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Dallas Stars Twitter Mailbag: Trade Deadline Rumors & Season Expectations

What is the best-case-scenario for this team?

It's time for another edition of the Twitter mailbag, and as expected most questions have to do with the upcoming trade deadline.

Let's jump in.

So, there's no doubting that while the team as a whole has issues the Dallas Stars would be in a much different place at this point in the season if Kari Lehtonen wasn't imploding between the pipes nearly every night. The big question is what the Stars are going to do about it, and that's hampered by Lehtonen's contract status and the question of whether this is a "fluke" year or not.

Lehtonen is fully healthy, so this is certainly something else that is going on.

The backup situation is just as concerning, especially since right now the Stars have no options other than to keep putting Lehtonen out on the ice. Neither Rynnas nor Lindback have really stepped up and proven they deserve more minutes (although Lindback has been better lately) and it seems that the Stars need to bite their pride and explore other options.

Is that now? Or just during the summer? Trading for a backup goaltender at this point in the season would be the second time in two years Jim Nill would have to admit his answer for backup wasn't the right one. There might be some available, but it's all going to depend on where this team stands on whether Nill pulls the trigger sooner than later.

I'm sure the price for Evander Kane might not be lower than it is right now, but I highly doubt the Stars are even remotely interested. If Dallas is going to add $6 million in cap space, let's use that on a defenseman.

The current asking price is a second round pick and a top prospect. The Stars don't have a second-rounder this summer, so you'd have to get creative. I'd say a third-rounder, and a couple of prospects could get it done -- although one of those prospects would need to be NHL ready.

Or, you flip Erik Cole for a second round pick and then grab Franson.

Or better yet, wait until the summer and sign him as a free agent.

"Best. Case. Scenario."

Kari Lehtonen has five straight shutouts to close the season and win the Stars the division title, with Tyler Seguin's league-leading 62 goals is the game-winner on the championship-clinching game.

Jamie Benn scores in every game the rest of the season and sets another career-high in goals.

John Klingberg wins the Norris Trophy.

And the Art Ross.

I don't think the Stars are there yet and that decision won't come until right before the trade deadline. There's just too much that can happen between now and then.

Realistically, though? The Stars working a miracle last season when making the playoffs and expecting the same to happen two years in a row is a very tough thing to expect to happen. But you know the Stars as an organization will be holding on to the goal of the playoffs as long as they can.

I...have never heard this. But I'll follow up, just in case.

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