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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Taking a Long Look at Trading Third Overall

<em>The Hockey News</em> says it’s not only a distinct possibility, but potentially a “great move.” Plus, more from the conference playoffs, and a date certain for Final Stage to begin.

Have you noticed? Word is out: Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill is officially open to shopping the Stars’ highest draft pick since the team came to Texas.

Before you freak out – because we’re all thinkin’ about it – take a look at Jared Clinton’s new article in The Hockey News. He makes the case that, for a team in the Stars’ position, trading a 2017 third-overall for something a little more...immediate will pay the right kind of just-in-time benefits:

...[T]he reason the third-overall selection can make more impact for the Stars next season than the first- or second-overall picks will make in New Jersey and Philadelphia, respectively, isn’t because whoever’s taken with the pick can come into an already-powerful lineup and produce Calder Trophy calibre numbers. Rather, it’s that the pick can be used as trade fodder, shipped away to bolster a team that is looking to bulk up its roster. It’s a genius move by Nill, too, because his is a club that is in position to win now, with prime-aged stars and a goaltender with playoff pedigree. Going for it now makes more sense than taking a player who stands to hit the NHL in two, three or four seasons’ time.

With the NHL expansion draft looming, the Stars could use the protection rules to shake loose a player like the Minnesota Wild’s Jonas Brodin or the Anaheim Ducks’ Hampus Lindholm. But what if a rebuilding team wanted to make a deal?

The draft choice could be enough, for instance, for Dallas to pry someone like Alexander Edler away from the Vancouver Canucks. Or maybe it’s enough for the Carolina Hurricanes to part ways with Justin Faulk, especially with a defense corps that already has Jaccob Slavin, Noah Hanifin, Ryan Murphy and a few up-and-comers on the way. How about targeting the New York Islanders, who have a logjam of their own, and trying to pry away Nick Leddy or Travis Hamonic? Maybe the Los Angeles Kings, in need of a shakeup, would consider shipping either Jake Muzzin or Alec Martinez to Dallas if the third-overall pick was coming the other way.

There’s a lot more at the link. [The Hockey News]

#FinnishMafia or #SwedishMurderMachine? Julius Honka and John Klingberg face off against each other today at the 2017 World Championships. (Grown adults will cry. I’m about 127 percent sure of it.)

The league has set dates for the 2017 Stanley Cup Final series. Pencil them in, why don’t you.

Previously, on “The Stanley Cup Conference Finals”:

  • Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel netted two points each as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 and tied the series, again. [Pensburgh]/

Chad Ruhwedel is out with a concussion after taking a (possibly accidental) elbow to the head from Bobby Ryan.

The Nashville Predators posted this terse bit of bad news Friday afternoon: Leading scorer Ryan Johansen is out for the rest of the playoffs after emergency surgery.

What does this mean for the Perds’ playoff hopes? [ESPN]

Andew Berkshire has some suggestions on how the team can compensate. [Sportsnet]

Cabbie Richards – a.k.a. the guy who organized the notorious Valentine’s Day prank perpetrated by Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn against their unsuspecting moms – judges Ryan Getzlaf ’s playoffs beard.

Outside the playoffs, Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman may be facing the longest, hottest summer of his career. [THN]

Finally: The mighty Canada has One Team to Rule Them All in the Stanley Cup playoffs, if only they could agree on it. Enjoy.

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