Stargazing: Continued Speculation on Defensive Help

There seems to be some difference of opinion out there on the internets as to whether or not the Stars had interest in Tomas Kaberle. Joe Nieuwendyk let it be known on Sunday afternoon that he would not be making a trade for Kaberle, but does that necessarily mean he wasn't interested in Kaberle before. Erroneous, disreputable places on the web variously suggest that the Stars were the team that offered a player and a pick to Toronto, but the pick would come back contingent on Kaberle signing an extension or not.

Is that true? There's no way to know. It makes sense that if the Stars were interested they would seek a guarantee of extension. The argument against trading for Kaberle (or, really, any defenseman who is for some reason "available") is 'why give up players and/or prospects for a one year rental?', particularly when you're in a semi-rebuilding mode?

This isn't just a Kaberle story. It's part of the continuing (hopefully just beginning) saga of how GM Joe intends to build a competent blue line in Dallas. Defensemen are at a premium right now in the league. They're seen as a risk in the draft, because their development takes longer, traditionally. So when one finally matures and grows into a role on a team, they lock him up. They are a precious commodity.

Even if the Stars are sold tomorrow and the new owner says (unlikely) "Here's some cash, let's get up to the cap right away!!", the Stars still wouldn't have any no-brainer, easy deals to make for d-men. It's a position that is largely being furnished through farm systems throughout the league. Not free agency. That's not to say it can't be done, but it's going to be dearly expensive if it happens that way.

• We Start with Mike Heika having a similar discussion. Bieksa can be had, perhaps, but Vancouver can't take back salary and you'd have to lose someone young (or picks) for what could be a rental. This same scenario is going to come up a lot before the blue line is fixed.
• The official site has Crawford and friends defending the new system. Hard to argue as the goal against were just as bad the year before last.
• Speaking of Crawford, he's been spending some time in Cornwall, ON evidently.
• Mark Stepneski takes a look at the Stars defense, sure to be the same on opening night as it was last season. Good read, though.
• 20 year old Jace Coyle was signed by the Stars this summer as an un-drafted free agent, and now has a nice feature on himself in the "Cranbrook Daily Townsman." If you only click on one of these links, make it this one.
  
• And finally, a google-newing of Tom Hicks will find you articles entitled: "Livepool Refuses to Rush Sales Process" and "Livepool FC looking to Find New Ownership as quickly as possible."...You've gotta love the internet.