Jim Nill got out ahead of the trade-deadline rush with last month’s trade of draft picks for name-brand NHL veterans Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci. But don’t be quick to assume the Dallas Stars’ GM is ready to leave the rest of the TDL action to other teams.
NHL.com staff writer Mike Zeisberger has posted a new article, in which the Stars’ magic man discussed his reasons for acting early:
“I needed to do something before the 4 Nations tournament started (Feb. 12),” Nill said. “With Heiskanen and Lundkvist, I lost two of my top six defensemen. I needed a defenseman. And, going back to the fall, I lost Tyler. So, I knew I had some holes and I was getting a bit worried….
“Our guys had played hard, and I thought I needed to reward them a bit,” he said. “It gave us some new life. And, given the injuries, like I said, we couldn’t wait.”
He also talked about what he might be looking for in a last-minute trade, and what it may take to make him pull the trigger:
“You can never have enough defensemen,” he said. “So, when we look at some of that, we’ll see what’s on the market. That’s probably the biggest obstacle right now is what’s available until we get a full feel for what’s out there.
“I fully understand the dilemmas some teams on the cusp are going through right now. If you’re a team that’s in the fight to make the playoffs, it’s too important to make the playoffs; to make the playoffs is huge for those franchises. Teams are going to have to make those decisions. And that’s why I think it’s going to go down to the wire to March 7. You might have some guys suddenly being put on the market at the last minute because of that.”
There’s much more at the big site. [NHL.com]
Stars Stuff
The Stars won last night! They do that sometimes.
Sportstoons drew what you were thinking, again.
You know who’s back? These guys.
In On The #Kill Taker
Here’s what happened in the Dirty Central last night:
- The Nashville Predators locked it down in the third period to take a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins; Ryan O’Reilly and Steven Stamkos racked up three points each. [NHL]
- It’s not often this season that the Winnipeg Jets have needed their next win — but their latest road trip began with their third loss in a row, this one to the New York Islanders. [Arctic Ice Hockey]
- Former Star Scott Wedgewood backed up the Colorado Avalanche in another win, this one over the Pittsburgh Penguins. [The Denver Post]
- And another former Star, Mats Zuccarello, racked up a goal and an assist as the Minnesota Wild snuck past the Seattle Kraken, 4-3. [NHL]
Around The Leagues
Welcome to America’s Little Finland. All those Stars (and at least two former Stars under consideration)…
Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park!
Catching up with the Texas Stars? The team has put up this week’s scorecard.
STAR POWER: Week 22 is out now! 💫 Check out the series recap, upcoming series, standings, leading scorers, transactions, and more! 🔗 : texasstars.com/starpower
— Texas Stars (@texasstars.bsky.social) March 3, 2025 at 3:43 PM
[image or embed]
Finally
Here is a picture of Victor E. Green living his best life. You’re welcome.