I know what you're thinking. How big can news about Krys Barch be?
There's not really good answer to that question, but earlier this evening the agency that represents Krys Barch, @NortonSports, tweeted that there's "BIG news coming tomorrow for client Krys Barch of the @DallasStars!"
At the risk of getting bogged down in analysis of 67 characters, here's what I think: If they were trying to distance Barch and his name from the Stars for the coming UFA period, they wouldn't say @DallasStars. And what other big news could there be 2 days before free agency? If they think it's big news that he's going to become a free agent, they're pretty funny tweeting about it. No, it would seem the Stars are going to sign Barchy up for an extension, right? Any guesses on the dollars?
Update: As some of you pointed out, Nick Kypreos of Rogers Sportsnet in Canada tweeted that the deal is 2 years, $825k per.
We talked about this earlier in the month here on DBD...
Barch made $575k last season and is probably looking for a bump similar to what Toby Petersen got (up to $775k) but where as Petersen plays 11 minutes a game and in more situations, we're talking about barely 7 minutes a game for Barch in a fairly limited role.
There are alternatives in Cedar Park in guys like Ray Sawada and Francis Wathier. Wathier's cap number last year (when with the big club) was just under $500k, and he will become a UFA on July 1st (despite the fact that he's only 25...I'll try to dig up more on that). Krys Barch is 30 years old, by the way. Did you realize that? Wathier played 5 games for Dallas last year, going scoreless with an even +/- rating and one fighting major. He's a big body and after seeing him in Cedar Park a couple of times this post-season, I was reminded that he uses it very well. He's not the fastest guy in the world, but could he give you 7 minutes a game and not kill you in your own end? Probably.
None of that's changed. If he is indeed extended, it's just further evidence that this roster is going to be brought back very nearly in it's entirety for another uphill 82 game climb.
Then again, perhaps he's hosting some charity event or he won his first fight or something (I kid...) and this tweet was even more unnecessary than we thought...