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Dallas Stars Daily Links: There’s Much to Play For During Val Nichushkin’s Next KHL Season

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Plenty of Dallas Stars fans – many of whom hang out here – have finally taken a deep breath now that they’ve been assured there’s a plan to bring Valeri Nichushkin back to Big D.

But proof is the bottom line, and that’s up to Val himself. That’s how Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News explained it in his weekly chat on Monday:

A lot is going to depend on this season. [Nichushkin] is going to have the opportunity to play big minutes on a good team in the KHL and also should have a good chance to play for Russia at the Olympics. These are both challenges and opportunities. If he plays very well, he will get a good contract and he should get a chance to play prime minutes with the Stars in 2018-19.

In addition, the presence of Alexander Radulov and Denis Gurianov could provide Nichushkin with a wonderful support group.

He also jumped directly into a question about undersung roster players:

I think Dillon Heatherington is ready to be a solid depth defenseman in the NHL, so I think they should find a way to move both Jamie Oleksiak and Patrik Nemeth and trust that Greg Pateryn and Heatherington can provide the depth among the more defensive defensemen.

Heatherington is 22 and has 123 games of AHL experience. He’s 6-4, 220, he’s left-handed, and I think he’s ready to step in if there is an injury to Marc Methot, Esa Lindell or Dan Hamhuis. Both Nemeth and Oleksiak have baggage from their time in Dallas and would benefit from a fresh start someplace else.

As always, there’s more at Mike’s place. [SportsDayDFW]

More Stars

This week’s Defining Moment: The Stars say goodbye to Reunion Arena and make the big move to American Airlines Center.

Who are the NHL’s top 12 prospects in net? Find out where Jake Oettinger falls among usual suspects like Ilya Samsonov and Thatcher Demko.

A huge showing at the IIHF World Championships is just one part of Antoine Roussel’s memorable off-season. He makes the NHL Players’ Association’s My Top 5 this week.

And it’s the Stars’ turn for a Reddit roast. (Don’t get mad.)

Around the league

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly shoots down the rumor that the NHL has a secret-menu schedule with a Winter Olympics break built in, so just quit hoping, already. [Sportsnet]

Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets, with a one-year deal in place, are both counting on a bounceback year in 2017-18.

RFA forward Mika Zibanejad and the New York Rangers have forestalled arbitration to the tune of five years and $26.75 million. [Blueshirt Banter]

Former Stars forwards Patrick Sharp and Jussi Jokinen have made Ian Gooding’s list of players who may have jumped the fantasy-league shark. [Dobber Hockey]

Meanwhile, former Stars blueliner Johnny Oduya has joined the Ottawa Senators on a one-year, $1 million contract with performance bonuses that could more than double that total.

And 39-year-old defender Mark Streit says returning to the Montreal Canadiens “is like a dream for me.” [Sportsnet]

Ever wondered what the NHL looks like ranked by number of no-trade clauses per team? CapFriendly has you covered.

The NBA’s “inevitable” expansion could have knock-on effects for the NHL if the league decides to plant its flag in Seattle again.

Texas Stars (and beyond)

Former Texas Stars head coach Willie Desjardins will lead Team Canada to the 2018 PyeongChang Games. [CBC]

And the T-Stars’ home preseason schedule begins with a Sept. 30 game against the San Antonio Rampage.

Finally

It’s almost exactly four months until Jere Lehtinen Night. Enjoy the run-up with this retrospective.

Talking Points