The Dallas Stars continue making moves to shape their roster picture prior to next week’s draft today with the announcement that the team will be parting ways with Shawn Horcoff and Scott Glennie.
By informing Horcoff that the team is going a different direction this year, a bottom-six forward roster spot opens up for competition by some of the youth coming through the pipelines in Cedar Park. While Horcoff carried a large cap hit the past two seasons, the value for his performance based on actual salary paid was more appealing. Horcoff led Stars forwards in postseason scoring in their one appearance versus the Anaheim Ducks in his tenure here.
Horcoff’s veteran leadership did wonders this season with Curtis McKenzie and Brett Richie, and the lessons they learned from the elder statesman will serve them well moving forward. However, with a guy like Vernon Fiddler signed for the upcoming season in a similar role, the role Horcoff was likely to have on this team moving forward would have been reduced fourth line minutes and potentially blocking the way for someone like Radek Faksa to get their ears wet at the NHL level.
General manager Jim Nill saw things similarly for Horcoff. “I’ve known Shawn for some time, and I know he wants to have a big role in the team, and that probably wasn’t possible here.”
Scott Glennie was slated to be a restricted free agent this summer. The 8th overall pick in the 2009 draft was selected by then-general manager Joe Nieuwendyk. Glennie has had trouble staying healthy since he was drafted, often injured during rookie camps and training camps alike.
He found a niche with the Texas Stars and seemed to be rounding out in a steady, reliable two-way player at the AHL level. The problem, of course, is that the expectations of a first round pick are loftier than “steady” or “reliable” minor leaguers, which led to our own speculation that it was time for Glennie to get a fresh start elsewhere.
It’s not a surprising move for the Dallas Stars to inform Glennie he will not be made a qualifying offer. After all, the Texas Stars have parted ways with some of their veteran members like Maxime Fortunus already this summer. They have to make way for guys like Jason Dickinson, Cole Ully and Matej Stransky to get ice time to shape their development.
It was obvious Glennie was no longer progressing as a prospect in this system. Now he has a chance to get a fresh start somewhere else, where hopefully the shadow of the “8th overall pick” won’t follow.