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Happy Friday, my friends! I can’t wait to get off work tonight, head home, and turn on some Step By Step and Dinosaurs on TGIF. Not the Mama!
Hopefully the following statement will soon be outdated as well, but as of writing, Tyler Seguin is closer to being the Dallas Stars’ third highest-paid center than he is to being No. 1. This, of course, is due to the misused, bad fit for Hitch’s system, and DBD commenter trade fodder that is Jason Spezza. Spezza was quite productive for the Stars during his first three years in Dallas, but his numbers took a precipitous dip last year after being relegated to the fourth line for much of the season:
Last season, Spezza finished with 18 assists, eight goals and averaged 13 minutes per game, all near his career-lows. Spezza only had fewer points in his rookie season and in the 2012-13 season where he only played in five games.
Personally, I think Spezza is a prime bounce-back candidate this season. He’s never really been a speed guy, so getting another year older may not affect him the way it does other players. He was never put into a position that would have allowed him to get into any kind of rhythm or develop any kind of chemistry with his linemates last year. Having said that, his contract is onerous and getting it off the books would give GM Nill some more flexibility for extensions and free agents. Also, I don’t really have any strong arguments for him rebounding next year other than “I think he could.” See more about the Stars’ centers here.
Stars Stuff
The Stars re-signed another goaltender:
The Stars have signed goaltender Philippe Desrosiers to a one-year, two-way contract. Desrosiers spent most of the 2017-18 season with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL). https://t.co/FafMozKEIe
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 12, 2018
Hmmm... The “Ambassador of Fun” seat has been empty for some time now:
Just talked with @9modano from the @ACChampionship . Sounds like a guy ready to get back into hockey in some capacity. "We're not tied down to Phoenix anymore..I've talked to a handful of teams..not sure if it involves Dallas or somewhere else..starting to get that interest."
— Mike Doocy (@MikeDoocyFox4) July 12, 2018
Can’t wait!:
All is quiet at AAC. Triple-digit temps are the norm and hockey season is a distant memory. But the pieces are being put into place and new storylines will be written come October. pic.twitter.com/UhPXiv4y7Z
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 12, 2018
Former Texas Star Greg Rallo got a new gig:
Best of luck to all-around great human @GregRallo27 in his formal coaching career. He basically spent this AHL playoff run as an informal player-coach working with younger players and black aces https://t.co/06JebBjasj
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) July 12, 2018
Around the League
Free agency updates, trades, and transactions:
- In what is undoubtedly the weirdest move of the offseason so far, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Marián Hossa — who no longer plays hockey because of a skin infection but has three years remaining on his contract — to the Arizona Coyotes as part of a seven-player deal. Chicago cleared cap space and Arizona received two guys who they think might be good at some point. [NHL]
I’ll throw mine in there too to sweeten the pot:
do you think the Arizona Coyotes would be open to trading for my grad school debt
— Robert Tiffin (@RobertTiffin) July 12, 2018
- Ohhh boy... The Big Rig found some oil as Jamie Oleksiak received a three-year extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins at an AAV of over $2 million. [NHL]
- Connor Hellebuyck will avoid arbitration as the Winnipeg Jets rewarded him with a six-year deal worth $37 million. [ESPN]
Several Stars will be involved in arbitration:
2018 salary arbitration hearings will be held in Toronto from July 20 to Aug. 4. Schedule available here: https://t.co/7VxixSpINZ pic.twitter.com/1WtLaic8QQ
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) July 12, 2018