Dallas GM hosts press conference and talks Entry Draft and other concerned issues of the…

The Stars GM has a busy schedule ahead. They need to prepare for the NHL Entry Draft, get ready for free agency, and work on improving their roster. Despite the hectic pace, the GM doesn’t mind it being even busier. If the Stars had won against the Edmonton Oilers, they would still be playing while managing these tasks.

The late season success has condensed everything, but it’s a good problem to have. Dallas had a successful season, reaching the conference finals, but ultimately fell short. The GM feels disappointed but also motivated to come back stronger next season. One change already confirmed is that veteran Joe Pavelski will not be playing next season.

However, the organization needs to make a decision on whether to re-sign UFAs Matt Duchene, Chris Tanev, Craig Smith, Scott Wedgewood, Jani Hakanpää, and Alex Petrovic. If they are not re-signed, other teams can sign them starting on July 1. Dallas has more time to deal with restricted free agents Thomas Harley, Sam Steel, and Nils Lundkvist, but they must all fit within the salary cap. To create potential cap space, the Stars traded Ty Dellandrea, a pending-RFA, to San Jose for a fourth-round draft pick.

This is part of managing the cap as the team is facing challenges due to overage from bonuses for Joe Pavelski and Thomas Harley. The Stars have other options as Dellandrea played in a limited number of games. Although the team will need to fill the void left by departing players, they have potential replacements in Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque. Additionally, Dallas may explore trades or free agency to address their needs.

Nill expressed his satisfaction with the team’s core and the people surrounding it. However, he emphasized the need to make wise decisions with the salary cap in order to strengthen the team further. The Stars faced various injuries during the playoffs, but Nill assured that no additional surgeries are required during the summer.

Although some players were banged up, there were no major issues that needed immediate attention. Nill acknowledged the team’s resilience throughout the tough playoffs but admitted disappointment in not finding a way to advance further. Despite this, he highlighted the team’s impressive performance throughout the season, being proud of their consistency and the valuable lessons learned by the players. It’s now time for the team to move forward.