The Stars don't have enough depth to make a trade. If they're going to go after someone like Perry, or any other big name player, they're going to have to give someone like Benn, Morrow, or Goligoski up. The Stars aren't in a good enough position roster wise to make a trade. Having Toby Peterson playing the point on the powerplay says a lot about our "depth". You know you're sucking the hind tit when he's on the point. To make a big trade on the deadline you need to have guys on your roster that you can live without. That's not the Stars.

The Stars do not need to trade Brendan Morrow. That would be like ripping the heart out of the team. He is very capable of winning a Stanley Cup, as was Marty Turco. They just haven't, and didn't, have the guys in front of them. You just don't trade guys like that.

This is how the Stars line up should look. There will be blank spots. Those are the positions they need to fill. I might have left a few players out.

1st Line: Jamie Benn/ ____ /____

2nd Line: Loui Eriksson/ Mike Ribeiro/ Michael Ryder

3rd Line: Brendan Morrow/ Vernon Fiddler/ Radek Dvorak

4th Line: ____/Steve Ott/ Adam Burish

1st Pair: Alex Goligoski/ _____

2nd Pair: Sheldon Souray/ Trevor Daley

3rd Pair: Nicholas Grossmann/ Stephan Robidas and let's throw Mark Fistric in here somewhere, too.

In my opinion, these are the only guys they have with on their roster with any real NHL talent. Notice how I left guys like Nystrom, Tom Wandel, and Toby Peterson out of the line up. In any other organization they'd still be playing in the AHL. The only reason we have those guys is because of the ownership situation. And now that that's settled, you can say goodbye to them. Let's look at what is there, though.

First Line

Let's face reality. Reality is that they have no first line talent, except Jamie Benn. Mike Ribeiro is not a first line center and Jamie Benn isn't either. Benn is a left wing. In the off-season they need to sign a playmaking center if they can find one. I don't think there is anyone that talented in the organization, they'll need to sign that guy in the off-season, or trade for him next season. As for right wing, Michael Ryder isn't a first line right wing. They desperately need to sign someone to play that position this coming off-season.

Second Line

The Stars have a second line that can compete in the NHL. You can have Morrow or Ryder playing right wing, Mike Ribeiro can center that line, and Loui Eriksson can play left wing. That is a very competitive line in my opinion.

Third Line

The Stars also have good checking line, too. I think as the future moves along and the Stars get deeper you'll see Morrow playing on this line, which will make it even better. The combination of Morrow, Fiddler, and Dvorak will make this line very potent. Each of these players are good for thirty to forty points a season. You need that type of point production on your third checking line.

Fourth Line

In reality, this is the line that Steve Ott should be playing on. He's a very good player, but he's not first or second line caliber in my opinion. He's a third or fourth line guy. Adam Burush is the epitome of a player that is hard to play against. They need one more guy who can play on that line, another player like Ott and Burish who play in the opposing teams' faces.

First Pair Defense

Goligoski is the puck moving defenseman we've needed since Sergei Zubov took off for the Rodina. But he needs to paired with a guy who can stand in front of his own net and be mean. Think Derian Hatcher. I think Jamie Oleksiak will become that guy if everything I've heard is true.

Second Pair Defense

On this line you have Souray and Daley. Both of them can move the puck and score. And Souray is another player who's big and can be mean.

Third Pair Defense

Robidas and Grossmann are two true shutdown defensemen and so is Mark Fistric. No improvements needed here.

So, that's where they're at. There is no one they can trade. They need all of these guys that I've mentioned on their squad if they're going to make a run at the Stanley Cup over the next few years. The front office just needs to be patient and not do anything rash at the trade deadline.