There are a lot of unknowns for the Dallas Stars heading into the offseason. Who will be selected in the expansion draft? Will they re-sign Jamie Oleksiak? Does Miro Heiskanen sign a bridge deal or for the long term?
Depending on how the dust settles, the Stars could have some pocket change to use in Free Agency. If so, there’s one name on everyone’s mind: Blake Coleman.
As much as we’ve heard the hometown narrative with Coleman’s potential return to the Metroplex, the Stars simply are a pretty good fit for the veteran forward… He has the versatility to play anywhere on the ice and would also be a boost to the team’s penalty kill. For a defensive team that wants to forecheck aggressively, Coleman is the glove that fits.
Of course, Coleman isn’t the only potential add. There are plenty of other strong, middle six forwards available, such as Brandon Saad:
Saad has bounced around a bit between three teams and has helped each franchise punch tickets to the postseason, so it’s obvious that he makes a difference and can adjust to a new situation… Most of all, Saad is still a productive two-way player who would immediately boost the Stars’ scoring total.
You can read about more prospective Free Agency adds from the other Saad behind the paywall here.
Stars Stories
Stephen Johns is continuing his #MentalMiles journey, and the Dallas Stars Foundation is helping out:
Stars Foundation joins Stephen Johns on his journey across the country https://t.co/kCQ35KA4Ge via @NHLdotcom
— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) July 1, 2021
You can help out yourself buying this pretty rad t-shirt:
We’re proud to join @stjohns28 on his journey as he rollerblades across the country for mental health awareness 💚
Show your support by purchasing a #MentalMiles T-shirt with all proceeds benefitting @MHA_Dallas!
👕 » https://t.co/SFiHmoYBC7 pic.twitter.com/CYZaw1P7Ti
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 1, 2021
Around the League
Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final is tonight. Can the Montreal Canadiens take their first win over the Tampa Bay Lightning?
How the Montreal Canadiens Can Win Game 3
The #Habs find themselves down 2-0, despite an improved Game 2 performance on Wednesday. Here’s what they need to improve on to get on the series scorecard: https://t.co/9mCjYgb5cN
— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) July 2, 2021
The eventual end of the series will mark the end of the NHL on NBC. Sean Shapiro looks back on the network’s impact on hockey over the years:
NBC has the NHL for at least two more games before the torch is passed to ESPN and Turner.@seanshapiro notes that NBC’s contributions over the past 15 years shouldn’t be forgotten, and it’s likely the new rights holders will incorporate many of them ⤵️https://t.co/fFgbbzneAC
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) July 1, 2021
ICYMI, here’s the breakdown of PHWA votes for this year’s NHL Awards, with Per Bjurman casting the sole first place vote for Jason Robertson:
Every #NHLAwards vote made public.
Proud to share our 100 ballots from @ThePHWA – and an explanation of why we pared down our voting bloc to achieve better balance in this most unusual season, limiting any divisional representation disparity:https://t.co/uwNZFNgAP0 pic.twitter.com/jsv2Qhixok
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 30, 2021
The most recent Jack Eichel news has nothing to do with a trade, but rather his health:
Sabres captain Jack Eichel is nearing a resolution with the team over how to treat a herniated disk following a lengthy discussion with GM Kevyn Adams, according to his agent Peter Fish.https://t.co/nVE7XUUpzj
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2021
Which team is the ultimate playoff doormat for the eventual Stanley Cup champions? Down Goes Brown investigates:
Which NHL teams play the role of stepping stones for the eventual champs the most often?
And in which rounds? @DownGoesBrown | @TheAthletic https://t.co/L3l9EeMZ6V
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) July 2, 2021
The Arizona Coyotes have their new head coach:
Seventeen years ago, GM Bill Armstrong spotted André Tourigny with his team at a small restaurant/bar in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec.
Today, we introduced Tourigny as our new head coach. 👏https://t.co/B8Vdu84VmD
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) July 1, 2021
Finally, Viktor Arvidsson is on his way to California:
🚨TRADE ALERT 🚨 The LA Kings have acquired forward Viktor Arvidsson from the Nashville Predators in exchange for their second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft and third-round selection in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Player Moves flown by @FlyONT ✈️
— LA Kings (@LAKings) July 1, 2021