5 Potential Trades Dallas Stars Could Make to Better Team
Back in the spring, the Dallas Stars made massive headlines across the hockey world when they acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes.
At the detriment of the rival Colorado Avalanche, too.
From Tyler Seguin to Mikko Rantanen, Stars’ general manager Jim Nill has made many franchise-defining trades and acquisitions.
As the Stars might be the closest they’ve ever been to a Cup-winning team under Nill’s tenure, we can safely expect a big move to be made before the middle of March.
Alex Tuch
As a Buffalo Sabre, you pretty much have to accept that you won’t be playing past April. That hadn’t happened in Buffalo since 2011. That is, unless you join another team. Alex Tuch might decide it’s been too long since he’s been on a competitive team and jump ship to a Stanley Cup contender.
Not only would Tuch provide additional goal scoring to a team whose offense has dried up in the Western Conference Finals the last three years, but he also likes to throw hits. Dallas, and everybody else, is always looking for more of that offensive and defensive stats from their guys in the war of attrition known as the Stanley Cup playoffs.
For now, it appears that under the new general manager of Buffalo, they’re trying to keep Tuch around. Time will tell if he stays or goes elsewhere, like Dallas.
Kiefer Sherwood
Another guy whose team will not be one of the last 16 teams standing this spring. The Vancouver Canucks aren’t that far out of a wildcard spot, but given all the calls for Sherwood, and their former captain Quinn Hughes being traded to the Minnesota Wild, the Canucks will likely benefit from going into a rebuild mode and building around newly acquired Zeev Buium.
If Sherwood wants the best bet to win a Stanley Cup, his best bet would be going to Dallas. The Stars are much closer to a chance at the Cup than the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, or the New York Islanders. Plus, Sherwood would fill two holes that are keeping the Stars from banner number two: playoff depth scoring and hits.
Oftentimes, players have taken pay cuts to win the holy grail of silver. Even if Sherwood is on board as just a rental or for two years, coming to Dallas by March might be his best chance in his career to get his name enshrined on that trophy. And while the Canucks have played better as of late, there are way too many teams in front of them who are figuring things out, too.
Nazem Kadri & Rasmus Andersson
Two guys on a Calgary Flames team, who might be better off with a shot at landing Gavin McKenna in this upcoming NHL draft than snatching a 2026 playoff spot in the long run. Nazem Kadri is a Cup winner who scores big goals in the playoffs and plays with a physical edge—two of the biggest qualities on Nill’s shopping list. Even if Kadri gets into penalty trouble, the Stars are already equipped with Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen, and Jake Oettinger on the roster.
For those questioning the right side of the Stars’ defense, Rasmus Andersson is the guy who would silence those critics. Andersson can produce offense and is reliable on the defensive side of the puck.
Acquiring one or two guys (from Calgary or anywhere else) to get the Stars closer to a Stanley Cup will have its costs. Let’s not forget that Nill has a way with making deals, as he’s shown for close to 15 years in Dallas. Some guys may also want to take pay cuts to give themselves the best shot at winning the greatest trophy in sports.
Blake Coleman
Another guy who plays for the Flames team is on their way to their season ending in April.
Born in Plano, Texas, Blake Coleman grew up cheering for the Stars. He also won the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. He’s the second native Texan to win it all, along with former New York Ranger great Brian Leetch. Coleman is the first Texas-trained player to win it all.
Coleman would bring not only cup-winning experience to Dallas, but he’d also bring physicality and an edge to the Stars. And how cool would it be to see Blake win a Stanley Cup with his hometown (close enough) team?
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