Sign in Subscribe
Front Page

Dallas Stars Daily Links: Stars Make No Trades at Deadline

The team did pick up Sami Vatanen on waivers, but otherwise it was a quiet day in Dallas. Plus, trades from around the NHL, updates on the injury front, and more.

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone, with the Dallas Stars deciding to sit out of the action. At the end of the day, General Manager Jim Nill simply felt that despite their precarious playoff status, selling wasn’t the right move to make:

“We talked to teams, and you have to make a decision. Do we have a team bound for the playoffs or are you going to get some kind of draft pick for [expiring UFAs]?” Nill said. “We’re in a real battle and I think it’s more important for our player to continue doing what we’re doing. We’re trying to get in the playoffs... to get rid of those players just wasn’t going to be the right move.”

So why not add? The tight salary cap obviously complicated things, but cost was ultimately the main detractor. That’s why the Stars opted to bolster their defensive depth by picking up Sami Vatanen on waivers rather than make a deal:

“To be able to add a player that didn’t cost us a pick was very important,” Nill said. “We’ve given up a lot of picks over the last couple of years and we want to replenish the system. When Sami because available on waivers, that worked out for us. And we talked to other teams and we did have some discussions about adding other players, but in the end the acquisition cost wasn’t going to be worth it.”

You can read more from Mike Heika here.

Stars Stories

Here’s Nill’s press conference in its entirety:

Saad Yousuf also explores the Stars’ inaction, as well as taking a peek at what might come next later this season:

Let’s hope Vatanen can be as good of a defender as the last player to wear this number for the Stars:

Around the League

Before we get to trades, let’s break down some of the Central Division action last night:

  • The Carolina Hurricanes similarly stood pat at the deadline, and celebrated their inaction with a 3-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. [Winging it in Motown]
  • Meanwhile the Chicago Blackhawks edged out the Columbus Blue Jackets with a 4-3 overtime win. [Second City Hockey]/

They may not have won, but Columbus did get the goal of the game, courtesy of Patrik Laine:

Now then, trades. Remember how Taylor Hall went for a second round pick? Well the Vegas Golden Knights deemed worth it to give up a second and a third for... Mattias Janmark:

As impressive as that haul was given the player, the true whale of the deadline was the Red Wings sending Anthony Mantha to the Washington Capitals:

Let’s highlight one last trade — the Calgary Flames have finally moved on from Sam Bennett, sending him to the Florida Panthers for a second round pick and prospect Emil Heineman:

Read next