On the finish of the 2009-10 season, the NHL created the Jim Gregory Award, given to the Normal Supervisor of the Yr. With how the final three votes have gone, the NHL might have to think about renaming it after Jim Nill. Nill has now gained the award 3 times in a row and has had one other stellar summer time. Whereas it should be flattering for the Dallas Stars’ entrance workplace govt to be voted on by his friends as one of the best, he doesn’t have a Stanley Cup because the GM to point out for it.
After a 3rd straight loss within the Western Convention Ultimate, Nill determined it was time for a change. The Stars fired Pete DeBoer as the top coach. Nonetheless, the workforce was in a tough wage cap scenario heading into the offseason, and firing a coach doesn’t repair that. A coach can solely work with the instruments he’s given from the entrance workplace. The query now’s, has their new coach, Glen Gulutzan, been given the items to contend, or will there be extra falling simply quick in Texas?
Are the Stars a real contender within the West?
The Stars are a franchise who’ve lifted the Cup simply as soon as. They did it again in 1999, however have performed for Lord Stanley two extra occasions. There are gamers on the roster who weren’t even born when the workforce final gained all of it. The expectation is to contend for greatness as soon as once more. In keeping with the percentages offered by FanDuel, this can be a workforce that ought to contend. They’re the third most favored workforce within the Western Convention to make it to the Finals and fifth in odds to win it.
Additionally they have many stable items that ought to make competition potential. This begins with a high line of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Mikko Rantanen. Robertson was second on the workforce in factors in 2024-25, main the squad with 35 objectives whereas additionally including 45 assists. Hintz would amass 67 factors in 2024-25, discovering the again of the online 28 occasions. Rantanen was a mid-season acquisition by Dallas. He has produced 88 or extra factors in 4 consecutive seasons, together with over 100 factors in each 2022-23 and 2023-24. This offers a powerful high line for the Stars to work with, however the Florida Panthers have proven it takes greater than top-end expertise to win a Stanley Cup; it takes depth and management.
The Jamie Benn deal will get an honorable point out
Jamie Benn’s return to the franchise was a serious transfer. He was the 129th total choose of the 2007 Draft by the workforce. The Canadian winger would make his NHL debut in 2009-10 with the Stars, and has been a serious a part of the franchise ever since. He would turn out to be the captain of the workforce in 2013-14, and whereas he’s not the identical stage of participant he was once, his management is a serious worth.
The previous Artwork Ross Trophy winner can be staying in Dallas on a tremendous deal for the workforce. Benn tallied simply 49 factors in 2024-25, his lowest complete since 2021-22, however he’s signed for simply $1 million. It does have as much as an additional $3 million in performance-based incentives. He’ll earn $500,000 at 4 completely different video games performed intervals, incomes up $2 million if he performs 60 video games. The following half-million comes from a Convention Ultimate victory with him taking part in 50 p.c of the video games, and the ultimate half-million comes with them successful the Cup.
A complete of $4 million would have been honest as a base wage for his manufacturing. As a substitute, each his play and the workforce’s play are tied to the totality of the contract. For a workforce that was tight on cap area, getting their captain again at a large low cost was an excellent transfer, however not the right one.
Matt Duchene’s return was good for Dallas
In 2024-25, Matt Duchene led the Stars in each assists and complete factors — that is not counting Rantanen, who solely performed a part of the season in Texas. He additionally chipped in 30 objectives, which was good for fourth on the workforce. He did this whereas taking part in for simply $3 million. Over his two campaigns with Dallas, the previous third total choose of the Colorado Avalanche has discovered the again of the online 55 occasions whereas including 92 helpers. He has additionally missed simply two video games. That could be a mixed 147 factors over 162 video games, for a complete of $6 million in pay.
The Canadian ahead has scored 50 or extra factors in six of the final eight seasons, and deserved a increase. Nonetheless, he’s simply getting a modest one. His new deal is for 4 years at an AAV of $4.5 million. This can be a steal of a deal for somebody who has offered as a lot manufacturing as Duchene. He’s more likely to pair with Wyatt Johnston and Tyler Seguin on the second line, giving Dallas two stable strains of depth to contend within the Western Convention.
Whereas he may have gotten extra on the open market, the ahead will get stability with this new contract and a transparent probability to contend. In the meantime, the Stars wanted the return of his manufacturing and had been capable of handle that at an excellent value.