Every move comes with costs. Â The Stars' unique situation with the extra money from Tyler Seguin has given them more to work with this year. Â With Rasmus Ristolainen and Tyler Myers being linked to the Dallas Stars over the past couple of days, here are some pros and cons to consider when evaluating the potential moves to understand what acquiring one of these players would entail.
Dallas Stars Trade Option: 1. Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus Ristolainen could be the perfect fit for the Dallas Stars. Â After studying him at last year's trade deadline as well, he has a lot to like as an RHD. The first pro is that he is a great friend of Mikko Rantanen. As you see all throughout the NHL, many players excel when they are around teammates they enjoy. Morale would not be an issue in this case.
Being 31 years old is a key point of this move. He possesses the experience the Stars need in the postseason while being young enough to be a real force on the ice. A positive part of his contract is the term. He is signed through the 2026-2027 season at a cap hit of $5,100,000 AAV. Â If some salary is retained in the trade, the Stars would have Rasmus for two seasons and could have the option to do whatever after that.
Two cons stand out when considering whether Ristolainen is the right fit. The first is the cap hit if money is not retained. The Stars have been up against the cap recently and will be again next year. Â This deal will not get done without some retention, which would cost the Stars more assets. Â Injury history is the other red flag for this trade. Â It would be hard to stomach losing assets if the player, in return, does not play many games. Â If Rasmus can stay healthy, his fit with the Stars would be great.
Dallas Stars Trade Option: 2. Tyler Myers
The trade talks on Tyler Myers have heated up this week. Â Not many 6'8" players excel at the highest levels of hockey. Â Tyler Myers brings a unique skill set as an RHD and would pair well with someone like Thomas Harley. His first pro is the size needed for the playoffs. Â His ability to clear big bodies from the front of the net would help out Jake Oettinger immensely.
He is also signed through 2026-2027 at a $3,000,000 AAV, making his contract more appealing than Rasmus's. This year, his contract also includes a no-move clause, meaning he would have to waive it to be traded. Â With him being interested in the Stars, that is great news. The Stars would be able to get him for much less if he were unwilling to go to other teams that have offers in place.
There is one major con that stands out for Tyler. He is currently 36 and will be 37 when he becomes a free agent at the end of next season. Â He has performed very well on a struggling team in Vancouver over the past two seasons. However, it is hard to think his body can continue like this forever. While he does seem to be a decent option, he seems to be a fallback option for teams at the trade deadline. While it might not be the best move, it could be cheap if he is willing to waive his clause.