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Mattias Janmark

Mattias Janmark, Patrick Brown Re-Sign With Vegas Golden Knights

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The Vegas Golden Knights must have liked what they saw from Mattias Janmark in the playoffs. The free agent winger will be returning to the Golden Knights on a one-year, $2MM contract according to Darren Dreger of TSN. The team will also bring back Patrick Brown, who served as captain for the Henderson Silver Knights last year. PuckPedia reports that Brown’s two-year contract will carry a cap hit of $750K.

Janmark, who came over from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline last season, registered eight points in 16 playoff games. Though he averaged just under 14 minutes as the Golden Knights leaned on the big guns, he’ll be back on a not-insignificant contract. Vegas now has 14 forwards on one-way deals with Nolan Patrick still to sign, and are already over the cap despite trading away Marc-Andre Fleury. There are more moves coming from the Golden Knights, but it appears as though Janmark will be somewhere in the lineup when the season begins.

The 28-year-old forward has been an effective secondary scoring option throughout his career, recording at least 21 points in each of his five seasons. While he doesn’t bring a ton of physicality, he’s a big enough body and skates well enough to still be disruptive on the forecheck. In his short time with the Golden Knights, he was put on the powerplay and the penalty kill, hinting at a potentially significant role in 2021-22.

Brown meanwhile played just nine games for the Silver Knights, but had eight points during that short season. He’s been with the Golden Knights affiliate for two years now, adding valuable minor league depth and serving as an injury replacement for the NHL. Through parts of seven seasons, he has 55 NHL appearances including 12 games with the Golden Knights in their most recent playoff run.

Golden Knights Notes: Martinez, Janmark, Fleury, Smith, Dansk

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The Vegas Golden Knights’ season came to an abrupt and unlikely end on Thursday night, losing Game 6 and the series in overtime to the cinderella Montreal Canadiens. After steamrolling through four straight games against the Colorado Avalanche in the Second Round, it looked like Vegas might be this year’s team of destiny. But unstoppable force met immovable object, and Vegas fell in the playoffs’ third round for the second consecutive year. Today came Vegas’ first postseason media availability since their elimination, which has yielded many topics worth discussion:

  • Defenseman Alec Martinez, who leads postseason skaters in blocked shots, played at least some of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a broken foot per Martinez himself today. It’s a startling statement from the pending unrestricted free agent, who, despite the injury, was one of Vegas’ best complete players in the playoffs. He actually tallied more goals than assists (four goals, two assists for six points), but blocked an incredible 72 shots through just 19 games. His stock rose sharply this season, playing well on a pairing with Alex Pietrangelo. The injury likely won’t affect his next contract.
  • Another pending unrestricted free agent who impressed in the playoffs, Mattias Janmark, stated today that he wants to return to the team. Janmark provided some unexpected depth scoring, notching eight points in 16 games despite missing some time with an upper-body injury. Three of his four goals came in a Game 7 hat trick against the Minnesota Wild in the first round, matching a feat accomplished by former teammate Joel Kiviranta last season.
  • It’s worth mentioning Martinez’s and Janmark’s free-agent status due to Vegas’ continuing dangerous dance with the salary cap. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who was heard often in trade rumors before the season due to his steep contract, finds himself in those conversations again due to a couple of mediocre performances against Montreal. But today, Fleury maintained his position that he wants to finish his career in a Golden Knights sweater. He and Robin Lehner have formed one of the most formidable tandems in the league over the past calendar year, capping it off with a Jennings Trophy win this season. It’s worth noting that Fleury had an incredible bounceback 2020-21 campaign after a rough 2019-20, setting a career-high with a .928 save percentage.
  • Looking forward to the 2022 offseason, forward Reilly Smith said today that he hasn’t begun contract negotiations on an extension. Smith has been a critical member of the Vegas core since he was acquired at the expansion draft, totaling 192 points in 265 in a Vegas jersey. It’s unlikely they come to an agreement anytime soon due to Vegas’ tricky cap situation, but it’s certainly a storyline to keep an eye on as the 2021-22 campaign progresses.
  • The Athletic’s Jesse Granger noted today that pending unrestricted free agent Oscar Dansk won’t be returning to the organization. Dansk’s been a member of the Vegas program since their inception, but only got into six games of NHL action across four seasons. It’s likely that the 27-year-old free agent heads home to his native Sweden this offseason, although nothing is confirmed.

NHL Not Opposed To Third-Party Salary Retention In Trades

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Perhaps the story of the NHL Trade Deadline, since it certainly wasn’t the quantity of trades or the numerous star players on the move, was the advent of the third-party salary cap broker in trades. Three different deals were made at the deadline that included three teams, with the third team strictly being used as a means to retain salary on the centerpiece player moving to a contender short on cap space. In each one, the third team retained the maximum 50% of salary after the seller had also retained 50%, leaving the buyer with just 25% of the player’s cap value. For their part, the third team received a draft pick from the buyer and were able to shed a minor league salary as well.

The Tampa Bay Lightning first used the Detroit Red Wings to broker the trade of defenseman David Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tampa had been expected to be quiet at the deadline given their miniscule cap space, but ended up getting one of the best defensemen on the rental market. Next, the Toronto Maple Leafs employed the San Jose Sharks as the middle-man for their acquisition of Nick Foligno, again from the Blue Jackets. Toronto had little cap flexibility and a long shopping list at the deadline and would not have been able to add Foligno without help. Finally, San Jose volunteered to be the third team again the deal that sent Mattias Janmark from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas has had the worst cap situation of any team in the league this season, restricted from making standard roster moves and several times forced into short-handed lineups. Yet, using this new three-team retention format they were able to add a top rental.

This all poses a question that at least a few other NHL clubs have been asking: should this be legal? The NHL has cracked down on salary cap circumvention in the past and there appear to be some who believe this is simply the newest version, allowing cap-strapped contenders to acquire players that they never could otherwise. However, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on the latest edition of “Insider Trading“, this is one perceived problem that the league will not tackle. LeBrun reports that the league has been well are of this method of trade and were not fooled by the deals made at the deadline this year. After all, it was more than three years ago now when the Pittsburgh Penguins seemingly invented this formula – albeit in a more complete hockey trade – in the Derick Brassard deadline deal with Vegas and the Ottawa Senators. The Golden Knights then used the format to their advantage just last year, adding Robin Lehner from the Blackhawks via a cap-retention pitstop in Toronto. Clearly, there is a group of teams who have taken to this specific style of three-team trade, with Vegas and Toronto chief among them, and there are others who are not happy about it. As such, the NHL has already done its due diligence on the legality and will not take action.

Their reasoning? There simply is no cap circumvention occurring here. LeBrun relays that the league has no issue with a third team being used solely for cap retention, as hockey capital is being acquired by all parties. The Red Wings and Sharks received mid-round draft picks in exchange for their assistance and were even allowed to help balance the checkbook by sending out another contract. The NHL feels that this is a valid use of cap space as an asset to make a legitimate trade. So while it does create situations in which the rich get richer without otherwise having the cap space to do so, all parties are being reasonably compensated within the NHL rulebook. Teams may not like it, but that doesn’t make it illegal. And with the flat cap environment likely to continue for another year or two, this style of trade isn’t going away any time soon.

Trade Deadline Summary: West Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the West Division.

Anaheim Ducks
Status: Seller

In – D Haydn Fleury, F Alexander Volkov, 2022 fifth-round pick (TOR)
Out – D Ben Hutton, D Jani Hakanpaa, F Antoine Morand, 2022 sixth-round pick, conditional 2023 seventh-round pick

Arizona Coyotes
Status: Neutral

In – None
Out – None

Colorado Avalanche
Status: Buyer

In – F Carl Soderberg, D Patrik Nemeth, G Devan Dubnyk, G Jonas Johansson
Out – D Greg Pateryn, F Josh Dickinson, F Ryder Rolston, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2021 fifth-round pick, 2021 sixth-round pick

Los Angeles Kings
Status: Neutral

In – F Brendan Lemieux, D Christian Wolanin, conditional 2022 third-round pick (PIT), conditional 2023 fourth-round pick (PIT)
Out – F Jeff Carter, F Michael Amadio, 2021 fourth-round pick

Minnesota Wild
Status: Buyer

In – None
Out – None

San Jose Sharks
Status: Neutral

In – F Alexander Barabanov, D Greg Pateryn, G Magnus Chrona, 2021 fourth-round pick (TOR), 2021 fifth-round pick (COL), 2022 fifth-round pick (BUF via VGK)
Out – G Devan Dubnyk, F Stefan Noesen, F Antti Suomela, D Fredrik Claesson, D Nick DeSimone, 2021 fourth-round pick

St. Louis Blues
Status: Neutral

In – None
Out – None

Vegas Golden Knights
Status: Buyer

In – F Mattias Janmark, D Nick DeSimone, 2022 fifth-round pick (CHI)
Out – 2021 second-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick

Trade Deadline Summary: Central Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the Central Division.

Carolina Hurricanes
Status: Buyer

In – F Cedric Paquette, D Jani Hakanpaa, D David Warsofsky, F Yegor Korshkov, 2022 sixth-round pick (ANA), 2022 seventh-round pick (CLB)
Out – F Ryan Dzingel, D Haydn Fleury, F Gregory Hofmann

Chicago Blackhawks
Status: Neutral

In – F Brett Connolly, F Vinnie Hinostroza, F Adam Gaudette, D Riley Stillman, F Henrik Borgstrom, F Josh Dickinson, F Ryder Rolston, 2021 second-round pick (VGK), 2022 third-round pick (VGK), 2021 fourth-round pick (MTL), 2021 seventh-round pick (FLA)
Out – F Mattias Janmark, F Carl Soderberg, F Matthew Highmore, F Lucas Wallmark, D Madison Bowey, D Lucas Carlsson, F Brad Morrison, 2021 fifth-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick

Columbus Blue Jackets
Status: Seller

In – D Mikko Lehtonen, F Gregory Hofmann, 2021 first-round pick (TOR), 2021 first-round pick (TBL), 2022 third-round pick (TBL), 2022 fourth-round pick (TOR), conditional 2022 seventh-round pick (TOR)
Out – F Nick Foligno, D David Savard, F Riley Nash, G Veini Vehvilainen, 2022 seventh-round pick

Dallas Stars
Status: Neutral

In – None
Out – None

Detroit Red Wings
Status: Seller

In – F Jakub Vrana, F Richard Panik, F Hayden Verbeek, 2021 first-round pick (WAS), 2022 second-round pick (WAS), 2021 fourth-round pick (TBL), 2022 fourth-round pick (COL), 2021 fifth-round pick (OTT via MTL)
Out – F Anthony Mantha, D Patrik Nemeth, D Jon Merrill, D Brian Lashoff

Florida Panthers
Status: Buyer

In – F Sam Bennett, D Brandon Montour, F Lucas Wallmark, D Lucas Carlsson, F Brad Morrison, 2022 sixth-round pick (CGY)
Out – F Brett Connolly, F Vinnie Hinostroza, D Riley Stillman, F Henrik Borgstrom, F Emil Heineman, 2022 second-round pick, 2021 third-round pick, 2021 seventh-round pick

Nashville Predators
Status: Neutral

In – D Erik Gudbranson
Out – D Brandon Fortunato, 2023 seventh-round pick

Tampa Bay Lightning
Status: Buyer

In – D David Savard, D Fredrik Claesson, D Brian Lashoff, F Antoine Morand, conditional 2023 seventh-round pick
Out – F Alexander Volkov, G Magnus Chrona, 2021 first-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, 2021 fourth-round pick

Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Mattias Janmark

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After acquiring Adam Gaudette, the Chicago Blackhawks have sent one of their other forwards elsewhere. Mattias Janmark has been traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in a three-team deal that also includes the San Jose Sharks. The full deal:

  • To Vegas: Mattias Janmark, 2022 fifth-round pick (CHI), Nick DeSimone
  • To San Jose: 2022 fifth-round pick (BUF)
  • To Chicago: 2021 second-round pick (VGK), 2022 third-round pick (VGK)

Chicago retained 50% of Janmark’s cap hit, and subsequently the Sharks retained 50$ of what remained. That means the Golden Knights are on the hook for just 25% of what is remaining on Janmark’s deal.

Adding a player like Janmark is a sneaky pickup for the Golden Knights, who already have a team capable of contending for the Stanley Cup. The 28-year-old forward has 10 goals and 19 points in 41 games this season and has proven in the past he can produce some valuable secondary scoring from a depth role.

A strong skater, Janmark can play on the powerplay or penalty kill, but it’s hard to see him getting much time with the man advantage in Vegas. Instead, he’ll give the team another moving part in their bottom-six or even move up in a pinch.

Still, one could argue that the Golden Knights gave up more for Janmark than the Bruins did for Taylor Hall. A huge part of that (not to mention Hall’s no-movement clause) is the difference in cap hits; Janmark comes with just a $2.25MM full-season hit on his one-year deal, while even a 50% retained Hall was at $4MM. The Blackhawks did well to receive a second-round pick and another pick swap, adding some valuable draft capital to the cupboard for a player who is on an expiring contract.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic was first to note a deal was coming.

Blackhawks To Scratch Mattias Janmark

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The weekend before the trade deadline is when it becomes time to keep a close eye out for surprising scratches as those often signal a possible trade is on the horizon.  That is what has happened with Blackhawks winger Mattias Janmark as head coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters, including NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis (Twitter link) that the forward is being held out of the lineup for tonight’s game versus Columbus due to an “organizational decision”, a phrase that seems like a professional way of saying that they’re not risking an injury with the deadline just over 48 hours away.

The 28-year-old is in his first season with Chicago after signing a one-year, $2.25MM deal with them at the beginning of free agency last summer following a strong showing with Dallas in the bubble.  While his possession numbers have been ugly, he has been one of their better secondary scorers as he has notched ten goals and nine assists in 41 games to put him fourth in team scoring while averaging a career-best 16:49 per night.  1:50 of that has come on the penalty kill which will definitely intrigue teams that are buying.

Playoff-bound teams would likely be eyeing Janmark as a bottom-six addition and with it shaping up as a buyers’ market so far, GM Stan Bowman likely won’t be able to get a significant return and will probably need to retain on the contract (or take a player back) to help facilitate a move.  However, with Chicago starting to fall further out of the Central playoff picture (they’re now four points behind Nashville while Dallas can pass them if they win some of their games in hand), the apparent decision to part with the pending UFA certainly makes sense.

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Islanders

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We are now just two weeks away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the New York Islanders.

The New York Islanders, perpetual underdogs, are again delivering an excellent season. Picked by many before the season to miss the playoffs in a loaded East Division, the Islanders have outplayed their competitors for much of the season. A top-five team in goals against average and shots against per game, the Isles have again bought in to head coach Barry Trotz’ conservative, smothering style and are frustrating opponents left and right.

With that said, New York does not have a top-class offense, and that was even before the season-ending injury to captain Anders Lee. The Islanders are just a middle-of-the pack team in terms of scoring and are below average on the power play. As a side effect of the system, they do not put a lot of shots on net and have few odd-man rushes. Simply, they need to make their scoring chances count and without Lee that becomes more difficult. The Islanders have won just five of their past nine games since their leading goal-scorer went down and have slipped into a tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins in second in the division. In terms of points percentage, New York is closer to the Boston Bruins in fourth (who have many more game in hand) than they are to the Washington Capitals in first. The Islanders are unlikely to fall out of the playoff picture completely, but to stay near the top they desperately need to add offense.

Record

22-10-4, .667, T-2nd in East Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$0MM in full-season space (LTIR, $6.53MM unused), 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: NYI 1st, COL 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th
2022: NYI 1st, NYI 2nd, COL 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th

Trade Chips

Like many contenders, the Islanders don’t have the strongest pipeline to lean on. However, likely looking to add just one rental forward in a buyer’s market, they shouldn’t have to offer up any of their few elite prospects to get the job done. So fear not Isles fans, Oliver Wahlstrom and Noah Dobson aren’t going anywhere.

Kieffer Bellows is likely the name that will be heard most often as being linked to outgoing Islanders’ packages. A polarizing, but promising prospect, Bellows hasn’t found the success in the NHL that was expected of a first-round pick and World Juniors standout, but he could benefit from playing in a different system. The 22-year-old may very well be selected by the Seattle Kraken in this summer’s Expansion Draft if he is still on the roster and not protected, so the Islanders might be looking to deal him rather than risk losing him for nothing.

The Islanders also have an organization depth chart chock full of young defenseman that they could offer up in a deadline deal. Bode Wilde will be the player most suitors ask about, but the team will try to steer them away from the talented righty. Sebastian Aho and Grant Hutton are NHL-ready assets who don’t necessarily have a full-time spot waiting for them in New York next season, making them expendable, while Robin Salo and Samuel Bolduc are younger options with intriguing upside.

Others to Watch For: F Ross Johnston ($1MM, 2022 UFA), F Michael Dal Colle ($700K, RFA), F Otto Koivula ($787K, RFA), D Parker Wotherspoon ($725K, 2022 RFA), G Jakub Skarek ($764K, 2023 RFA)

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Winger – GM Lou Lamoriello will have his sights set on one thing and one thing only at the deadline: a Lee replacement. While the captain’s locker room leadership and even his two-way effort and IQ likely cannot be found on the market, the Islanders need to find someone who can take up his knack for scoring goals. The team relies on efficiency on offense and are now missing their most reliable scorer. They are solid down the middle and have plenty of other talented wingers, but no one who isn’t already playing in the top-six can reliably fill Lee’s shoes. With up to $7MM in cap space to use with Lee on Long-Term Injured Reserve, nearly any rental winger can fit under the cap. Buffalo’s Taylor Hall, the lone exception, could be had with some retention involved, but New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri or Nashville’s Mikael Granlund would fit nicely under the cap. If the Islanders can’t manage to land one of those top options, dark horse candidates could include Chicago’s Mattias Janmark, who is scoring goals at a torrid clip this year, Vancouver’s Tanner Pearson, if healthy, or another New Jersey option, Nikita Gusev. 

2) Goaltender – Being the shrewd veteran executive that he is, don’t be surprised to see Lamoriello look at solving an Expansion crisis ahead of the deadline as well. With young Ilya Sorokin exempt from the draft and Cory Schneider headed for free agency, the Islanders do not currently have the necessary goalie to expose to Seattle assuming they protect starter Semyon Varlamov, unless they  extend the 35-year-old Schneider that is. Instead, look for the team to add a keeper with term on his contract or heading for restricted free agency. The team could kill two birds with one stone if they make can find a dependable addition; having a fourth-string for the playoffs and a third-string to replace Schneider next year would be a wise move.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Mattias Janmark

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The Chicago Blackhawks have made a short-term signing to help their forward group, inking Mattias Janmark to a one-year deal worth $2.25MM. This deal comes after Jonathan Toews’ remarks in The Athletic, critiquing management for not indicating to the team’s core they were entering a rebuild.

In certain situations, Janmark signing a short-term deal may appear to be adding depth for a lengthy playoff run. The veteran forward played in 26 postseason games with the Dallas Stars this summer, recording eight points and 38 penalty minutes along the way. Following the other Chicago moves, however, it’s hard to see this as anything other than a house flip.

Though Janmark is better suited to a bottom-six role and has scored just six goals in each of the last two seasons, he did record previous totals of 15 and 19. That would indicate there is a little room for improvement in Chicago if fed juicy minutes, leading to a possible deadline deal to bring back more prospects or draft picks for the rebuild.

After letting Corey Crawford walk in free agency the Blackhawks will be going with a tandem of Collin Delia and Malcolm Subban in net this season, something that certainly doesn’t inspire confidence for a Stanley Cup push. The team also moved on from the last year of Brandon Saad’s contract, though did bring Nikita Zadorov, an established NHL defenseman, back in that deal.

There’s no doubt that Toews and the rest of the Blackhawks will have a chip on their shoulders this season as they try to prove that they shouldn’t be in a rebuild. Perhaps Janmark, who had to settle for a one-year deal, will be able to do the same.

Free Agent Focus: Dallas Stars

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With free agency now just a couple weeks away,  teams are looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign.  Fresh off of a heart-breaking loss in the Stanley Cup Final, the Dallas Stars will have to evaluate the cost of bringing back the veteran UFA’s that contributed to their playoff run while also maintaining enough space to extend several core RFA forwards.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Roope Hintz – Hintz came out strong as a rookie in 2018-19 with 22 points in 58 games only to top that this year with 19 goals and 33 points in 60 games. The 23-year-old is still trending upward and projects to be a core piece for a long time for the Stars. Coming off of his entry-level contract, Hintz is in for a major raise, especially on a long-term deal. And with so many of their top forwards on the wrong side of 30, Dallas will likely aim for a lengthy deal to make sure Hintz is around to help take over.

F Denis Gurianov – Gurianov is part of that next wave of core forwards in Dallas as well. The 2015 first-round pick took some time to arrive on the NHL stage, but in his first full season with the Stars this season shook off any doubts about his potential. With a team-leading 20 goals and 29 points in 64 games, backed up by 17 points in 27 playoff games, Gurianov proved himself to be a dangerous scoring threat. With his entry-level contract expiring, Gurianov is in for a payday, perhaps even more so than Hintz, due to the possibility that he could be Dallas’ top goal-scorer for years to come.

F Radek Faksa – Faksa’s future with the Stars may be a bit more uncertain than his fellow RFA forwards. The 26-year-old center, who is owed at least a $2.2MM qualifying offer, declined this season and his role moving forward in Dallas is unclear. Faksa snapped a three-year streak of 30+ points with just 20 on the year, his lowest per-game rate since his rookie season. He also finished outside the top nine scoring forwards for the Stars and saw his ice time slashed as a result. A good two-way player, Faksa is best suited for a bottom-six role but Dallas may question how much that role is worth to them. Faksa could sign a short-term deal, especially given the current flat cap conundrum, with the chance to prove himself worthy of an extension before he reaches unrestricted free agency.

Other RFAs: F Tony Calderone, F Joel L’Esperance, F Josh Melnick, G Landon Bow

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

G Anton Khudobin – Has Khudobin priced himself out of Dallas? After outplaying Ben Bishop this season and then taking over for the injured starter in the playoffs and marching the team to the Stanley Cup Final, Khudobin’s stock has never been higher. Which is saying a lot about a player who has been considered one of the top backups in the league for many years. With so many teams looking for a shake-up in net this off-season, including several teams with young netminders who would love a reliable veteran to share starts, Khudobin should draw a ton of interest on the open market. With a solid starter in Bishop and a promising young option in Jake Oettinger pushing for opportunities, will the Stars keep up with the top bidders to retain Khudobin? It seems unlikely.

F Corey Perry – Perry is another player whose stock soared this postseason. A former superstar now past his prime, Perry was still clutch in the playoffs and showed over the course of the whole year that he can still be an effective player. An intense physical presence and a smart offensive mind, Perry can still make a difference even if his 21 points this season is more reflective of his new ceiling. In fact, while Perry may be limited to another one-year deal this off-season, he might be able to command more than his $1.5MM “show me” salary from this season. As the price goes up on the open market, it becomes less likely that Perry returns to Dallas. However, if he’s seeking consistency in his older age, Dallas was a good fit and a return makes sense.

D Andrej Sekera – Dallas has everything you could want in a defense corps: high-end talent, depth, size, experience in the minors, and budding young prospects. However, sometimes a respected veteran and leader is the finishing touch that a contender needs. Sekera is not the player he once was -not really even close – but was a great fit on the bottom pair in Dallas. Sekera can still play meaningful minutes, provides solid defense, blocks shots, and can contribute on offense from time to time. An experienced asset who can help bring along the Stars’ young defenders while playing a reliable role, Sekera fits well in Dallas and should return on another minimal deal as long as he wants to keep playing.

Other UFAs: F Mattias Janmark, F Michael Mersch, F Oula Palve, D Gavin Bayreuther, D Dillon Heatherington

Projected Cap Space

CapFriendly projects the Stars to have about $15.5MM in current cap space. However, that projection includes two-way players whose roster spots are not necessarily secure, such as forward Justin Dowling and defensemen Taylor Fedun and Ryan Shea. It also seems likely that forward Joel Kiviranta and defenseman Joel Hanley have earned roster spots next season with strong playoff performances, but are not included in the current projection. All things considered, the Stars should have at least $16.2MM in flexible cap space heading into the off-season. This will be plenty to extend Faksa, Hintz, and Gurianov while leaving room to explore the free agent market.

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