As the NHL free agency period began on July 1, the Dallas Stars’ defence options quickly gained attention.
The team traded Chris Tanev‘s unrestricted free agent rights to Toronto just before free agency began, further emphasizing the need to address the blue line. Dallas also opted to buy out veteran Ryan Suter to increase salary cap space.
Following those two moves, Dallas had just three defencemen returning: Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, and Alex Petrovic on a two-way contract.
The Stars also had Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist as restricted free agents and retained Harley with a qualifying offer. They let Lundkvist go to unrestricted free agency before reaching a deal to bring him back. According to general manager Jim Nill, not tendering a qualifying offer to Lundkvist was a calculated strategic maneuver.
“Usually entry-level guys don’t have arbitration rights, but because of when he signed at his age, he had arbitration rights,” Nill explained during a press conference. “… We negotiated with his agent and decided we could not qualify him and go that route. But in the end, we were able to come to an agreement on a number that we felt would work for both parties. That was always our pan, yes.”
Both Tanev and Suter will be missed for different reasons. Tanev brought defensive stability on the ice and a unique toughness that had been missing. Suter added veteran leadership as a 19-year pro. Both become additional veteran departures for a young team that had already lost Joe Pavelski and Radek Faksa.
Dallas Stars Sign Defence Options
The Stars jumped at the chance to add veteran defence options in Matt Dumba and Brendan Smith and took a chance on Ilya Lyubushkin.
Dumba is the most notable addition and has the most polished overall skillset. Fans were unhappy with his addition because of past experiences, but Nill says the familiarity is part of the appeal.
“We know him well. We’ve played him the last 10 years with Minnesota. He’s a very competitive guy. Our fans probably don’t like him because of what happened in the playoffs, but the guys you don’t like at that moment are the guys you want on your team. …He’s a good skater with good skills, and he’s a good fit for us.”
Nill is also familiar with Smith, who he drafted during his days with the Detroit Red Wings scouting department. He’ll help fill in some of the offensive production on the blue line.
Dallas gave Lyubushkin a three-year deal, showing great faith in a bottom-pair player. Nill believes he’ll fit right in on the penalty kill.
“We think that he replaces that role that Jani Hakanpaa was playing for us. It was important to have that different dimension on our team. Right-handed shot; important. Very competitive. Good penalty-killer.”
Outlook & Pairs
Harley and Heiskanen both return and will presumably make up Dallas’ top defence pairing. The two led the Dallas defence in points last season and appear to be the Stars’ defensive cornerstones moving forward.
Lindell should also keep his spot on the second pair, where he played alongside Tanev down the stretch last season. But who replaces Tanev?
Dumba and Smith are the Stars’ most likely options. Dumba should have the upper hand because of his balanced play. Where Smith is offensively driven with certain physical elements to his game, Dumba excels more at both ends of the ice. He is also much more in line with the age of the Dallas roster, which could be a benefit if he returns to form.
The loser of that competition will slide to the third pairing and take over Suter’s leadership role. Both skate better than Suter at this point and will have a greater impact on gameplay, but the veteran leadership may be a large void with a young locker room and several young defence options from which to choose.
Last Spots
This is where the difficult decisions lie for the Dallas Stars’ defence. Normally, NHL teams dress six defencemen per game and carry seven on the roster. They will also have a couple top options in the AHL for potential call-ups.
Assuming the team doesn’t pull any surprises with the projected lineup above, Dallas will have two spots to fill and plenty of choices. Lyubushkin and Lundkvist rise to the top.
Nill spoke about both as if they were part of the plan going forward, and neither has the option to go down to the AHL without being placed on waivers.
Both bring different skillsets, and with so many offensively-minded defencemen already in the lineup, the Stars may choose to have Lyubushkin in the lineup over Lundkvist. And looking at their contracts (Lyubushkin – three years/ $9.75 million, Lundkvist – one year/ $1.25 million), it appears things may be heading in that direction.
Another player to watch is Lian Bichsel. The 20-year-old nearly made his NHL debut during the Western Conference Final after Tanev suffered a significant foot injury and drew high praise from those within the organization. Still, Biichsel may need more seasoning as he has only played in 16 games in North America.
Dallas also has Petrovic at its disposal. However, as a player on a two-way contract, he is a much more flexible option to be sent down to the minors and receive a call-up if needed.
The depth is something Nill welcomes after last season, and however the defence pairings turn out will be determined by player performances on the ice.
“The players will decide the roster,” Nill told reporters after the signings. “They’ll come into camp and decide the roster. You can never have enough depth. We need the depth so we’re filling all those holes.”
Main Photo: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
