How GM Nill Turned the Dallas Stars Into a Juggernaut

However, the first big trade was during the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. They moved back from the 15th to the 23rd pick in the first round and added the 48th and 138th pick in the process. While the Detroit Red Wings used the 15th pick to select Sebastian Cossa, the Stars added Wyatt Johnston in the first round while selecting Logan Stankoven in the second round, albeit they had back-to-back to do so. Johnston has been an integral part of the forward unit, while Stankoven is one of the best young prospects in their system.

This season, Nill rounded out the defense when he acquired Chris Tanev. Adding the veteran cost the Stars a second-round and a fourth-round pick, as well as prospect Artem Grushnikov and a conditional third-round pick. That’s a lot, but the move helped turn the defense into one of the best in the league. Before the Stars acquired Tanev, they averaged 3.03 goals allowed per game, and they’ve allowed only 2.41 goals per game since.

One skater rarely transforms a unit, yet Tanev has done it largely because of his play in the defensive zone. The Stars have plenty of two-way defensemen but lacked the shutdown presence needed to win the Cup. They have it now, and they’re dominating. He was not only the cherry on top for a contending team but left them with no glaring weakness, allowing them to surge to the top of the Central Division and the Western Conference.

Stars’ Youth Movement

Allowing John Klingberg to leave in the 2022 offseason was a surprise at the time. He was one of the best defensemen on the Stars and a top free agent. Klingberg’s departure is a reminder that ice time is a finite resource and teams must use it correctly. Without him in the lineup, the Stars went with a younger lineup where Miro Heiskanen (24 years old) received more ice time and Thomas Harley (22) became a lineup regular.

Heiskanen and Harley are the two young defensemen carrying the unit and adding a scoring presence from the point, combining for 23 goals and 74 assists. Throw in Nils Lundkvist, and the Stars have three defensemen 24 or younger who can carry the unit and give it that burst of energy needed to compete for the Cup.

The Stars have seven skaters 24 years old or younger in their lineup. Along with the defense, Nill has continuously added young forwards who have created an ideal balance with the aging skaters who have carried the offense in previous seasons. Johnston is the rising star of the group as he’s already scored 56 goals and 50 assists before turning 21, while Stankoven and Ty Dellandrea are depth skaters as they continue to develop.

However, there is no player more important to the youth movement than the face of the team, who, at 24, embodies the Stars.

Jason Robertson’s Stardom

Understandably, the Hart Trophy conversation starts with Nathan MacKinnon, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, and Auston Matthews. When asked who might be fifth or sixth in the voting, David Pastrnak, Artemi Panarin, and maybe Connor Hellebuyck are thrown in. All this is to say that Jason Robertson might not be a top five, 10, or even a top 20 player for some fans, but make no mistake, he is.

Robertson is a superstar whose talents are often overlooked until the playoffs. He’s the Western Conference version of Sebastian Aho, a great forward that fans only start to notice when their team is on the national stage.

In 289 games, Robertson has 132 goals and 180 assists while averaging 18:06 ice time, which is significantly less than the Hart Trophy frontrunners. The best part about Robertson is that he creates offense in any way that’s asked of him. He can find open skaters with quick passes or the back of the net himself with his shooting ability. He can beat opponents with speed off the rush and also by operating in the zone. Robertson embodies the Stars’ offense and the team overall as someone who gets the job done without all the attention he might deserve.

Free Agent Deals That Never Set Them Back

A lot of teams avoid free-agent signings because of the risks involved. Signing a player entering their 30s to a long-term deal can set a team back for years. However, if a team wants to contend, they have to keep adding talent, and one of the ways to do that is through free agency. Nill’s signings have upgraded the roster and rarely aged badly.

The Tyler Seguin deal might be the worst of the group, as the Stars signed him to an eight-year deal with a $9.8 million average annual value (AAV), and even that deal hasn’t been that bad. After all, Seguin has scored 20 goals or more in each of the last three seasons.

Then there are the recent deals. Joe Pavelski was acquired in the 2019 offseason, and even in his late 30s, has remained an essential part of the offense. In five seasons with the Stars, he has 121 goals and 185 assists. Ryan Suter was acquired in the 2021 offseason and has been a steady veteran presence on the blue line. Mason Marchment was brought in on a four-year deal in the 2022 offseason, and he’s emerged as a reliable depth forward with 21 goals and 31 assists this season.

This offseason, the big move was acquiring Matt Duchene. At 33, it looked like his best years were behind him, but he became another player to age gracefully in the heart of Texas (maybe there’s something in the water or the BBQ). Duchene has 25 goals and 39 assists, making him one of the best offensive forwards on the team. Nill never took a big swing but instead chose to make deals that would never set the team back if they backfired. He hit on all of them, and it shows in the team’s success.

Finding a Weakness on the Stars

It’s hard to find one issue that could eliminate the Stars. However, goaltenders Jake Oettinger and Scott Wedgewood have both struggled this season. They have a combined -2.6 goals saved above average (GSAA), and if they get into a goaltending duel, especially against the Winnipeg Jets who have Hellebuyck, they could be in trouble. However, Oettinger has improved in his recent starts, hopefully, finding his footing just in time for the playoffs.

The only other issue that can prevent them from winning the Cup is if they run into a team that has enough star power to take a series from them. They have the deepest roster in the Western Conference and possibly the NHL, yet they could play the Colorado Avalanche and watch MacKinnon and Cale Makar take over. The same thing could happen with the Edmonton Oilers if McDavid and Leon Draisaitl dominate every game. In a seven-game series, the Stars still have the edge, but all it takes is one elite player to reach another gear to pull off an upset.

Do you think the Stars are built to win the Cup? Let us know in the comments section below.