Jamie Benn #14 of the Dallas Stars brings the puck around the net while Jiri Hudler #26 of the Detroit Red Wings reaches after during an NHL game at Joe Louis Arena on Feb. 14 in Detroit, Mich. (Dave Reginek/NHLI)
After four years of missing the playoffs by one spot, the Dallas Stars decided to make changes to their core over the offseason.
The Stars began by trading longtime Star Mike Ribeiro to the Washington Capitals.
Later in the summer, the Stars traded fan-favorite Steve Ott along with Adam Pardy to the Buffalo Sabres for center Derek Roy.
As free agency started, the Stars let defenseman Sheldon Souray and gritty forward Adam Burish walk.
Joining the squad this year will be former Canuck defenseman Aaron Rome, former Coyote Ray Whitey and future Hall of Famer Jagomir Jagr.
Jagr is an eight-time All Star, has won the NHL scoring title five times and won the Hart trophy as league MVP in 1999.
Jagr currently ranks eighth all-time in regular season scoring with 1,653 points.
Stars management has made it clear that it will allow the deep prospect pool to develop with time, as opposed to rushing players into the NHL as they have done earlier.
The Stars signed two 40-year-olds in Jagr and Whitney to keep the team competitive while the prospects make their way from juniors and college to the minor leagues.
Returning to the Stars are last year’s leading goal-scorer Michael Ryder and the points leader, Loui Eriksson.
Goalie Kari Lehtonen will play in his second full season as a Star, after a career year.
The team will be anchored by star Jamie Benn, while captain Brendan Morrow will look to rebound from his upper-body injuries.
While the changes promise to be exciting, there is a chance the season won’t go on as planned.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement expires Sept. 15. Both the Players’ Association and the NHL have noted there are considerable differences in what they want.
The uncertainty has already forced some teams to cancel prospect tournaments.
If the NHL did have a labor stoppage, it would be the third such stoppage since 1994, and the first since the 2004-2005 season where the entire season was lost.
If the two sides can come to an agreement, the Stars’ season will start October 13 in Phoenix.
