The 2021 NHL Free Agency has one of the most fruitful selection of players in recent memory.
Alexander Ovechkin, Ryan Getzlaf, Taylor Hall, and Tuukka Rask are just some players on the wide unrestricted free agent list.
Sure, some will re-sign with their current teams, but there’s still a wonderful selection to choose from.
The Dallas Stars don’t have much space in terms of the salary cap so signing an elite player is unlikely.
The Stars have other concerns besides making a big splash on the offseason.
Here are some players the Stars should target this offseason.
There is one main concern the Stars have that should be their primary focus. Miro Heiskanen is a restricted free agent and likely will have a high price tag in the re-signing value. Joel Kiviranta, Rhett Gardner, and Jason Dickinson are also RFAs but Heiskanen is the future of the defensive core for this team.
If any other team signs him, the Stars get certain draft picks depending on the dollar value of the contract. Letting Heiskanen go to another team this offseason is an absolute no-no for the Stars. They must ink a contract and give him whatever amount of money he wants.
Photo: —Blake Coleman scored the final goal against the Stars in Game 6 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. The Plano-born Tampa Bay Lightning player grew up a Stars fan, so he has local roots. Coleman is an offensive utility player that would fit in with the current Stars team. He recorded 31 points in 55 games this season, so he is a great value player that will command a little more than the $1,800,000 per season he currently makes. Depending on his asking price, the Stars may want to pursue this player.
The Stars cannot afford much in terms of available cap space. Their final cap scape was $0, meaning they used all of the $81,500,000 upper limit. Andrew Cogliano, Blake Comeau, Jamie Oleksiak, and Mark Pysyk all have their contracts expiring. The Stars will probably not make a big splash because of the limited cap space available, but anything can happen.
Free Agency is a time to build your hockey team. Who could forget signing Brett Hull, which turned out to be the final Stanley Cup Champions puzzle piece?
The Stars could be one signing away from winning the Stanley Cup. Coleman seems like a great value player for the Stars, but they need to re-sign Heiskanen above all else.
Don’t expect the Stars to get too crazy come free agency.
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