Dallas Stars Daily Links: How Will The Stars Handle The Trade Deadline?
Saad Yousuf shares what he’s hearing. Plus, five players who may be available, the pandemic is still affecting everything, and more.
The Dallas Stars are in the thick of a Stanley Cup playoffs push – even now, after everything. And as the NHL trade deadline looms, the big question for fans is whether they intend to buy, sell or hold on April 12.
With Ben Bishop and Tyler Seguin expected to return from injury this month, the Stars will effectively get two elite players as deadline acquisitions. But will the front office make additional moves to buoy their drive for another Cup run?
Saad Yousuf has his ear to the ground, and he details what he’s heard in his latest article for The Athletic. For starters, he examines how Anton Khudobin’s rollercoaster season may have affected his trade value, and how risking his loss to the expansion draft may be more sensible for the Stars than it sounds:
The Stars will have to make a determination about Khudobin’s value and when would be the best time to trade him, while also weighing the pros and cons of not having Khudobin available to Seattle. (If the Kraken select Khudobin, it would preserve an unprotected forward for the Stars.) Another consideration might be to distribute starts between three capable NHL goaltenders for the last month or so of this season. With [Jake] Oettinger, playing games is key to his development and he’s proven that he’s overqualified for the AHL.
But if you’re expecting to see Jamie Oleksiak packaged up and shipped off sooner rather than later, Yousuf gives you something else to think about:
The Stars really like Jamie Oleksiak. That doesn’t mean he’s untouchable but there’s a balancing act between not losing him for the remainder of a season in which the Stars are still competing for a playoff spot and also maintaining a relationship for negotiations in the summer, when Oleksiak becomes an unrestricted free agent. This Stars regime already sent Oleksiak packing in a trade once, before bringing him back. At that point, he looked more like a lost draft pick. Now, he’s potentially part of the future.
It’s interesting but not especially surprising to note that the Stars’ organizational view of when and whether to go all-in – and trade youth for experience – differs substantially from that of even informed outside observers:
Many outside of the organization (including yours truly) have viewed the Stars’ “championship window” as running through next season. It seems like a logical conclusion given that in the summer of 2022, significant changes could be made as the contracts of John Klingberg, Joe Pavelski and Alexander Radulov all come off the books and head coach Rick Bowness’ contract extension also expiries. However, this is not a view held inside the Stars’ front office. There’s no “championship window,” and that’s an important consideration pertaining to the trade deadline because it indicates what kind of moves the team may be willing to make, or maybe more importantly, not make.
One thing sounds certain – the Stars’ go-to move of trading picks for players is a no-go this season:
The Stars have had a quick trigger involving draft picks, even if they’re conditional picks, in past seasons, whether it be a high pick (think the Mats Zuccarello trade) or a low pick (think the Taylor Fedun trade). Dallas has its full stable of draft picks this year and is not looking to change that.
There’s much more behind the paywall. [The Athletic DFW]
Stars Stuff
It’s Dallas Stars vs. Chicago Blackhawks day, and you know what to do.
Game Day in Chicago!
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 6, 2021
📍 Chicago, IL
🕖 7:00 p.m. CT
📺 @BallySports_SW Plus, ESPN+
📻 @dfwticket@Toyota | #GoStars pic.twitter.com/mwpAwhUpym
This looks like a pretty good way for some lucky fan to celebrate getting vaccinated.
Don't miss out! One lucky winner gets roundtrip travel for two, hotel stay and tickets to the Stars vs. Panthers game this May 🌴
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 5, 2021
Enter the @AmericanAir Breakaway Sweepstakes today!
✈️ https://t.co/jAzox6Hv4n pic.twitter.com/LZ1dIk6KOI
Dallas Youth Hockey League participation is skyrocketing among young girls, because seriously, who wouldn’t want to put on their gear and say, “I am fearless”?
CUTE VIDEO ALERT!
— 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚊 𝙰. 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚜 (@LauraHarrisNBC5) April 2, 2021
Absolutely loved telling this story! Hockey is growing in popularity among North Texas girls, and parents say it's #SomethingGood for their young daughters thanks to @DallasStars & @DS_Foundation . #GoStars https://t.co/VGBNB4xM7b
Around The Leagues
There was no panic at the #Disco last night, or really much of anything, because nobody in the current Central Division played, so...we go elsewhere for headlines.
The Nashville Predators are still in the playoffs battle, so what might move them to trade Mikael Granlund? He’s one of five players in Larry Lage’s list.
With the upcoming #NHL trade deadline, here's a look at some top players who appear to be available 🏒
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) April 6, 2021
What deal would you like to see your team make? https://t.co/btPzzXqbEg
Jack Campbell has become the star Dallas fans always believed he could be – but not until a coach helped him learn to stop blaming himself for every missed play and lost game.
My in-depth feature today is on Jack Campbell, who had a hard road to the Maple Leafs. A high pick, who ended up in the ECHL, was given away in a trade, and battled back to here, at 29 years old.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) April 5, 2021
Credit to Jack for being so candid about his struggle. https://t.co/6WfxEd724m
This is a reminder that the pandemic is still affecting, well, everything.
The Caps and Wiz might go the whole season with no home fans. "All of us are disappointed with the city’s failure to grant our waiver allowing fans to attend games this season," Ted Leonsis tweeted https://t.co/7IXkYlaiAz
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) April 6, 2021
On the third anniversary of the Humboldt crash, Kelly Chase reflects on why this tragedy broke so many people.
”We are all thinking about you.
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) April 6, 2021
We won’t forget.
We are all Broncos.” —@Chasenpucks39 https://t.co/s5uzNfxJJN
Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park
The Texas Stars are on the road, and you can watch them play on AHL.tv.
Texas Stars are on the road! #TEXvsCOL
— Texas Stars (@TexasStars) April 6, 2021
🗒️: https://t.co/wZjBvSnfss
📺: https://t.co/VQVem7PThC | 📻: https://t.co/bzOmixTYJv pic.twitter.com/3BXoirViyc
They could use a win, especially after a weekend loss whose only real high point was Julius Honka getting back on the goal sheet.
Texas Shellacked by Iowa 5-2 https://t.co/He4ym8MNcS #txstars pic.twitter.com/3c6oeoYJxG
— 100 Degree Hockey (@100degreehockey) April 4, 2021
Finally
A little extra Robo never hurt anyone. Enjoy.
"Yeah!!! Yeah!! I want it! Again!" It's fun to listen to @JasonRob1999 play hockey 😂@GEICO | #GoStars pic.twitter.com/ZOx19aw0gd
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 5, 2021