By: Anthony Miller
After a month into the NHL offseason, the Dallas Stars look to load up with new talent and bring back key role players to the roster.
The Dallas Stars are coming off a successful 2022-2023 campaign that saw them two wins away from a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. They would fall to the eventual champs Las Vegas Golden Knights in six games. Dallas had their second most points in the standings in the last ten years as they recorded 108 points in the standings.
With the team being so close to their second Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 2020, they are spending the offseason finding key pieces to build around the talent they have currently. Jason Robertson is the star of the team while also having other talent including Jake Oettinger, Jamie Benn, Joe Pavelski, Roope Hintz, and Miro Heiskanen. The Stars are close to landing a spot in the finals, but this offseason is key in finding those players to bring in.
Key Dallas Stars Moves So Far
Signing Forward Matt Duchene
Arguably the biggest move of the offseason for Dallas was signing veteran forward Matt Duchene to a one-year, $3 million contract. Duchene had one of his best seasons with the Nashville Predators last season, leading the team in goals with 22 and ranking second in assists with 34. He was also one of the top performers on the team when it came down to power plays, recording 13 power play points with five of them being goals.
Duchene has been in the league for 14 seasons and has earned two NHL All-Star appearances during that time. While he will be one of the older players on the roster, he brings in a wealth of experience that is needed on a young Dallas Stars team. He should come in as a day-one contributor and produce points for Dallas off the bat. Stars general manager Jim Nill has already stated that Duchene will play a second-line role behind Hintz. Look for Duchene to be one of the top producers on the team while also helping with the development of some of the younger forwards on the team.
Signing Forwards Craig Smith and Sam Steel
With offense being the focus for Dallas this offseason, they brought in an additional two forwards to help with that, Craig Smith, and Sam Steel. Smith was previously with the Washington Capitals scoring nine goals and 16 points last season. Meanwhile, Steel was with the Minnesota Wild recording 28 points in 65 games with the team last year.
Both players, along with Duchene, are being brought in to increase the offensive production of the team. These guys bring in speed on the ice and the ability to score points whether that’s through goals or assists. This was brought on after seeing the inconsistency of offense from the Stars throughout the playoffs which caused each series to run longer than they should have. All three players should help increase scoring chances and goals per game.
Bringing Back Ty Dellandrea
One of the last major moves Dallas needed to make in the offseason was to bring back one of their key role players and they were able to. Ty Dellandrea returns on a one-year contract after playing a big role in Dallas making a nice run in the playoffs. Dellandrea’s most important game last season was game five of the Western Conference finals where he scored two goals in the game to help Dallas force a game six. Last season, he posted 28 points, led the forwards on the team in hits with 125, and total shorthanded time on the ice with 166:32.
Versatility is a big reason Dellandrea was one of the top priorities for Dallas and bringing him back. The 22-year-old made big strides in his development thanks to his performance in the playoffs. He’s proven to be someone that can develop into a potential top contributor on the roster. Dallas should see him play a bigger role on the roster next season.
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