeau may not seem like the most necessary option for the Dallas Stars to bring in, but his presence should benefit both their offense and special teams.

4. Roman Polak

And finally, we have defenseman Roman Polak. But just because he’s ranked fourth on the list doesn’t mean he won’t turn into a worthwhile addition.

Of all of the Dallas Stars’ 2018 offseason additions, the signing of Roman Polak definitely raised the most eyebrows.

After putting together a impressive turnaround in the 2017-18 season and turning into one of the best groups in the NHL, the Dallas defense looked set for the future. A young core brimming with talent mixed with financial stability had the Stars blue line looking bright for 2018-19 and the many years to follow.

But then they brought in 32-year-old Roman Polak. And while the move wasn’t a burden on their cap space considering he’s only signed for one year at $1.3 million, it was still uncertain as to why they made the move.

With Esa Lindell, John Klingberg, Miro Heiskanen, Stephen Johns, Marc Methot, Julius Honka, and Dillon Heatherington as a seventh option, the Dallas defense looked set and ready for the season ahead as they entered the 2018 offseason.

So why add a big-bodied, veteran depth defender to the mix? Well, because he’s a big-bodied, veteran depth defender.

While it is promising to see all of the skill and talent that the Dallas defense possesses, it’s important to remember that they are still young. And whether you know it or not, veteran leadership in the locker room and on the ice pays dividends in hockey.

Polak will be the second-oldest member of the Stars defense this season and will therefore have an opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the group around him.

In his 12-year NHL career, Polak has thrived on being a stay-at-home style of defender, using his size and smarts to disrupt offensive attacks and turn the play back around. He’s a big body at 6-2, 235 lb. and can be a physical presence when prompted. He’s not known for being an offensive asset and has a bit of an injury history. But he plays with confidence and intelligence, and that usually gets him far.

His value to the Dallas Stars lineup is that he can fill in for certain situations on a game-by-game basis. If the Stars need a bigger guy to give them an extra dose of physicality in a contest, Polak can be that guy. In addition, they also have him to use as a blue line leader in the locker room.

At the same time, though, he’s also projected to be the seventh defender throughout the season. He’ll likely only play in a handful of games for Dallas this year, but should be an asset whenever the Stars call on him.

“You look at our defense,” said Nill on July 1. “We’ve got the Honkas, the Heiskanens, the Klingbergs. It’s nice that he’s a big, heavy body and he’s got great experience and just brings another veteran presence to our dressing room.”

The Dallas Stars made a handful of seemingly insignificant additions to their roster in the 2018 offseason. In all actuality, however, the moves should benefit the Stars lineup and help them further round out their roster.

We’ll see how things pan out by the time October rolls around.