It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. We’re a week away from Labor Day in the United States, which is the traditional end of summer. However, the hot stove is still hot with talk. Teams are finishing up summer activities and getting ready for the start of training camps next month. However, general managers are still thinking ahead for the coming seasons. The Dallas Stars have drafted well in recent years, but this means a pair of players will need big pay raises. This edition of NHL rumours looks at what these projected contracts could look like for their young players.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Possible Contracts for Pair of Future Dallas Stars RFAs
Rumour: Adam Proteau of The Hockey News looked at what the next deals may look like for Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven. Johnston will be a restricted free agent this season while Stankoven will be an RFA after the 2025-26 campaign.
Analysis: One thing Stars General Manager Jim Nill has done is draft very well. A good portion of the Dallas lineup are players selected in the NHL Draft and developed by the organization. Both Johnston and Stankoven are both expected to get increased roles with the retirement of Joe Pavelski and other roster moves.
Johnston stepped up in the Stanley Cup Playoffs while Stankoven got increased minutes later in the season. It seems that both players are ready to get top-six minutes or close to it in the coming season.
However, it’s going to cost Nill some money in order to keep both these players in the fold. Offer sheets don’t seem to be a rare thing anymore and could be used in the manner like the St Louis Blues did.
A Contract Template
The recent signing of Matthew Beniers by the Seattle Kraken could provide a framework that Nill can work with. Seattle inked the Calder Trophy winner with a seven-year contract extension worth $50 million. This works out to an average cap hit of $7.14 million per season.
Johnston had a much better sophomore season than Beniers and will likely get a nice raise if he repeats that feat this season. The 21-year-old is making around $900,000 and could look to the Beniers deal as a template. However, Nill does have the advantage of Texas having no sales tax. Proteau said that a deal of $5-6 million for the next five or six years might be the right fit for Johnston.
As for Stankoven, it could be a little more difficult for him to project. Players like Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley are all long-term parts of the plan. Harley has yet to sign his next deal, but it’s almost a given that he’ll get a decent deal. Stankoven could be in line for a bridge contract.
Possible Cap Room
One thing Nill has working in his favour is that captain Jamie Benn‘s massive $9.5 million deal will come off the books at the end of the season. This will give Nill some space to work with and could allow him to give Stankoven a similar deal to other players.
Another thing working in Dallas’ favour is the rising salary cap. The cap is expected to jump up another few million dollars per season. This could give much room for teams to work with and Nill could weaponize that space.
However, players like Jake Oettinger, Mason Marchment, and Robertson will also be looking for deals in the next couple of seasons. Nill may have to bridge Stankoven for now to take care of his other players.
Main photo by: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
