Dallas Stars Free Agents: Who Stays & Who Goes?

I agree on Langenbrunner. I think he stays. I’d also like to see Sutherby stay to get a better shot. I’m not sure Crawford really gave him much of a chance here.

I think our biggest need is on defense and I agree Skrastins is gone. Woywitka is interesting because I think he could possibly stay – though I’m not really sure I want him to.

Then again, so much hinges upon signing Richards and the new ownership. It’s really hard to make these kinds of assessments without knowing more about the ownership.

I’d expect MAYBE 3 of those back, too. Langs for sure, and I’d like to see my boy Darren stick around. I’d expect us to look at other FAs to fill in the other needs. Players that may suit the new coaches ideals better.

Two years and cheaper contract… He might get only one year, but it remains to be seen.

is quite the man on twitter.

Sounds like he could do some damage in a Stars Uniform

I like both of them, Sutherby is more consistent but spent most of this season battling a bunch of nagging ailments. Segal is tougher and has a more deft scoring touch, but can’t be left in the pressbox or be a salary victim as he was this season. Wojo, I give him another 1 year deal maybe 2 with a small raise, but expect more for next season. He has yet to be a full-time player until this year so let him see if he can build on this season, or cut him loose in a year.

I can see Langs & maybe Segal coming back…Williams & Sutherby no. I agree with you about Larsen, I think he’ll make the team next season. And the only way I see guys like Skrastins & Woywitka comIng back is if the FA D-men become too expensive for the team.

I could only see him returning if our financial situation still sucks by July 1st and he takes a pay cut.

Or he might retire? He’s in his twilight years.

Langenbrunner loose, but wouldn’t mind if it was under $1.5 mil and not more than one year. For that cost you may be able to get guys like Joel Ward or Michael Rupp..both of whom will score as much as the 2011 version of Langs and are bigger. Langs legs aren’t there anymore.

Wouldn’t mind Segal as a 4th liner, he’s at least a right shot which doesn’t hurt.

Keep:
Richards
Langenbrunner
Williams (he showed some promise last year and seems to be a good minor role guy)

I’d like to see them also bring Lukowich back up more. It seemed like he really showed some stability in the defensive end when he played. He may be really good to have around for some of our younger D men

to let Brian go, but somehow sign Darren? That guy seems pretty legit.

Keep Langs only if he’ll take a paycut. I loved having him back and think he has value to the team, but there were occasions when he was clearly a step behind everyone else on the ice which doesn’t add up to $2.8 mil.

that gives us gogo,robi,daley,and now larsen who are all smaller good skating and puck moving defensemen. then we have a good stay at home guy in gross but hes not physical and a developing defender but great hitter in fistric. we need a big grit guy back there who will clear the crease. I really hope we draft that poor mans chara if we could get someone that size in there it’d help us alot IMO. right now we have a smaller soft defense we need some muscle and size from someone

That relies on the Canucks not resigning him, though. As much as Christian Ehrhoff would be a sweet signing as well, he is more of an offensive defenseman, and not quite what we need. If the Canadiens don’t resign him, James Wisniewkski would be an option for some added grit — despite the fact that he is a dirtbag and I can’t stand the guy. Beyond that, there isn’t much youth on defense with a mainly defensive upside: Joni Pitkanen would be a nice asset, but he, again, is a primarily offensive guy. Any of the 30+ year-old guys on the market would seem no more than a 1-4 year stand-in.

Of the offensive guys available, I think Scottie Upshall would be a solid pickup. He played very well for Columbus after being traded by Phoenix. Unfortunately, he is another left shot, but given his age, I still find him one of the most valuable UFAs out there. Vrbata, Ryder, Tanguay and Dupuis are all interesting as well. Depending on the ownership situation and the Brad Richards situation, Joe may have some serious options available this summer. It should be interesting, to say the least!

richards, langs and karlis.

I`m surprised no one has mentioned signing Ryan Jones as a UFA. He`s gritty, can play either wing and would add scoring depth (18 goals this season). Sure, he`s a LH shot, which is a minus, but he`d be every bit as valuable as say- a Joel Ward, should we not be able to sign him. Upshall would be a nice addition as well, as someone had mentioned previously.

For our UFA`s, I agree that Krahn will likely retire. Too bad. I am sure he`ll have a career in the broadcast booth though (in CP possibly). Hopefully we are able to qualify and keep Richards. That goes without saying. I`d also keep Lang`s (1 or 2 yrs at 1.something million) and Brandon Segal. Sutherby, Williams and Skrastins can go. I wouldn`t mind keeping Woywitka, but if Larsen makes it, if we sign someone and if a longshot like Dillon gets the odd call up, then I don`t see us really having room for him.

I`d imagine we`ll extend contracts to Backman, Bachman and Sceviour, Monast may stay in AHL or ECHL, depending on how he does in camp. I don`t really see him having much of a chance at making the NHL anytime soon. Lukowich is done. Blindenbacher shot himself in the foot and dashed his dreams when he left for Europe, after an injury-plagued, disappointing season. I`m not saying that Joe expected him to be a top 4 dman or anything, but he was probably expected to be at least a solid number 7, and he wasn`t even that. Ludwig, Morin and Gagnon should all receive short-term contracts, and maybe some of them will get a long look in training camp, but I`m guessing its the end of the road for Sawada, who was expected to make the team for the past 2 yrs or so now.

I`m wondering if anyone thinks that this is also a do or die offseason for some of the team`s longer serving prospects such as Lindgren (likely trade bait, after having a solid season in a 2nd rate league, after darting off to Finland, when the Stars would have wanted him to marinate in AHL), Roman, Korostin, Wathier, etc. I`m also interested to hear if any of their collegiate players will be making the jump to minor-pro this season as well. Perhaps guys like Winkler, Sacchetti, Bergin… Thoughts?

Some other thoughts:

Guy(s) I`d most like to see NOT in a Dallas uniform this season: Petersen, Robidas (like to move him, since he`s older and I didn`t like the contract. He has been valuable though, but if we could`ve made room for a younger defenseman with more size, like a Bogosian, I`d be all for it).

Breakout player for 2011-12: Wandell

UFA Wishlist: Bieksa, Ward, Jones, Ehrhoff, Upshall, Jokinen, Zherdev (maybe)

Draft: Zibanejad, Armia, Oleksiak, McNeill, Scheifele, Biggs (hopefully the big Oleksiak, or a center).

No thank you.

Use the money saved to go hard after Joel Ward.

but I think that the NHL is a different league now. Loyalty isn`t what it used to be and we have to remember that this IS a business. Sometimes, as much as you`d like to keep a player, someone younger and cheaper comes along from within the organization and replaces them. This could happen to Langs. It`s happened to many players before him.

In 2-3 years, we could have Glennie, Smith, McKenzie, maybe Austin Smith, Fraser and even Chiasson fighting for roster spots. At that time, even Morrow could find himself on the outs. It`s hard to comprehend sometimes as a fan, but it`s a great problem to have for a GM and for a hockey team.

He brings something that most of the guys cant say on this team, considering how young we are, and that’s playoff experience. If we dont resign Richards, you’ve only got Morrow and Goligoski with any sort of Stanley Cup finals experience, and Morrow lost with the Stars in 2000. Personally, I would like to resign a gritty guy who has won two cups and bring some young guys along. He isnt the player he was, we’ve seen that, but what he can do is give you 10 – 15 goals and 40 pts in a full season. Remember he didnt quite play a full season sitting out a few in NJ early in the year. I’d take those points on my 3rd or 4th line with some time on the PP. And honestly, not too many teams are going to give Langenbrunner a contract given what he did last year, and the ones that do arent going to give him 2.5 mil. At most, he might get 1.5 based upon what he has done in the past. He wont be given as much confidence elsewhere. I think Nieuwy has a lot of confidence in the guy still and he’ll get his minutes.

I definitely think we’ll give Larsen and Vincour a shot. I still think we should sign someone else just in case Larsen needs to be sent down. If Skarastins will take a bit of a pay cut and be the 7th guy, he’d be a nice option. Woywitka needs to go. I’d like to resign Segal, but he’ll probably be a casualty of the youth movement.

Though I think we should pursue a trade for one of those big, hefty D-men.

Oh, and Vrbata shoots a lot. That could be useful.