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The Dallas Stars have been knocking on the door of Stanley Cup contention since they advanced all the way to the Finals in 2020, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games. But since that time, they've failed to advance past the Western Conference Final, although they've put together some excellent regular seasons and convincing postseason runs.
Whether or not the Stars are a good enough team to win the Stanley Cup as currently constructed is debatable; they have an excellent first line, solid puck-moving defenseman on all three pairings, and a stud between the pipes in Jake Oettinger.
They also got even better with the addition of Matt Duchene on a savvy one-year deal, which should shore up the top-six and provide even more of a scoring punch. Re-signing Evgenii Dadonov was also a tidy piece of work, and the Stars should be one of the best teams in the West next season.
Still, the Western Conference is a gauntlet, with teams like the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers and even Seattle Kraken figuring to be extremely difficult outs come playoff time in 2023-24. Dallas was unable to skate with Vegas for most of their WCF series in 2023, falling into a 3-0 hole and ultimately losing in six games.
With the loss of Max Domi, the team could use another goal-scoring forward to add to the top-six, which could be crucial come playoff time. Here are three players the Dallas Stars should be targeting in a potential trade this offseason.
3. Alex DeBrincat
Alex DeBrincat being traded from the Ottawa Senators has now become a matter of when, not if. It is clear that GM Pierre Dorion is looking for a perfect return for the 40-goal scorer, and the Stars have a few young prospects they could dangle in a potential deal.
“As far as I have been advised, there has been no agreement of any kind on an actual trade involving Alex and I would require that before entering into an actual negotiation,” DeBrincat's agent Jeff Jackson told The Athletic earlier this week. “We are waiting patiently for that to happen…agents and players don't make trades…that's the GM’s job.”
Clearly, the 25-year-olds time in Ottawa has expired, but he still has a qualifying offer for $9 million for 2023-24, a contract that could be taken to arbitration if he remains with the team next season.
With the Stars' first line of Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz set in stone, The Cat would be an electric addition to add to the second line, and could even play the opposite wing of Duchene in what would be one of the league's best second lines.
2. Brock Boeser
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It seems like Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser has been on the trade block for two full seasons, but heading into 2023-24, he remains with the franchise. That might not be the case much longer, especially if the Canucks are not in a playoff spot approaching the trade deadline next season.
Boeser would be a lot cheaper than DeBrincat, and also has the goal-scoring potential to slot in on either the second or third line and second powerplay unit in Texas. Boeser has scored over 20 goals four times in his NHL career, and although he failed to reach the 30-goal mark he set for himself ahead of last season, he would still be a welcome addition to the Stars' roster.
The Canucks already traded away Bo Horvat, and if they are committing to the rebuild (which they haven't yet), a change of scenery could be in the cards for the talented forward.
1. Dominik Kubalik
Dominik Kubalik could be a Dallas Star for even less than Alex DeBrincat and Brock Boeser, and might be the most realistic option for the organization ahead of 2023-24.
The Detroit Red Wings forward could bolster the team's scoring depth, and would likely play on the third line along with veteran Jamie Benn. The 27-year-old has struggled since putting up 46 points in just 68 games in his rookie season; he scored 45 in 81 with the Wings last year.
Kubalik is a former 30-goal scorer, and at a moderate $2.5 million cap hit, would be an interesting buy-low candidate for the Stars heading into next season. Again, he would likely be pretty cheap, and could thrive in the middle six in Dallas.
Without a doubt, the Dallas Stars are one of the Western Conference's best teams — and that's if they don't make any more moves heading into next season. If they can swing a trade for a goal-scoring forward like DeBrincat, Boeser or Kubalik, they could boast one of the NHL's best top-nine forward groups next year.
