After a very quiet follow up to perhaps the busiest four hours of free agency I've ever seen from the Dallas Stars, we can all sit back and start to contemplate just what all this means for the short and long-term future of the team. I'm still trying to find a way to accurate analyze and write just how cunning Joe Nieuwendyk was on Friday with the contracts he awarded; nearly every player -- with the exception of Fiddler -- has something to prove and isn't being overpaid to prove it.

Adam Pardy was a head scratcher for some, especially with his contract, but apparently he's a player that the Stars have had an eye on for a while now. This is becoming a running theme with Nieuwendyk and the Stars; they don't just jump at anyone and they have shown that they'll find a player they like, who they think has potential, and go after them. Alex Goligoski. Matt Fraser. Brenden Dillon.

Hopefully Adam Pardy follows the same path. I know that he was showing signs of improvement this past season and was gaining a reputation as a very decent third pairing defenseman.

We've already discussed at length the job Nieuwendyk did on Friday, but I'm curious to know which player the fans feel was the most important addition. Was it Sheldon Souray, who will provide some much-needed firepower from the point? Michael Ryder, likely to see time on the top line with Mike Ribeiro? Vernon Fiddler, a versatile winger who can play in every situation and does so with physicality and the ability to produce points?

Let's hear what you have to say.

This is finally it; the time has arrived. The Dallas Stars will be financially prepared and able to take part in the major aspects of free agency, unlike in past years when Nieuwendyk was forced to wait and look more for depth than for firepower.

This summer brings more intrigue than normal with the addition of league-wide salary cap implications and a less-than-stellar free agent market. The negative aspects of the financial implications across the league and how this will affect the Stars have taken the luster off an exciting time for fans in Dallas and we now approach the start of free agency with mixed feelings of trepidation, excitement and wary.

Forget, for a moment, all of the frustration over the early free agent signings, the lack of big names on the market and the inflated salaries that will inevitably be handed out. Instead, be thankful that for the first time in nearly three years the Dallas Stars are active hunters in free agency and in the trade market.

It's amazing how much more hopeful we can feel as fans when Joe Nieuwendyk has the ability to actually do something, rather than be forced to sit and wait because of the financial restrictions he's been forced to work under. This will be the first chance Nieuwendyk has had as a GM to attempt to out-fox and outwork other teams that are fighting over the same pool of players and I'm very interested to see just how he's able to handle it.

Nieuwendyk has done a good job so far with calculated trades (Goligoski, Lehtonen) and finding good value in the latter stages of free agency (Burish), but this is now the true test of his complete skills as a general manager and the decisions he makes over the next few days will have some very serious and lasting implications on the long-term future of this hockey team. This isn't about building a team for now; this is about making the Stars competitive while setting the team up for a very promising future.

Let the games begin, I say.

After the jump, a few more points about the start of free agency and an overview of our coverage so far.

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One day closer to the NHL Free Agency period, it seems that there are not many free agents left.  Value can be found if you know where to look, and today we're looking Scottie Upshall's way.

Why he'd fit:  Over the past several seasons, Upshall's goals scored have increased as the number of games he played in increased.  A trend that appears to be continuing upwards is definitely a great addition to the Stars' roster.  At 27 years old, the left handed RW is still young enough to expect that trend to continue.  Averaging roughly 16 minutes per game, Upshall could be one of those players whose increased time on ice results in higher goal and assist numbers.  His style of play seems to slot him in nicely on the Morrow-Ribeiro line.  Can Upshall be the RW that these two need to turn them into a high-scoring line?  It sure is fun to dream about.

Why it won't work: Upshall's two-way game is not exactly desirable.  Finishing many nights on the wrong side of the +/- shows that his defensive game needs some work.  To be fair, Upshall's +/- did improve under Dave Tippett while playing for the Phoenix Coyotes, where a defensively-minded scheme was implemented.  When he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the deadline last season, Upshall finished with more minus nights than anything else.  I would think that is a function of the team he was on, and not necessarily his own defensive capabilities -- but only time can tell on that one.  With Gulutzan's ability to instill a strong two-way system in the teams he coaches, this could definitely be worked on as a Star.

Final verdict: I see Upshall as one that has some of the better upside in the free agency pool.  He's still young, and his potential for scoring can be made much higher by playing with a playmaker such as Ribeiro as his center.  Combined with Morrow who loves to work for rebound goals, Upshall can be some added scoring depth that the Stars desperately need.  And wouldn't it be nice to finally see a RW stick on that line?  At the right price and contract length, Upshall can be a good piece for this Stars roster for some good years ahead.  What do you think -- sign or pass?  Tell us in the comments.

The past few days and even weeks, as July 1 loomed in the future, much of our focus has been on free agency and just whom -- and for how much -- the Dallas Stars would have to overpay to not only boost the team above the cap floor but also provide some much needed boosting on the ice. It's been frustrating, facing the reality that a limited amount of decent options in the market combined with many teams with need will create a very unfavorable market.

Joe Nieuwendyk has acknowledged this problem and has stated several times the past few weeks that he is not adverse to the idea of acquiring much-needed talent through a trade. This forgoes some of the issues surrounding the most assuredly overpayment of any potential free agent acquisition, and allows the Stars to take on salary while fulfilling their need on defense or offense while also adding to the cap total.

It's easy to say. "Just make a few trades and then sign a free agent."

The question becomes, however, just who on the Stars is available to be traded? The Stars have a few assets that are starting to build value for the future, and a combination of prospects and future draft picks could be used to steal away a good player from another team. When I start to look at the list of players that could possibly be used in such a trade, for some reason Philip Larsen keeps catching my eye again and again...

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We continue to look ahead to July 1 and the opening of the NHL's free agent market by doing some window shopping in preparation for the Dallas Stars opening up their wallets to bring in some new talent to Dallas.  Right now we focus on a player who probably gave himself a significant pay raise with his outstanding playoff work this past spring with Nashville:  Joel Ward.

Why he'd fit:  Ward is exactly the kind of player that would fit the Dallas Stars and Joe Nieuwendyk's team philosophy, a hard working player at both ends of the ice that has good speed, lots of hustle and by all reports is a complete team player on the ice and in the dressing room.  He is a right handed shot and does appear to play a more comfortable game on the right side of the ice, it's Ward's versatility to play well on either wing and do what is asked of him by his coaches that would make him a valuable addition to the forward lineup.

His persistent skating style lends itself well to playing special teams also as has seen time on the Predators power play and penalty kill units over the last few seasons and as we saw in the playoffs this past spring, he was one of the players Predators coach Barry Trotz leaned on in key situations as Joel took his game to a new level.

While his offensive numbers haven't been outstanding, Joel has shown flashes of a very solid offensive game flirting with the 20 goal mark in his rookie campaign in 2008-09 (he scored 17 goals that season) and being better than a point-a-game player in the playoffs with 13 points (7 goals and 6 assists) in 12 games played.  He could have the ability to produce a 20 goal and/or a 40 point season if utilized properly and if he continues to improve his game and the Stars could certainly use that kind of production from a 2nd or even 3rd line winger no matter what side we're talking about.

Why it won't work:  Even at a nice size of 6 foot 1 inch and 218 pounds and a solid frame of a body, Joel's physical game isn't as good as one would assume it would be given how quick and tenacious he is and given that the Stars are built to be a team that is supposed to be "hard to play against" Ward may find himself looking more out of place on a lineup already full of tenacious players (Ott, Morrow, Benn..) that do hit.

His offensive ability as mentioned could improve but then again it could stay right where it is and with the last three seasons in Nashville showing a declining trend in not only goals but points overall, it's a pretty big gamble to make in hoping his numbers improve.

Ward earned 1.5 million last season with the Preds and probably wasn't looking at much of a raise until his outstanding playoff performance which in addition to competing bids from other clubs looking for a good two-way forward may have pushed the asking price anywhere from 2 million a season to 3 or even a shade under 4 million per year.  There are many more examples of players who broke out during the playoffs, got a big time payday during the summer and then fizzled back to below-par status the very next season than there are of players who broke out, got the big raise and then continued to shine.

Final verdict:  Stars fans who maybe had their sights set on a player like Ryan Jones of the Edmonton Oilers only to be disappointed when he re-signed with the Oil should find a player like Joel Ward a pretty suitable replacement.  Ward is only 30 years old and past seasons as well as these past playoffs have shown that he can be a very valuable 2nd or 3rd line winger.  The question marks though remain:  Was his playoff performance a flash-in-the-pan and can the Stars really afford to overpay for a forward who trends and past history suggest may not be worth the raise in money he'll get this summer.  If the Stars can get him locked up around anywhere from 3 million to 3.5 million a year over two or three seasons then it may be worth the time as at the very least he'll be a good locker room guy and hard worker on the ice.  Anymore than that amount though and it may be better for the Stars to look elsewhere.

With the 2011 draft complete, and confirmation that the Stars' payroll is not only increasing but will be above the cap floor, we will continue to take a look at some Free Agents.  Today we will focus on a shot blocking defenseman that will make a great addition to the Stars' blueline.  Let's look at Brent Sopel.

Why he'd fit:  Last season, Karlis Skrastins blocked 139 shots.  There were only three defensemen on the entire Stars roster that blocked more than 100 shots in the season (Robidas and Daley were the other two.)  With Skrastins not expected to return next season, the Stars will definitely miss the shot blocking defenseman.  Enter: Brent Sopel.  Sopel blocked 152 shots last season while playing for both the Atlanta Thrashers and the Montreal Canadiens.  With Goligoski, Daley and Robidas as the "offensive defensemen", Sopel's shut down defense will be a perfect complement on the blue line. 

Another item of interest is what coming to the Stars will do for Sopel's family.  His wife and kids currently reside near Chicago, where Sopel won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks.  Playing in Dallas would allow Sopel to be closer to home, being a quick hop from Dallas to Chicago (significantly shorter travel time than from Montreal.)  Sopel also connects well with fans.  He has a story that makes you want to root for him: Sopel has struggled with dyslexia and dysgraphia (a deficiency in the ability to write.)  That alone makes people want to root for Sopel -- and Dallas loves to get behind athletes such as him, who have worked hard and continue to persevere to succeed.

Why it won't work: Sopel is no spring chicken -- at 34 years of age, he would be a short term contract for the team not something you would expect to make a long-term part of the future.  He is also not known for his defensive play, with gaffes in his own end usually ending in a quality scoring opportunity for the opposition.  That being said, he doesn't make those mistakes as often as some of the other defensemen on the market.  There is also a thought that Sopel would take a generous pay cut to re-join the blueline for the Blackhawks so that he will be closer to home once more.  With the trading of Brian Campbell to the Florida Panthers and Jordan Hendry as an unrestricted free agent, the Blackhawks have recently been in the discussion as possible destinations for Sopel.

Final verdict: Sopel offers some added veteran leadership on the blueline and a shotblocking ability that is in the top 25 in the league.  The Stars could do much worse than signing Sopel.  He made $2 million last season, at the end of a 3 year / $7 million contract.  Sopel could be a perfect signing to help bridge the gap between now and when the Stars' young defensive prospects are ready to make the big club.  Personally, I would really like to see Sopel in a Stars uniform.  What do you think -- sign or pass?   Tell us in the comments.

Thanks to DTCBob for his FanPost this afternoon...

If Mike Modano does indeed decide he's willing to go through another long season in the NHL, I think we can all agree that there are few worse places to see him play than in Detroit. No one wants to deny him the chance at another Stanley Cup or the opportunity to be a wanted and needed player on a team, but Modano wearing that red jersey on opening night at the AAC is just too much for this Stars fan to handle.

Until now, it seemed that Detroit was really the only team that had the chance and the interest in landing the veteran, but today word spread that the Minnesota Wild and the San Jose Sharks have also put their names into the hat. From ESPN Dallas:

The market for Mike Modano's services appears to be growing. The 40-year-old forward said Friday that the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild have contacted him about the possibility of playing next season.

After the story started to spread that the Wild were indeed interested, Michael Russo of the Minnesota Star-Tribune sought out the Wild GM to verify that yes, indeed Minnesota was interested:

"We’re interested in speaking to Mike about his future plans," Fletcher said. "We obviously have interest in doing anything that will make our team better and we just want to sit down with him and see if there’s a mutual fit."

Both stories are sure to mention that no meeting has been set up yet as both Modano and Fletcher have prior engagements that prevent them from meeting at this time. Yet it certainly sounds as if Minnesota is doing a bit more than just a polite inquiry and are serious about trying to pick up Modano. This isn't just about a "feel-good story", this is about the Wild trying to improve their team and Modano being a short-term piece of that puzzle.

Russo mentions that while at first it doesn't seem there's a fit for Modano, Fletcher and coach Todd Richards may have come around this past week or so as free agency has shaken out. The Wild decided to move on without Owen Nolan, mainly because they are trying to move to a younger, faster team and they need some of their young forwards to start getting more minutes. Yet the situation with Modano seems to be a bit different, as it's likely Nolan wasn't willing to take a pay cut and take less minutes on the third line.

I think we can all agree that Modano going to San Jose is downright vomit-inducing.

Once again, this comes down to Modano having to decide if he's willing to not only go through another season again in the NHL, but also if he's willing to take on a reduced role with whichever team signs him. He's not going to be a top-six forward anymore -- he's going to be a depth center on the third or fourth line who is likely on the second power play unit, and who will get time on the PK as well. Can he live with the paycut and the reduced minutes, especially after it seemed to truly bother him last season?

Let's not blind ourselves about what Modano is, right now and at this moment: he's 40, he's inconsistent and while he still has the scoring ability he'll be lucky to approach 20 goals in a season again. He's always been a bit of an iron man, but with each passing season it's tougher for a player to recover from those nagging injuries.

He's taking his time on this decision, and now that there's more than one team involved I can't imagine it will make that choice any easier.

There is some speculation out there this morning (and last night) that the Flyers are attempting to move Simon Gagne and his $5.25 million cap hit so they have some room to address other things on their roster; Things like goaltending, and Marty Turco's name is omnipresent in the rumors. As a Stars fan and someone who watches mainly Western Conference hockey, I think we could be happy for Marty in Philadelphia, and at the same not worried that he's going to come back to bite us in our "behinds" like he could with San Jose.

The bad news in all of this is that the Los Angeles Kings are angling to get Gagne, and depending on who you listen to  Kovalchuk as well. And a veteran defenseman. The Kings are going all out to add nice pieces to their already dangerous team.

The Fourth Period:

According to several reports stemming from Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Kings are the front runners to acquire Gagne, who has a cap hit of $5.25 million.

The Kings are still very much involved in talks with unrestricted free agent Ilya Kovalchuk and would like to add a veteran defenseman to the blueline.

The Flyers would like to free up additional cap space to address other areas on the roster, and speculation continues to link Philadelphia to free agent goalie Marty Turco.

CSN Philly:

Hockeybuzz.com first reported that the Flyers had asked Gagne to waive his NTC.
 
It is believed the Flyers would deal the 30-year-old to Los Angeles.
 
The intent here appears to be to clear $5 million off the Flyers' cap so they can re-open talks with goalie Marty Turco and have enough cash left to re-sign both Dan Carcillo and Darroll Powe.

Delco Times:

The rationalization behind the deal appears to be so the Flyers can clear enough salary cap space to sign restricted free agents Darroll Powe and Dan Carcillo and to sign another, higher-priced goalie.

I spoke with someone who knows former Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco really well and was I was told "Turco really wants to go to Philly."

"I spoke to some who knows Marty Turco..." That's a bit much, so take it with a grain of salt. At this point though, I'm sure Marty would love to go anywhere so it's probably true. I got that from a guy who saw Turco once at a restaurant.

I say: Go east, Marty. Go east and have fun.