Let’s face it; there arguably haven’t been a whole lot of Dallas Stars topics to cover, as it’s the offseason. But I’m here to update you on the latest news and notes surrounding the Stars. Let’s dive right in, shall we?
Veteran Players Unite
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was best known for his tenure with the Green Bay Packers, revealed that he sought advice from Dallas Stars veteran alternate captain Joe Pavelski and former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer before finalizing his trade with the Jets.
During his first NFL training camp interview, Rodgers said: “I talked to a lot of friends actually in multiple sports who’ve played long careers in certain places. I enjoyed those conversations because a lot of them have been longtime members of a certain franchise, and then you move on … I think it’s important to bounce stuff off of those guys.”
In case you didn’t know, Pavelski has spent 17 seasons in the NHL. The 39-year-old forward began his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks in 2006 and spent 13 seasons in San Jose, California, where he was a three-time NHL All-Star. He signed with the Dallas Stars as an unrestricted free agent in 2019 for a fresh start in Dallas, Texas. He was named an NHL All-Star in 2022 for the fourth time in his NHL career.
A Deserving Extension
The Dallas Stars extended GM Jim Nill’s contract less than a month after being named the NHL’s GM of the Year. Nill helping the Stars reach the 2023 Western Conference Final helped him get a nomination at the 2023 NHL Awards.
Nill signed a two-year contract extension with the Dallas Stars. The 65-year-old has said he hopes to work out a succession plan with Stars owner Tom Gaglardi. He’s gearing up for his 11th season in Dallas, Texas, but the highlight of his career was the 2017 NHL Draft, as his team selected defenseman Miro Heiskanen and goaltender Jake Oettinger in the first round and forward Jason Robertson in the second round.
Gaglardi said: “Jim has proven himself to be one of the best general managers in the NHL … He has meticulously built a team through free agency, trades, and the NHL draft that’s among the best in the league, while also ensuring that the Stars are championship contenders for years to come.”
Time for a Change?
The Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, is fun to watch.
The Texas Stars’ process has been worthy of watching. Right now, Texas is experiencing significant changes to its roster this season.
“What’s Texas’ end game?” you ask. Texas’ hope is to help its parent team, Dallas, down the road. Its current moves are reminding some, if not most, people that it’s tough to make it to the NHL and that it’s tough for organizations to turn prospects into professional players.
Texas head coach Neil Graham told NHL.com: “Rhett Gardner is gone, (Riley) Tufte is gone, (Marian) Studenič is gone, Ben Gleason, Ryan Shea … It’s the nature of the league. If you’re doing it right, which Dallas does, it’s cyclical. All of those guys were in our organization for four or five years, and you get to the point where when they become UFA’s, they take the next step in their journey someplace else.”
Personally, I don’t doubt that Texas can continue to improve, as they’ve had a history of helping AHL players get better. For example, Roope Hintz. Hintz played in 91 games over two seasons. The Dallas Stars’ second-round, 49th-overall draft pick has been playing scorer and playmaker since then.
