Stars Rumors

Montreal Canadiens Acquire Jordie Benn From Dallas Stars

February 27, 2017 at 3:19 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 12 Comments

It’s a big day in the Atlantic Division. The Montreal Canadiens have made a deal of their own, acquiring Jordie Benn from the Dallas Stars in exchange for Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round pick. The Stars defenseman has two years left on his current deal at $1.1MM per season.

After Pateryn was publicly put on the block recently, it was only a matter of time before the Canadiens found a taker for the 26-year old. Turns out they’ve used him as part of a package to acquire the Benn, a solid depth defender that will help them in their playoff push—especially now that the Maple Leafs and Senators have added to their forward groups.

Benn is the older brother of Stars’ captain Jamie Benn, but far less of a household name. A fine puck-mover capable of playing on the penalty kill, he has 15 points in 58 games this season. Despite being left-handed, Benn has been playing the right side in Dallas and may jump right over Nikita Nesterov who was acquired earlier this year and has played sparingly in recent weeks.

With the Habs relying so much on a 38-year old Andrei Markov and a less than effective Alexei Emelin, Benn offers some respite. Though Nathan Beaulieu has shown the promise of a top-pairing defenseman in the future, adding the experience of a proven NHL player is always welcome as a team heads towards the playoffs. The fairly low cost of Pateryn and a fourth-round pick is understandable for a team in first place.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Stars Activate Johnny Oduya From IR

February 26, 2017 at 9:53 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

After missing 15 straight games, it looks like Stars defenseman Johnny Oduya is set to rejoin his team. Mark Stepneski of the Stars official website tweeted that the team has activated their alternate captain from the injured reserve.

Oduya was originally placed on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury in mid-January. The 35-year-old has battled ailments throughout his second season in Dallas, and those injuries have clearly played a role in his production. In 36 games, Oduya has only recorded one goal and six assists, as a well as an underwhelming 20 hits. Still, as our own Zach Leach pointed out, the veteran is a very useful piece for the youthful Stars defense, and they’ve clearly struggled without their leader on the ice. In the 15 games that Oduya has missed, the Stars have limped to a 5-10 record.

With the trade deadline approaching, the defender could actually be on the move, as our own Brian La Rose wrote earlier this month. The player is in the final year of a two-year, $7.5MM deal, and his $3.75MM cap hit certainly isn’t impossible to trade. Oduya could provide some veteran leadership to a team seeking defensive reinforcement. On the flip side, Dallas is still within striking distance of that second Western Conference wild card spot.

Friday Trades Recap: Patrick Eaves, Tomas Jurco

February 24, 2017 at 9:19 pm CDT | by natebrown Leave a Comment

Friday featured a couple trades as the trade deadline approaches. Here’s another look at what went down today, and what it could mean for both teams down the road.

Trade #1: Anaheim acquires Eaves

Ducks Receive: F Patrick Eaves

Stars Receive: 2017 2nd round pick (conditional)

The Details: This could be a huge win for both teams should the Ducks see the playoff success they hope for. Eaves has had a tremendous season, netting 37 points (21-16) for a Stars team that could never turn the corner. Eaves brings another dimension of scoring for the Ducks who are looking up at the Sharks and Oilers. The Stars did well, too, snaring a 2nd round pick at the very least for a player who only had one 20-goal season until this year. Should the Ducks advance to the Conference Finals, Eaves needs to play in at least 50% of those games for the 2nd rounder to turn into a first.

Who wins? It all depends on how far the Ducks advance. It’s a win-win should the Ducks go to the Conference Final or beyond since the Stars have a second round pick become a first. If Eaves bolsters their scoring or has a good playoff, it helps the Ducks case in dealing away a second round pick. Should they get bounced in the first round or Eaves not help out as anticipated, it would be a slight nod to the Stars.

Trade #2: Chicago acquire Jurco

Blackhawks receive: F Tomas Jurco

Red Wings receive: 2017 3rd round pick

The Details: The Red Wings and Tomas Jurco never worked together. A highly touted prospect, Jurco never gave the Wings what they sought while the Wings never gave Jurco the ice time or playing time he expected. Enter the Blackhawks. Chicago dealt a third round pick for the 24-year-old winger, who can slide in nicely on the third or fourth line that is less about grit (unlike Detroit) and more about goal scoring and puck possession. Two seasons ago, Jurco netted eight goals in 36 games. The Blackhawks boast a much stronger roster than the Red Wings, and it could be a steal if Jurco lives up to the potential many thought he had.

Who wins? If Jurco flourishes in Chicago, it’s an absolute win for the Hawks. Still young, Jurco never really broke into the lineup despite being known for his puck possession prowess. While Ken Holland is known for letting his prospects “over-ripen,” this seemed to be an “over-done” situation in Detroit. Regardless, they still got a third round pick for a player they would have most likely lost this summer. Another way of looking at it? The Wings weren’t playing him regardless, and getting a third round pick is an absolute win. Should Jurco be a regular contributor for Chicago, a third round pick suffices as a nice giveaway and pickup for both teams.

Anaheim Ducks Acquire Patrick Eaves For Conditional Second-Round Pick

February 24, 2017 at 3:50 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The Dallas Stars have traded Patrick Eaves to the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional second-round pick. The pick turns into a first rounder should the Ducks reach the conference final with Eaves playing in at least 50% of their playoff games. If that doesn’t happen, the second rounder will be the same pick Toronto sends to Anaheim to complete the Frederik Andersen trade from last summer. That pick is the “middle” one from Toronto’s three seconds—Ottawa, Toronto and San Jose.

Eaves was profiled by our own Zach Leach recently, who actually mentioned Anaheim as a potential match for the winger while we also listed a top-six winger as the biggest need for Anaheim during our deadline primer series. The fact that Anaheim addressed their biggest weakness without dealing from their group of young defensemen is a huge boost for a team looking to make another deep run in the playoffs. Though a first would be a costly price should the team make it to the third round and lose, a late second is palatable for a player of Eaves quality.

The pending unrestricted free agent signed his third straight one-year deal with the Stars on July 1st this summer, and has paid off in spades for the club. With 21 goals and 37 points in 56 games, Eaves has jumped onto the top line for the Stars and looked right at home. His ice time has reached a career high, and he’s been a deadly weapon on the powerplay, notching 11 goals with the man advantage.

While his history should make the Ducks and their fans a little wary about installing him on their top line right away, he has proven to be a capable defender in the past as well and should help their weakened top-six. With Rickard Rakell recently moving back to center for the suspended Antoine Vermette, there was a hole there for the team to fill. The fact that they’ve done it early gives them a little more negotiating power in any discussions about their young defensemen, as they now don’t need a winger desperately in return.

With the move, Eaves has positioned himself even better for another run at free agency. He was already likely deserved of a multi-year deal after his first half with the Stars, but if he can help the Ducks on a deep playoff run while playing with another exceptional center—whether it be Ryan Getzlaf or Ryan Kesler—he’ll be able to sign one last deal before retirement. He’ll be 33 in just over two months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Shattenkirk “More And More Likely” To Be Dealt As A Rental

February 23, 2017 at 8:25 pm CDT | by Brett Barrett 5 Comments

We’ve now seen four trades made in the past week as the trade market picks up before next Wednesday’s trade deadline. On the latest edition of Insider Trading, TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, and Pierre LeBrun dropped some tidbits about potential trade activity.

The main topic of discussion was the consensus best player available in St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. McKenzie believes that the likelihood of Shattenkirk being dealt as a rental is becoming “more and more likely” as the days pass. Beginning with the Edmonton Oilers last June, three teams have had trades fall through because Shattenkirk wasn’t willing to sign long-term. The most recent team to have a deal in place was offering a seven-year, $42MM contract, according to McKenzie.

That’s a hefty price to pay for Shattenkirk, taking into account the acquisition cost. Blues GM Doug Armstrong is not wavering on his asking price of a first round pick, a top prospect, plus “something else.” While some teams may balk at that cost, Dreger reports that teams will continue to kick tires until the deadline. Dreger believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning have already been in touch but have concerns about the price.

While Shattenkirk may view himself as a rental, that’s not to say a team couldn’t acquire Shattenkirk with the intention of pitching him on staying beyond this year. As we reported earlier today, TSN’s Frank Seravalli believes that Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli should be confident in his ability to pitch his team to Shattenkirk, as they appear poised to be a top-ten team in the NHL for the next decade.

In other notes from the TSN insiders, the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and Chicago Blackhawks are all interested in bolstering their forward cores before the trade deadline. Minnesota and Chicago are likely pretty happy with their rosters as they sit atop the Western Conference. While neither team will be looking at making a big splash, both would like to add a depth forward. Specifically, the Blackhawks would like a player with a low cap hit who could be acquired with just a draft pick. That’s not likely to be a high draft pick, however, as Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman wants to keep picks for the upcoming draft, which will be held in Chicago. The suddenly hot Panthers aren’t necessarily buyers, despite winning eight of their last 10 games. If they do make a move, LeBrun believe they would be interested in adding a top nine forward in a rental capacity.

Those three teams will likely have interest in Dallas Stars winger Patrick Eaves. With 21 goals in 59 games and a $1MM cap hit, Eaves is drawing plenty of interest from around the NHL. There are as many as 10-12 teams inquiring about the gritty winger according to Dreger.

[Related: PHR’s profile of Patrick Eaves]

Another forward likely on the move is Martin Hanzal; LeBrun reports that most of the teams inquiring about the 6’6 center are from the Western Conference, but Montreal is one of the most interested clubs. Despite missing nine games this season, Hanzal already has 15 goals, which is one off his career-high from 2010-11. The Coyotes would like to move Hanzal by the end of the weekend, according to LeBrun. Of course, that’s depending of the offers available to rookie GM John Chayka.

[Related: PHR’s profile of Martin Hanzal]

The Vancouver Canucks are among the growing group of sellers, but the player drawing the most interest from rival teams is not a rental. Jannik Hansen has one year left at $2.5MM and has lots of teams interested in acquiring him. However, the Canucks aren’t looking for a draft pick in return; GM Jim Benning is asking for a top prospect or young NHLer in return for the long-time Canuck. That’s a steep price for a middle-six player who’s never scored more than 39 points in a season.

Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild

February 23, 2017 at 1:27 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

With the trade deadline now just a week away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

After slipping into the playoffs last year with less than 90 points and the final wildcard position, only to get punched in the mouth by the Dallas Stars and go home early, the Minnesota Wild needed a change. They’d fired their coach halfway through the season, and were relying on an aging (but excellent) core of Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter too much to succeed.

Enter Bruce Boudreau and the kids. After good solid seasons from the young guns a year ago, many of them have exploded to the forefront of the team this season, with Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle, and Jason Zucker all already setting career-highs in points through 59 games. They’re leading the Western Conference by five points and look poised for a deep playoff run.

Record

39-14-6, 1st in Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$5.20MM – full-season cap hit, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly.

Draft Picks

2017: MIN 1st, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
2018: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th

Trade Chips

Minnesota will almost surely avoid trading anything off the roster that has put them in prime position for a Stanley Cup run, meaning they’ll have to use draft picks and prospects as bait if they want to add anything next week. It’s a shame they don’t have their second-round pick from this season—which they traded to Buffalo for Chris Stewart back in 2015—since they are used so often in rental deals.

The Wild do however have a fairly stocked cupboard of prospects that could be waived in front of a team looking to get younger. Their drafting the last decade (or longer) though not perfect in the first round has unearthed plenty of talent in later selections. They’ve picked players like Cal Clutterbuck (3rd), Justin Falk (4th), Marco Scandella (2nd), Erik Haula (7th), Darcy Kuemper (6th), Zucker (2nd) and Johan Larsson (2nd) all outside of the first round and found excellent value in each.

If a team really wants to go after youth, they could ask for prospects like Jordan Greenway, who showed off his skills at the most recent World Juniors. Kirill Kaprisov is tearing up the KHL as a 19-year old, and it was recently reported that he’ll play for CSKA next season. Alex Tuch is showing his ability at the AHL level after a dominating NCAA career, and Luke Kunin continues to captain the University of Wisconsin up the college hockey rankings. It would be crazy to trade any of these names for a rental, but if the Wild want to enter the ring of possible long-term upgrades, they have the pieces to do it.

One Player To Watch: F Jason Pominville, who has a big cap-hit and is playing much less due to the emergence of the young guns is a contract that the Wild may look to move out if they’re to make any improvements.

Team Needs

1) Wing Depth – The Wild would like to move Coyle back to center ice if possible, but they’d need a winger who can jump into their top-six to do it. Jannik Hansen has been rumored to be on their radar, but a player like Patrick Eaves seems a better fit. It’s not guaranteed that they’ll do anything, though GM Chuck Fletcher has said that they have some “unproven depth” at forward.

2) Center – The nice thing about having Coyle is that if you can’t find the upgrade at the wing you could always acquire a center instead and leave him out there. Arizona’s Martin Hanzal was quoted today by Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune as saying he wants to stay in the middle even if traded, which would still be possible for the Wild.

Deadline Primer: Dallas Stars

February 22, 2017 at 9:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

With the trade deadline now just a week away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

The Dallas Stars were a popular pick to go a long way in the Western Conference this season. Unfortunately for them, the injury bug has struck in a tough way while their goaltending has struggled considerably. Accordingly, they’re lined up to be sellers over this next week and have quite a few rental players that should be of interest to other teams around the league.

Record

23-27-10, 6th in Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$10.3MM – full-season cap hit, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2017: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 3rd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th
2018: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 3rd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th

Trade Chips

The Stars have a lot more potential unrestricted free agents than most teams do which makes them a team that anyone looking for short-term help will be calling on a regular basis. It’s not crazy to think that three or four of them could be moved over the next week. Considering where they thought they would be this season, it’s unlikely that they’re going to drastically change course and move anyone from their core out. Instead, they’re likely to take what they can get for some of their rentals and regroup in the summer.

One intriguing player that isn’t a rental is right winger Valeri Nichushkin. He spurned an offer over the summer to re-sign with the Stars to ink a contract back at home in the KHL with CSKA Moscow. The former tenth overall pick has another year left on his contract in Russia but his restricted free agent rights could conceivably be included if the right trade presents itself.

Also, if Dallas makes a move for a goalie (more on that shortly), one of their current netminders would likely be on the move in an effort to match salaries.

Five Players To Watch For: RW Patrick Eaves, LW Jiri Hudler, LW Lauri Korpikoski, D Johnny Oduya, LW Patrick Sharp

Team Needs

1) Goaltending Upgrade – The Stars have the highest cap hit allocated to their goalies this season with a duo of Kari Lehtonen ($5.9MM) and Antti Niemi ($4.5MM). To they haven’t received a high level of goaltending would be an understatement as the duo have combined for a .895 save percentage, tied for worst in the NHL. Both players are signed for one more season beyond this one as well which means this situation isn’t likely to resolve itself for at least another year.

Between the expansion draft and other situations where a second quality goaltender has emerged, this isn’t a bad time for GM Jim Nill to be on the lookout for some help between the pipes as it looks to be a bit of a buyers’ market. It’s not as likely that they’ll be able to bring someone in via free agency though as one of Niemi or Lehtonen’s contracts would have to be moved out first and that will be a considerable challenge if they’re not taking a goalie back in that trade. They don’t have to address it by the deadline but by the time July 1st rolls around, this should be resolved.

2) Defensive Improvements – Dallas has several defensemen whose offensive abilities stand out more than their defensive prowess. While the hope that quality stay-at-home veterans like Oduya and Dan Hamhuis would have been able to offset some of those concerns, they haven’t been able to. As a result, the Stars will need to bring in some help on the back end at some point to complement the likes of John Klingberg, Julius Honka, and Esa Lindell. It’s more likely that a deal here would come over the summer but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them add some pieces (picks or prospects) to help them fill that void later on.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Candidate: Johnny Oduya

February 19, 2017 at 2:41 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 Comments

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Things haven’t gone well for the Dallas Stars and defenseman Johnny Oduya this season. Accordingly, he’s likely to be on the move by the March 1st trade deadline and will be one of the most experienced blueliners on the market.

Contract

Final year of a two year, $7.5MM deal ($3.75MM cap hit and salary) – Will be a UFA in July.

2016-17

Staying healthy has proven to be a challenge for Oduya this season. He missed ten games with an ankle injury early in the year and re-aggravated that issue in late January; he has been out of the lineup since then and there’s no word on when he may return.

When healthy, Oduya hasn’t quite been the stabilizing presence that he has shown himself to be in previous seasons. At the age of 35, that’s somewhat understandable but as a result, his average ice time has dropped to a career low as he has been deployed in more of a fourth or fifth blueliner role. However, he remains a penalty kill specialist in particular as he leads the Stars in shorthanded playing time per game.

Season Stats

36 GP, 1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points, even rating, 10 PIMS, 23 shots, 80 blocks, 18:10 ATOI, 47.3 CF%

Potential Suitors

Assuming he’s back in the lineup (or at least close to receiving a clean bill of health) by the deadline, there should be several teams interested in adding some playoff-tested depth to their back end.

In the East, the surging Senators are in good shape in their top four but could use someone like Oduya to help strengthen their bottom pairing. They have the cap space to add him but will ownership be willing to give them some more room in the budget to work with? A similar argument can be made for the Blue Jackets who could use a boost on their bottom pairing while giving them more depth to work with. They’re not the most experienced of teams in the playoffs either so that may be another point of interest for them. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin is familiar with Oduya from his days in Chicago and though he’s not the top pairing partner for Shea Weber that they need, he’d still represent a defensive upgrade.

Out West, the Blackhawks could very well look to repatriate him. Their depth on the back end is thin and they could use a reliable presence on their third pairing to take some of the pressure off their top four. As is always the case with Chicago though, money is a concern and GM Stan Bowman has indicated that he’d prefer to not move draft picks this year with them hosting the draft which could complicate things. Calgary is in need of a second pairing upgrade and they could view him as worthy of a try there. While several youngsters for the Kings have fared well as of late, they could opt for a more proven option for the stretch run as well.

Likelihood Of A Trade

With Dallas seeing their playoff hopes fading and the fact they have some youngsters they would be wise to give more ice time to in the next couple of months, there’s a very good chance he is dealt unless his ankle injury winds up being worse than is currently being reported. Although Oduya hasn’t played as big of a role this year compared to previous seasons, his defensive play and postseason experience should make him one of the more sought after defenders on the market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Where Do The Dallas Stars Go From Here?

February 17, 2017 at 9:12 pm CDT | by natebrown 4 Comments

In a couple pieces written about the Dallas Stars, The Dallas Morning News’ Mike Heika and Fan Rag’s Carolyn Wilke both look at what has gone wrong with the Stars and how best to reverse course. Heika calls them “toast,” recognizing that a 1-7-0 run sunk the Stars chances at the playoffs. Heika notes that though the Stars have missed the playoffs six out of the last eight seasons, it isn’t often in February that their season obituary could be written. While some fans may think it’s unfair to write the Stars off so early, he shows that unless the Stars go 18-5 the rest of the way, it’s pretty hopeless.

Heika offers advice, noting that the Stars need to evaluate their young defensemen, determining which ones should be kept since the expansion draft is around the corner. He also believes they need to assess their best veterans, seeing if they should take a flier on Ales Hemsky, Lauri Korpikoski, Adam Cracknell and Jiri Hudler beyond this season. It would also be best if the Stars chose one goaltender between Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen since it’s leading to a financial impasse.

Wilke takes a different look, wondering if the coaching staff is to blame, and takes the approach that Ruff simply cannot be the sole blamed for the season they’ve endured. A roster decimated by injury didn’t help matters, she writes, but Ruff can still shoulder some blame with his playing decisions and deployment, not to mention an anemic penalty kill. But going in Ruff’s favor is a lack of coaches on the market, none of whom seem a good fit for the young and fast Stars. Wilke sees the Stars selling off and warns fans to wave goodbye to some of their favorite players. She also asks some questions about Jim Nill’s job.

PHR’s Glen Miller wondered a few weeks ago if the Stars are going to follow in Minnesota and Columbus’ footsteps, finding success only a year after a throw away season. Injury is certainly the greatest factor in Dallas’ fall. Further, coaches or front office executives don’t suddenly become geniuses or buffoons over one season’s time. Nill sat a little too long on the goalie issue, as Wilke points out, but without Nill, the Stars don’t have last season’s successes. His aggressiveness and eye for talent, especially with prospects, will pay dividends for the Stars. Further, looking at Jim Rutherford, who made a few tweaks to a Penguins roster and shuttled a coach, suddenly found himself hoisting a Stanley Cup six months later.

There is no secret formula. Teams like the Detroit Red Wings have shown that not everything can last forever, especially with a loyalty that has been one of the strongest in the NHL Rutherford’s example shows that sometimes it takes a few changes to win. Others, like the Avalanche, struggle to find success no matter how many changes they make.

The Stars have the roster to compete. It may just be a few Rutherford-like moves that shows this season was an anomaly.

Trade Candidates: Patrick Eaves

February 17, 2017 at 11:32 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

Patrick Eaves is having the best season of his career, and it’s not even close. The Dallas Stars have had the opposite luck, though. The Stars are eight points behind the Predators for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, and Nashville has three games in hand on them as well. For all intents and purposes, Dallas’ season is over. Their playoff hopes are all but dead and they should be major sellers at the deadline with a plethora of talented expiring contracts. Yet, a team that can move Patrick Sharp, Jiri Hudler, and Johnny Oduya may actually get the best return from the career grinder Eaves; he’s been that effective this season.

Contract

Eaves is on a one-year, $1MM contract. It is the third year in a row that he has signed on for one season at a time with Dallas. By the Trade Deadline, Eaves’ pro-rated cap hit will be only about $250K.

2016-17

To say that Eaves is having the best season of his career is an understatement. Despite several major offensive contributors missing extensive time due to injury in 2016-17, Eaves has emerged, seemingly out of nowhere, as the top goal-scoring threat in Dallas this season. Prior to this year, Eaves’ career-high in points was 32, during his sophomore season with the Ottawa Senators, and his career best in goals was 14, during the same campaign. With 23 games remaining this year, he has topped the former and shattered the latter. Eaves is tied with All-Star Tyler Seguin in goals and behind just he and captain Jamie Benn in points. He has scored 50% more goals than his career-high already and has done so as a sniper, with a shooting percentage in the top 25 in the NHL. Eaves is also averaging about four more minutes of ice time than his career average, in a season where he has transformed from a serviceable bottom-six forward to a relied-upon top-six scorer. After a career that to this point had largely been defined by durability problems, only modest offense, and a dependence on high-energy, checking play, Eaves has capitalized on his impending free agency in a week free agent class by playing like he never has before. The only question now is whether he can keep it up on whichever team trades for him.

Season Stats

57 GP: 21 goals, 14 assists, 35 points, -12 rating, 147 shots, 14.3% shooting, 16:33 ATOIP

Suitors

Eaves would be the perfect addition this season for cap-strapped teams in need of some forward depth. As always, the Chicago Blackhawks meet that description to the letter. The dynastic franchise has made it through this season so far with a couple of questionable pieces in the top nine, but would jump at the chance to add a 20-goal scorer at a $250K cost. One major concern about Eaves is that his numbers will drop off outside of the Dallas system, but if he’s playing alongside Jonathan Toews, there’s far less risk. Chicago has ten picks in the draft this season, including their own picks in rounds one, two, and three, and some nice forward prospects in the pipeline. GM Stan Bowman can put together a package worth Eaves and will probably enjoy the returns.

The Anaheim Ducks have very little wiggle room against the cap ceiling, but even they can afford a quarter-million accommodation. Anaheim was having trouble balancing their offensive lines, and that even before Antoine Vermette landed a long-term suspension. The Ducks are loaded with promising prospects at forward and defense and can afford to peddle away some players in a deal with Dallas. Eaves would provide a much-needed veteran scoring presence, especially on a team that has just one 20-goal scorer so far.

Cap space might not be a problem for the Ottawa Senators, but they’ll still have interest in acquiring the affordable Eaves and he may enjoy the idea of a return to his NHL roots. The Senators are surprisingly very much in the Cup hunt and adding another goal-scorer is at the top of their deadline wish list. Eaves would bring a veteran presence and some energy to a young forward corps than could sometimes use a bit more intensity.

Likelihood Of A Trade

The Dallas Stars have no reason not to trade Eaves. Yes, he may be a product of the system in Dallas and they may want to bring him back next season on a multi-year deal. No one is stopping them. Traded or not, Eaves is not foolish enough to not test the market after the season he’s had, even at age 32. By trading him, the Stars can get a good return to help make up for what has been a huge disappointment of a season, and could still join the bidding for his services this summer if they so choose. As much as GM Jim Nill might look at his roster and think it’s a contender, he’s missing some major pieces in all areas of the ice, including a true starting-caliber goaltender, a reliable top-four defenseman, and some youthful depth at forward. All of those problems won’t be solved by whether or not the team can re-sign Eaves, but adding some trade capital could.

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