Free Agent Friday: The top Defenseman the Dallas Stars should be in on this summer!

Free Agent Friday: The top Defenseman the Dallas Stars should be in on this summer!

it’s our first free agent Friday of the off season let’s take a peek at the available defenseman the Dallas Stars should have their eye on this summer can they solidify this decor and get over the hump next season your locked on Stars your daily podcast on the Dallas Stars part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day how do stars fans of welcome back to another episode of lockon stars part of the lockon podcast Network your team every single day it’s a pleasure to be with you I’m Joe Ericson former producer 105 through the fan please be sure to subscribe we are free and available wherever you get your podcast in on YouTube and as always thank you so much for making us a part of your day and making us your first listen happy free agent Friday and we begin by looking at the top available defenseman in the National Hockey League this summer I have a few names I’m going to throw out there that I think would be great fits for the Dallas Stars and I have a few categories as well and some of them have multiple things in common number one is a right shot defenseman because the Dallas Stars desperately need some right shot defenseman the other is some size as well I did throw in the an undersized defenseman I’ll get to a bit later on as well as some under 30 options for the Dallas Stars and maybe even some unrealistic options because let’s face it it’s fun this time of year to think about who who the Dallas Stars could go after even if the number wouldn’t quite fit or even if they wouldn’t be a great fit with the Dallas Stars but I think defense is priority number one for general manager Jim nil and I think it’s priority number one for the Dallas Stars they need to have six defensemen three pairs that they can trust and they can play in order to get over the hump next season so let’s Dive Right In today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time download the game time app Cent account and use code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply by the way let me know in the comments section if there’s somebody I need to do a deeper dive on or somebody I forgot because we can revisit this segment each Friday because we have a couple of weeks before July 1st but without further Ado I begin with a right shot defenseman who played for the Winnipeg Jets last year 6114 pounds and I think a very intriguing and reasonable option in Dylan Dello I’m also doing this under the uh I’m doing this under the umbrella of the Dallas Stars Do not resign Chris tanv because look that is still a possibility okay he could be gone he’s an unrestricted free agent there could be a lot of suitors for him I’m also doing it with the assumption that Ryan suor is is staying put and he’ll be a cap hit 3.6 million and and uh and you don’t get tanev so the Stars need to to try to fill that void I’m doing it under that assumption because it’s a realistic possibility that the stars are without Chris tanv next season but anyways I go with Dylan Dello a 31-year-old defenseman had a really really solid season with Winnipeg last year and he he played alongside their best defenseman and of course Josh morsy who uh is an offensive uh genius uh has put up some large numbers uh the past few years but he he plays really really well uh amongst talented defensemen and I think could be a really really great fit for someone like Meo hinan or even Thomas Harley he had 28 points he played in all 82 games uh last season he had 31 points excuse me 28 assists something I really like about him uh at the age of 31 the last four seasons his offensive numbers H have increased and look that probably helps playing alongside a really really good defenseman in morsy but had 13 points in 21-22 that bumped up to 27 and then it ticked up a bit more uh with a career high of 31 points here this past season had a plus minus a plus 46 um he’s a really really strong Defender he had a defensive rating of plus two and his offensive rating uh was plus one um you you take a look at an article from the athletic about the top available free agent uh defenseman and it says for those who strike out on Matt Roy of LA or tanv Dello represents a solid younger backup plan a strong number two option who prioritizes defense is an an asset for Clear responsible breakouts and one of the things I love about this one sentence on this article it says D melo’s ability to exit zones with control is on par with tanv he’s the type of guy you pair with a stud and don’t think twice about it I think that is a great great sign for uh someone that could fit right in with the Stars and he gives Dallas a bit of size I I know he isn’t huge but he um he was uh he was third on the team in hits for Winnipeg he blocked a ton of shots he he led the uh the Jets decor and block shots a year ago he he plays um on special teams um and uh is really really good in his own Zone and I think the Stars need some upgrade on the back end with with some size they need some physicality and uh they need someone that can make plays in their own Zone specifically on breakouts making that outlet PL uh pass looking for uh clear exits uh and there there’s also a few more characteristics um that that you really have to to like about him not an overly Elite Talent but uh 54% of the expected goals and 59% of the expected goals the past two seasons and um he has some great projections uh in this article specifically they have him around $5 million and let’s say tanv gets offered a lot more than Dallas is willing to give him or Matt Roy is another defenseman that looks like he’s going to be um in the conversation of getting a massive H payday Dello might be a really really reasonable option for the stars and um he gives you uh uh some characteristics like a Chris tanv and he might come a bit cheaper um and even if he’s not a bit cheaper you get him at a bit younger age one of the concerns that you could have about Chris tanv is he’s 34 years old and who knows if his defense is going to decline or his game is going to drop off I also want to preface I’m still very much on board about resigning Chris tanov I think the star should do whatever they can to get him back and keep him in the building because he’s obviously very very impressive but you have to acknowledge the fact that he could walk out the door because he’s going to be a pretty hot commodity I think I I think a lot of teams um will will be interested in him but maybe some of the the flare wears off with him just with the amount of names that are available this year especially defensively I think there’s um a lot of solid solid choices not necessarily um a number one or uh I would say like The Shining Crown so to speak like The Shining player I think there’s just a lot of solid top pairing or top four type of defenseman um in this free agent class and I think that boats well for for Dallas as well they they need to get somebody um at a decent value especially with the assumption that uh that sudor is going to stick around and even if tanv is going to stick around how how can you fit that in um because you’re trying to increase your I think your size on the back in number one um and your just defensive ability so you can rock with six defensemen pretty consistently that you trust and it is not going to be a liability because I think that is one thing that probably faulted them in the Western Conference Final this year they were rolling with five defensemen for really the last month and a half of the season and then of course petravic was inserted into the lineup in game six against Colorado but all those minutes had already accumulated on Meo Harley tanv Lindell even suder who had an awful awful finish in the postseason those minutes really really wore down Dallas and I don’t think they were able to defend at a high enough level even though they did have an edge at five on five I’ll give him that against Edmonton but look you have to be able to defend their best play ERS and obviously they’re two of some of the more talented players in the world um and we don’t have to dive into that series any more than we already have but look I I I think Dello is a really interesting option um and at 31 years old I think um he would be a great great solid player you could pair with either Meo um or Harley and uh and get a lot out of I think there’s um a lot of nice upside with him still so um I throw out Dylan Dello as a as an option for the Dallas Stars this summer um not the most gifted offensively but I’m not necessarily looking for for guys with a ton of offensive upside I’m looking for some shutdown defenseman and some size because I think that is what Dallas needs to elevate them to getting over the hump in the Western Conference Final and I think is important because look we’ve seen a trend now with petore offense is starting to fizzle out deeper you get into the postseason well if if your offense is going to dry up I I I can see the devil’s advocate of well you need to get some more offensive Talent well if it’s going to really dry up because it becomes a lot harder to score when you’re playing better teams supposedly well at least you think when you get to the final four final two of a year offense is a bit hard to come by you need to be able to defend at a high enough level so th those are sort of the uh the circumstances I’m thinking about when I’m looking at uh these type of players uh that the Dallas Stars uh should keep their eye on but Dello uh will be number one for me and it was a six round pick actually by by the Sharks uh in 2011 I remember a late round pick for the Sharks that’s had an impact on the Stars here over the past few seasons so maybe he could uh he could do the same in a Stars uniform form okay let’s segue into some under 30 options for the Dallas Stars and I have two players for you and they’re kind of different drastically I I would say both different kinds uh of players but I think could be really really intriguing if um if the stars are again looking for a right shot defenseman I can sort of plug and play in the top for and find Su U some success with so let’s look at some under 30 options for the Dallas Stars in just a moment today’s episode of Locked on stars is brought to you by policy genius a lot of life is unpredictable but a good insurance life policy gives your family a financial safety net to protect against some of the unknowns policy genius is the country’s leading online insurance Marketplace it makes choosing the right policy for your family easy and quick with policy genius you can find life insurance policies that start at just $292 per year for a million dollars of coverage some options are 100% online and let you avoid unnecessary medical exams policy genius helps you easily compare your options from America’s Top insurers in just a few clicks their award-winning agents can even walk you through the process step by step they have no incentive to recommend one insure over the other so you can trust guidance they have a thousand fstar reviews on Google and trust pilot from customers who found the best fit for their needs your needs are going to differ from everybody else’s and that’s why policy genius helps you find the right life insurance policy so get peace of mind find the right life insurance policy with policy genius head to policygenius.com or click the link in the description to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save that’s PA genius.com okay these are two defensemen that I think I would be really really over the moon about if the Dallas Stars could grab one of these two players and I begin with this one because if you remember I did a a dive into possible trade deadline options for the Dallas Stars earlier this season and he actually popped up in one of these and he ended up staying with the with his Club but he’s had a couple of really really nice Seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes and uh he also went through some injuries this year didn’t play uh in the uh in the entirety of the playoffs but it’s it’s Brett pesy um I don’t know what it is I’ve always liked his game and the eye test just really really does it for me and he may not be in a Range where Dallas can NAB him but at the same time I really really like his game and I think he’s so so steady and um I think he would be a wonderful wonderful addition for the Dallas Stars uh pesi and and Al and his partner Brady Shay are are free agents here um in the off season 29 years old uh he he’s he’s a bigger cat he he sits at 63 over 200 lb so you know you’re getting some size on the back end not as offensive inclined as pretty Shay is uh had just 13 points in 70 games uh this season uh W with Carolina but he’s an intriguing option his expected goals is uh just 5.8 which which ranked fifth um amongst all hurricanes uh Defenders but he he defends at a really really high level especially at five on five and um I I think is just a real real high quality uh defenseman he it says here from the athletic Carolina Defenders can be very tough to read because it’s difficult to know what they’ll be capable of of a different system and of course Carolina uh plays a very different style than most other teams say uh the hurricane seemed to play an entirely different sport it’s hard to comment on whether pesi is actually a poor Puck mover or if that’s by Design he is great at defending the rush and still great defensively in general enough to be on the ice for 55% of the expected goals last season his absence during the playoffs was felt greatly says that there’s a right price to be paid for his services and they are entirely depend on term he’s probably a five million defenseman now but how long will that be true as he enters his 30s there are some risk they say that short and sweet is ideal with 5.2 million over four years being a sweet spot for heshi so one of the things that I really like he’s great at defending off the rush the stars were one of the better teams in that category um this season especially the way they defend and you saw it a ton last year where you have a guy streaking down the right wing Meo Harley whoever it is will go over use the board as use the boards as an extra Defender try to shut off the lane the center Lane Drive forever the the opponent is is picked up by that weak side defenseman and then of course it also involves your Forge tracking back picking up uh picking up their options as well but peshi for me is just I don’t know one he he he may be the the golden eye for me uh just the golden player that’s shining that uh I think would be uh a really really interesting fit uh for Dallas and who knows maybe there’s a a sweet spot for him um here here in Dallas but another guy blocks a lot of shots he blocked 113 um this season that was uh second best on Carolina and um I think if you put him with a really quality defenseman um he he could do uh wonders for you so there um is I think probably the the Golden Boy for me of free agent defensemen um we now switch over to a Central division rival and uh a player that I believe someone commented actually not too long ago but he doesn’t bring a ton of size this is one of my options where he he he’s an undersiz defenseman but his upside defensively is really really good a strong strong Defender and actually took on the toughest minutes last year for Nashville and that’s Alexander Kier um he’s really really young just uh not really really young but 27 years of age not great offensively but he has a plus three defensive rating his offensive rating um was minus one doesn’t uh apply a ton of offense he had 20 points uh last year but but I think really really and you have to what you see out of him he’s just 5’11 174 pounds and he was a name that I heard a ton of especially this year against Nashville felt like his name was called a ton um and for the right reasons you can get your name called a lot for for wrong for wrong reasons throughout a game but I think Kier um is is a really really really really strong Defender earned 52% of the goals and expected goals with some of the best defensive uh numbers on the team he’s really really strong in transition and he creates chances and he breaks the puck out really really well I think he would be a great top four option for uh a ton of teams I look at his frame and and I know that’s not the particular archetype that a lot of teams are looking for in their top four especially that he’s not a highly offensive uh gifted talent but I think what you’re getting in terms of a defenseman he’s uh really really strong and maybe you you have some push back well we got kind of got that in Neil lanquist at this point but let’s face it Neil lanquist is not this strong of a Defender as Kier and do you really want to bring in another undersized defenseman to this operation which I can see but um I think he is a very very realistic and reasonable option I don’t know if the stars would have a ton of interest in him but uh you see a lot of guys especially within divisions that can kind of hop around just because you see him a ton and obviously Dallas uh has seen him quite a bit here uh in the past few seasons um and he he certainly has improved especially defensively over the past three years paty is not as realistic as an option for Dallas it looks like Toronto is really in on him there’s a bunch of rumors buzzing um in Toronto about him which makes sense I think Toronto is gonna have Buzz almost everybody around everybody they’re going to be looking for uh anyone with a pul that they can uh get in there to to make an impact so there were a couple under 30 options for you Brett pesy and Alexander Kier now let let’s switch over maybe some unrealistic options possibly some that make absolutely zero sense for Dallas but let’s take a look at some of the top names or just top candidates in the summer this year that I think a lot of teams will have their eye on because um look it’s fun to kind of play Fantasy GM maybe like Vegas does and just bring everybody in and figure it out later which um is uh pretty hard to do with uh with the cap the way it is but the cap is going up and maybe there’s some uh leeway to make some things happen via trade and and who knows all that other good stuff let’s do that in just a moment today’s episode of Locked on stars is brought to you by game time game time takes all the guest work out of buying tickets it’s also the official app of getting NBA tickets for the NBA Finals the Dallas Mavericks just took on the Boston Celtics in game one yesterday I’m currently recording that as that contest is about to start so I do not know the outcome of that one but either way you can get last minute deals with game time all the way up to tip op you can look at the seat before you buy it so you know exactly what you’re getting and you can save up to 60% off buying your tickets and not just only for the NBA Finals hockey games in the near future theater concerts comedy you want to see someone go see them and use game time it takes 30 seconds download it on your smartphone it’s free on the Apple Store as well as the Google Play Store download the app create an account use code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code l c d o n NHL that’s locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed okay there are a litter of defensemen in this year’s free agent class and I did want to pop out uh a few names that may not be realistic options for the Dallas Stars but who who knows nothing really is is necessarily um out of the possibility Anything Can Happen um in the summer and who knows maybe uh general manager timil will surprise us um one of the bigger names which I think is really really intriguing and of course he got dealt really really early uh early this season and that was Nikita zadorov uh 29 years of age and he played in a very very interesting role with Vancouver wasn’t necessarily top four um in the playoffs uh this season but obviously he’s huge he has a ton of size and analytics really really loveed him um his his Advanced numbers um are pretty glowing uh even though he didn’t play in uh a necessarily great role or the most I guess successful role with Vancouver in the postseason he was he is someone that could be really really interesting and who knows maybe he is an option for the stars and if they got tanv reunite tanv and zadorov uh uh once again I don’t know if he’s necessarily someone the Stars would uh really really be in love with uh but uh who knows he could be I think he’s a wild card this summer I could see teams really shelling out a lot of money for him or I I could see a lot of teams passing up on him and and then maybe someone gets a steal or gets really really good uh value but at 66 and almost 250 pounds he was really really strong uh defensively on entries he defended at or above 50% on entries his Puck moving ability is really really strong his exit volume was very high last season uh and he did so with control 56% of the time so he’s pretty Fleet footed uh which may go um against popular belief just with him being such a big guy but um uh z uh Nikita zadorov I is one I think to keep an eye on this summer because who knows if teams are really GNA shell out the the bank for him uh or not the other one is Matt Roy and there have been a couple of pieces on him recently and I’ve fallen in love with him but doesn’t seem like uh chance and you know what that the Stars can get after him because he’s going to get paid um at a at a very nice level uh Matt Roy has slotted alongside uh Drew dowy and he’s just kind of been under the radar for the majority of his career he has a really really interesting story and before eventually he finds he finds his way to LA and um has put up just some phenomenal phenomenal defensive numbers for the Kings he’s projected to get 6.4 million this offseason a plus one offensive rating plus four defensive rating 26 points a year ago um he’s 29 years old he hasn’t really gotten his payday as of yet and uh it’s expected to come this this summer so first off congratulations for him I hope he does get paid uh but he was also the 12th highest Mark in the league among defenseman and get this he was sandwiched right in between Chris tanv and Essa Lindell and um it’s not like he’s a drag defens uh offensively um as well so he is uh he’s going to be a welcomed addition to whoever gets him I mean he’s a top pairing uh uh player immediately and um he’s going to get his payday so um he’s a name that maybe you haven’t even heard a ton of just uh just because it it doesn’t really have that headline power so to speak and um he really should because he’s he’s fantastic and um has done great work uh with the with the Kings over the past few seasons and looks like um he’s about to cash in for sure so those are a few maybe unrealistic options for the the Dallas Stars but hey who knows nothing is out of the the possibility this time of year and look it’s always fun to think about all the different players um that the that the Stars could um have their eyes on um I I will also touch on Chris tanv uh for that matter just because um he’s on this list and just uh give you a little rundown of the athletic article what they say his defensive rating was plus four his offensive rating uh what what was minus two says Chris tanv of course everybody loves he was a shutdown defenseman played the toughest minutes in the playoffs this season he’s heavily involved in retrievals exits and highly efficient very few retrieve as many pucks as he does 29.9 per 60 if the term is short he’s definitely worth 4.5 or $5 million tanv is perfect but at 34 there is a risk of his G dropping off at any moment and that may drive down the price so there you go that’s a uh a little summary there on Chris tanov from the athletic but like I told you I am all on board for trying to keep Chris tanov around look as much as I think the Stars should buy out Ryan sudor I just don’t think it’s gonna happen um I just I I don’t see it happening for a few reasons look they’re pretty loyal to to him and they’ve shown that over the past few seasons and whether you think that’s right or not and number two he’s just a veteran that’s played a ton of games and it’s not like Dallas as of right now has a ton of better options I know lean bixel is expected to make the jump and hopefully he can play every day in the National Hockey League but look he’s still really young I I know we’re ready for him to arrive but there’s there’s questions there it’s it’s not like he’s he’s going to step in and just be like wow all of a sudden who knows maybe maybe he is but maybe there’s some Thomas Harley in that right where you have to kind of bounce back and forth in the American Hockey League till he gets his feet wet right so I I think he he’s just going to be an option the stars are going to keep around for for one more year um and then go on their ways um after that so look uh whether that’s right or wrong I just I I don’t think it’s a a real option and um I think H be sticking around for another year and Dallas just gonna have to find a way to fill his holes where they need and uh make it where Ryan suder doesn’t have to play tough minutes and he’s not playing in big important moments of the Season where he has a track record now in the past few years that’s really really really hurt the stars in key moments and you saw that this year against Edmonton and uh you definitely saw it uh against Vegas um a season ago alrighty that wraps up our first free asent Friday of the off season probably dive into some forwards next week some Wingers in particular looking for size once again there’s some uh some intriguing names as well there that we’ll dive into uh I am going to be speaking with Sam nestler next week I got him on the books as of right now next Monday if you have any questions you want me to ask him uh does great work and um has followed the stars for years now um and has uh some great great pieces if you want to go check out some of his work I know many of you probably already know who he is but um I’ll be having a conversation with him next Monday on that episode so if you have any questions you want to know or know the answer to or want me to ask him please let me know in the comment section below and I’ll pick out a few and uh I’ll throw him uh throw it his way as well hoping to get some guests here lined up in the next uh couple weeks just get some different perspectives um on Dallas of course and maybe the draft and well all the all the offseason questions that need to be answered here in the next couple of months alrighty that’ll do it for today’s episode of lockon stars thank you uh once again all the love and support please be sure to like comment subscribe hit that notification Bell never miss an episode we’re going to be here for you all off seon long delivering content um and having fun as well all right enjoy your weekend enjoy the sun hopefully and um yeah we’ll see you next week so long Stars fans

It’s Free Agent Friday on Locked On Stars! Joey begins the first Free Agent Friday of the offseason by looking at the top available Defensemen in the NHL this summer. Defense should be a top priority for the Stars this summer and if Chris Tanev does not resign with the Stars, Dallas will have to find a way to replenish their core with the hopes of getting over the hump next season. In the first segment, we do a dive on right shot Dylan Demelo who played for the Winnipeg Jets this last season. Demelo is younger and plays a very similar style to Tanev that could be a nice replacement if need be. In the second segment, we take a look at two options under the age of 30 years old. The golden child for Joey this summer would be Brett Pesce of the Carolina Hurricanes, the other possibility is an undersized Alexandre Carrier who grades out as the best defender for the Nashville Predators this season. To finish up the episode, we have some fun and look at some names that most likely the Stars would be out on, but are fun to think about if they did come to Dallas.

Follow Joey on Twitter: twitter.com/joeythejet19

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOStars?sid=YouTube

Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL

Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LockedOnStars
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lockedonstars/

#NHL #DallasStars #hockey

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
eBay Motors
For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

Policygenius
Check life insurance off your to do list in no time with Policygenius. Head to policygenius.com/lockedonnhl to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARANTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)