NHL free agency opens in just under two weeks, and the Dallas Stars are preparing to reconstruct their roster.
After reaching the Western Conference finals in three consecutive years and firing head coach Pete DeBoer earlier this month, the Stars are looking for a change heading into the 2025-26 season.
While most of the Stars’ core remains under contract, Dallas will have to make some decisions on nine players from last year’s roster, including captain Jamie Benn.
Here is everything you need to know about NHL free agency:
Sports Roundup
When does NHL free agency begin?
The 2025 NHL free agency market opens at 11 a.m. CT on Tuesday, July 1.
The vast majority of moves will be made that day before the NHL largely goes quiet until training camp.
Of the Stars’ nine free agents, some may choose to re-sign with the team while others could sign elsewhere. Dallas will likely also add new players to the roster from the market.
How much cap room do the Stars have to work with?
The Stars have just under $5 million available to sign six more players. They have among the tightest cap situations in the NHL.
Dallas has eight forwards, six defensemen and two goalies under contract next season. They’ll most likely want to add a seventh defenseman and another five forwards to complete their roster.
Can trades happen?
Yes, and the Stars are expected to trade some players to clear additional cap space.
The Stars could begin trading players now, if they wished, with the hopes of clearing cap space, recouping draft capital or adding other players to the roster.
Forward Mason Marchment and defensemen Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin are among the most likely candidates for the Stars to consider trading this offseason. All three players remain under contract for the 2025-26 season.
There were reports that the Stars were entertaining offers for forward Jason Robertson, but a person familiar with the Stars’ thinking shot down those rumors last week.
Which Stars’ players are unrestricted free agents?
Forwards: Jamie Benn (35 years old), Matt Duchene (34), Evgenii Dadonov (36), Mikael Granlund (33), Colin Blackwell (32)
Defensemen: Brendan Smith (36), Cody Ceci (31)
What is a restricted free agent, and which Stars’ players fall into that category?
Forwards: Mavrik Bourque (23 years old)
Defensemen: Nils Lundvkist (24)
A restricted free agent (RFA) is the status given to a player whose initial entry level contract has come to an end but has yet to reach unrestricted free agency status. During this period, a team still holds the player’s rights by making a qualifying offer by June 30.
Players can either accept a qualifying offer by July 15 or decline and continue negotiations. Restricted free agents must sign a contract by Dec. 1 to be eligible to play for the remainder of the NHL season.
Other teams can also attempt to sign the player via an offer sheet, giving the Stars a chance to match that offer sheet to retain the player or not match it and receive draft pick compensation depending on the player’s salary.
Bourque’s qualifying offer is $874,000, and Lundkvist’s is $1.25 million.
More on what restricted free agency entails here.
On X/Twitter: @Lassimak
Back-to-back Cats: Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions by beating Oilers in 6 gamesOtter Pop: Stars goalie Jake Oettinger is going to be a dad
Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.