Joe Nieuwendyk and the Offseason: Plans to Fix the Dallas Stars

Going into the 2009 NHL offseason, Stars fans were left with a sense of “what now?”

Missing the playoffs is never an easy thing to take, not for fans and most definitely not for the players and management of the Stars' organization. Something needed to change for the Stars to be the perennial contenders they once were.

Tom Hicks made the first push for change when he reassigned Les Jackson and Brett Hull and hired former Dallas Star, Joe Nieuwendyk as the General Manager. Having spent time working under Brian Burke in Toronto, many believe Nieuwendyk will bring a strong level of grit and determination to the position.

Shortly after, Nieuwendyk made his first big move as general manager with the removal of Dave Tippett as head coach and the subsequent hiring of Marc Crawford. This move marks a monumental shift in "Stars Hockey."

As far back as many can remember, the Stars have always been a solid "defense first" team; however, Crawford prefers offense, speed, skill, and a lot of scoring. For the first time in years, fans don’t know what kind of hockey the Stars will play.

The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the first major step for Nieuwendyk and the front office to undertake. While Sergei Zubov’s return is still questionable, it’s no secret the Stars need a puck moving defenseman. 

To the shock of some, and to the pleased smiles of others, the Stars did not in fact pick a defenseman with their eighth overall pick, their first first-round pick since 2006. Instead, the Stars' front office filled a void in many ways much more important: a right-handed, right winger in Brandon Wheat King’s forward, Scott Glennie.

He wasn’t the only right-handed, right-side player to be drafted by the Stars this year either.

There are questions as to why a solid defenseman such as Ryan Ellis was not drafted in the early rounds. I believe the Stars were smart.  While picking up a defenseman would have helped stock their depleted defensive prospects, doing so would not help the team right now—when they need one. 

They can wait a year or two for Glennie to improve; they can't afford to wait a few years to get Zubov's replacement. The Stars drafted smart and pulled off a big win in my opinion.

To solve the immediate need for a defenseman, the Stars are will need to look to Free Agency, which begins on Jul. 1. There are a number of good defensemen who will be available after Jul. 1, including Francois Beauchemin (ANA), Jaroslav Spacek (BUF), and Denis Seidenberg (CAR). 

The question isn’t so much will the Stars go for a defenseman, I believe that is a given.  The thing worrying most fans is if will the Stars get the "right" defenseman for this team.

Joe Nieuwendyk has shown he has a plan, so expect him to have an idea of the players he wants already. 

Here's where I see the Stars going in the next few weeks:

I believe the Stars will try and pick up a No. 1 defenseman off the free-agency market, although I doubt they will be successful in getting the player they want. If they don't, expect there to be a big trade to acquire one. 

I think it’s also quite likely that the Stars will look to find a permanent right-winger (scorer) for the top line. Depending on how the team goes securing a top defenseman, I would not be surprised to see a trade bringing a right wing to the Stars, possibly at the expense of a young defensive talent such as Matt Niskanen.

Nieuwendyk also needs to decide on the future of UFA players such as two-time Selke winner Jere Lehtinen and Zubov. Injury has hampered both of these players in recent years, so one could argue the dollars spent on them could be better put to use on younger, healthier players.

Jere Lehtinen will get interest from other teams around the league, and I do think the Stars will make him an offer. Whether we see No. 26 in a Stars jersey next season could very much be up to Lehtinen himself.

Zubov wants to play another season; the question however remains as to his health.  When healthy, he is dangerous on the blue line and an asset to the team. He also brings a level of leadership to the young defensive group which is invaluable to the team.

I doubt we will see Mark Parrish or Joel Lundqvist back next season. Brendan Morrison could be keen to play under Marc Crawford again considering his best years were with the Canucks under Crawford’s coaching. Steve Begin proved to be a valuable defensive asset to the team last season so I expect he will return also.

The big question after last season was the play of goaltender, Marty Turco. In the last year of his contract, expect to see him bounce back and have a solid year. 

The Stars do need a quality backup goalie who can challenge Turco for ice time, however, so depending on how they go signing Jonas Gustavsson, they may need to fill a gap there, too. I do believe Marty will come back strong after last season, especially with Crawford on his back to perform night in and night out.

As the days leading up to the Jul. 1 Free Agency market looming, tough questions need to be asked, and even tougher decisions need to be made. 

For Joe Nieuwendyk and the Dallas Stars, the hard work has only just begun.