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Dallas Stars: Four Potential Targets At 2019 NHL Trade Deadline

By Josh Clark

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 10: Wayne Simmonds #17 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Roman Polak #45 of the Dallas Stars skate at Wells Fargo Center on January 10, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 10: Wayne Simmonds #17 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Roman Polak #45 of the Dallas Stars skate at Wells Fargo Center on January 10, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
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CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 18: Detroit Red Wings Right Wing Gustav Nyquist (14) skates during the third period of an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the Detroit Red Wings on January 18, 2019, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – JANUARY 18: Detroit Red Wings Right Wing Gustav Nyquist (14) skates during the third period of an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the Detroit Red Wings on January 18, 2019, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Gustav Nyquist

Age: 29

Height/Weight: 5’11, 184 lb.

Contract situation: UFA in 2019 offseason ($4.75 million AAV)

As crazy as it still may sound after 25 years of consecutive playoff appearances, the Detroit Red Wings are currently in the midst of a full-scale rebuild. They have missed the postseason in each of the past two seasons and currently sit 30th in the NHL standings with a record of 21-28-7.

And while they have some young pieces to build around, their roster is still cluttered with veteran talent that could be much more serviceable elsewhere throughout the league. Standing near the front of that pack is forward Gustav Nyquist. And that’s where the Dallas Stars could swoop in.

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    • On a team that has struggled (like Dallas) with putting up consistent scoring all season long, Nyquist has been a bright spot. The winger currently has 13 goals and 46 points in 55 games, pitting him just eight points short of a career-high. And while he is behind pace to outdo his career-high goals mark of 28, the offensive explosiveness is there.

    Nyquist is an offensive weapon that relies on his skating ability to generate scoring. He’s an elusive winger that can create his own space using speed and puck control and eventually generate offensive chances by wearing down the defense. That sounds a lot like the style that Stars head coach Jim Montgomery preached when he first arrived in Dallas.

    While he is a little undersized (he would be the second-shortest forward on the Stars roster), he makes up for it with an offensive punch. That’s just what Dallas could use in their quest for a more consistent, explosive, in-your-face style on offense.

    If Jim Nill is going to make a move for a speedy winger that can help generate offense, Nyquist might very well be the guy. When Detroit selected him in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Draft, Nill was a member of the Red Wings’ front office. He was helping out in draft decisions and likely had a say in the decision to draft Nyquist.

    As a result, he knows and likely trusts the veteran forward, who has proven to be a solid fourth-round selection in his last six years at the NHL level.

    The Red Wings will be selling at the deadline and Nyquist could be one of the more popular names to hit the market. As a pending UFA at 29, he gives potential suitors the opportunity to either use him as a rental in the playoff push and cut ties after or keep him on and negotiate a long-term deal in the offseason. After all, he’s in the middle of his prime.

    With that being said, however, the price might be high. Detroit is looking to rebuild, so the Stars would likely have to give away at least one NHL-ready player/prospect as well as a possible draft pick. That’s where a name like Julius Honka, Valeri Nichushkin, or Brett Ritchie could come into play. Young assets would be the key return in this deal. Still, it wouldn’t necessarily require a return that would hurt Dallas.

    But even so, this could be a trade that greatly benefits the Dallas Stars. Nyquist has a winning reputation and has made the most out of a tough situation in Detroit. His offensive mindset is charged and could greatly boost the Stars in a push to the postseason and beyond.

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