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Analyzing each upcoming Dallas Stars free-agent situation: Which key players will not return?
The Dallas Stars and General Manager Jim Nill have begun their offseason. After falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final, there is not a whole lot of tinkering that needs to be done with the Dallas roster. However, there are a few key free agents that need to be dealt with.
Ty Dellandrea and Riley Damiani will become restricted free agents, while Evgenii Dadonov, Max Domi, Joel Kiviranta, Joel Hanley, and Luke Glendening are set to hit the unrestricted free agent market.
Of the players mentioned, there are a few Dallas Stars free agents that will return, some that are on the fence, and others that are most likely to depart.
2 key Dallas Stars free agents not likely to return
#1 Joel Hanley
Joel Hanley has become a household name for the Dallas Stars, but not in the way you might expect.
Hanley has served five seasons in Dallas playing the role of seventh defenseman. That means that while he was not a mainstay in the lineup, he was always the next man up and stepped in to provide stability when needed. In this role, Hanley excelled.
Although he never played more than 44 regular-season games, he was a huge part of the Dallas Stars roster. When a defender (or even sometimes a forward) needed to come out of the lineup due to injury, poor play, or just to shake things up, Hanley was usually the replacement. And no matter how long he had been sitting in the press box, he came in and played his game to perfection. That is a highly underrated skill.
Hanley played in 33 playoff games during his time in Dallas, 13 of those (a career-high) coming in 2022-23. He recorded one goal and three points total, including his first and only playoff goal in Game 1 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
While Hanley is a huge asset, it seems unlikely that Dallas will need him moving forward. With youngsters like Thomas Harley, Nils Lundkvist, Artem Grushnikov, and Ben Gleason on their way up, it would be a smarter move for the Stars to give these guys a shot over Hanley.
#2 Max Domi
While this one may sting, it seems unlikely that the Dallas Stars can re-sign Max Domi. With how tight their money situation is and how much Domi has increased his value, the finances will be tough.
Domi was an excellent addition for the Stars, coming over from the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2023 trade deadline. After taking a bit of time to adjust, scoring only five points in the final 20 games, Domi took off in the playoffs.
In 19 postseason games for the Dallas Stars, Domi tallied three goals and 10 assists. He played a huge role on a line with Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment and delivered the perfect playmaking ability to help those players succeed.
Domi would be an excellent asset moving forward, there is no doubt about that. But I just don't see how Dallas can make it work. If they can, they will find a way.
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