Never say never, but it looks like the Dallas Stars have made all of their offseason moves, save for re-signing Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger to new deals. Which means it’s now time for every fan’s favorite pastime: mocking lineups.
In the Top 6, new head coach Pete DeBoer will likely keep the top trio of Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski. Throw Tyler Seguin into the mix and there’s likely two spots open for the taking:
Marchment was added to be a middle-six forward with top-six potential so he could slot in on the second line. Gurianov’s talent, in addition to having a blank slate with a new coaching staff, could result in him being on the second line as well. Benn has fallen from top-six guarantee but it’s hard to see the Stars’ captain instantly gracing the fourth line, even if he could end up there at some point. Third-line left winger is a reasonable expectation for him.
As for the Bottom 6, there will likely be two roster spots open for the taking. There’s a good chance they go to some of the Stars’ young talent, but knowing general manager Jim Nill, don’t expect them to be too young:
The Stars have shown to be reluctant to turn to younger players who are still early in their development unless they absolutely have to, something that has largely been a product of the front office approach, not always that of the coaching staff… which is why I have a hard time seeing [Wyatt] Johnston bucking that trend. Dellandrea appears to be that mix of being young and talented but also having paid his dues on the development path.
You can read more from Saad Yousuf here.
Stars Stories
ICYMI, we have jersey numbers for the Stars’ free agency acquisitions:
New season, new guys, new numbers 🏒
Coming 🔜#TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/TelmguLtIJ
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) August 1, 2022
It may not be for us, but Robert Tiffin is writing about the Stars again:
When I started StrongSide, I heard from a lot of smart folks that @RobertTiffin needed to be involved writing some Stars hockey.
Now he is. Here’s his first, on John Klingberg and what he’ll leave behind.https://t.co/8Gmzr5MRbc
— Mike Piellucci (@mikelikessports) August 1, 2022
Given their lack of high-end draft picks, the Stars’ prospect pool looks fairly strong all things considered:
The Dallas Stars have found some gems at the draft, giving them decent prospect depth.@theTonyFerrari breaks down the team’s future.https://t.co/2kxoUJt2Fl
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) August 1, 2022
Around the League
Michigan reached the Frozen Four this past season, but now they coaching staff is under fire for… well, a lot of things:
When Mel Pearson was first asked about a WilmerHale probe in Feb, he chalked it up to one “disgruntled” former employee.
But several more University employees and officials told investigators about troubling behavior that rankled the men’s hockey program https://t.co/jQgVZEkOFo
— Katie Strang (@KatieJStrang) August 2, 2022
The Calgary Flames have a new AHL team:
The Calgary Wranglers have been officially unveiled as the @NHLFlames‘ new American Hockey League affiliate. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ENvUhP35tR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 2, 2022
It’s wishful thinking, but could we see some old NHL team jerseys as part of the new Reverse Retros?
With the #NHL reverse retro jerseys returning for 2022-23, here are a few designs we want to see.
✍️: @Avry https://t.co/G6ciBx2G3M
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) August 2, 2022
Finally, here’s a look inside the U.S. and Canada’s training camps for the upcoming World Juniors:
Elite young talent was on display as both the U.S. and Canada held world junior camps this past week.@coreypronman and @m_bultman share some observations from both camps, as well as projected rosters for both teams at this winter’s tournament ⤵️https://t.co/DVvAdFBGyW
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) August 2, 2022