Central Division Trade Deadline Outlook: Dallas Stars

In today's continuation of the Central Division preview, we take a look at the Dallas Stars -- a team that has been "securely" in a playoff spot for sometime now thanks to the free-falling West.

Dallas Stars

Record: 29-25-5, 63 points

Current Position: Holder of first Wild Card spot in Western Conference, three points ahead of Minnesota.

Helping us take a look at the Stars approach to the trade deadline is Taylor Baird, the managing editor of Defending Big D -- the Dallas Stars SB Nation site. Taylor can be found writing at here or on Twitter @taylordbaird.

1. The Stars find themselves securely in the top Wild Card spot in the Central thanks to Minnesota's struggles. Are there any weaknesses that Jim Nill could address prior to the deadline?

"Securely" is a little bit more of an optimistic description that I'd give it right now. They're one bad losing streak away from being right in the four-plus team slugfest for the last Wild Card spot. What they really need is some scoring punch. A top-six forward who shifts the rest of the forwards done a line could really balance out the lineup and hopefully allow rookie head coach Jim Montgomery to stick with some consistent lines and find good chemistry down the stretch.

2. Given how the West is struggling to have more than three teams look competent, could Dallas make a move to bolster their lineup and try to take a run for it?

Dallas needs to make a move to make the playoffs this season. And not just to make the postseason -- they need to make some noise when they get there. The window of their core is now. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin aren't getting any younger, and the Stars should take advantage of their (finally fixed) blueline and stellar goaltending to try to find some lightning in a bottle and make a run at the Cup.

3. What player (or players) should the Stars be looking at bringing in before the deadline?

Anyone who can score. Artemi Panarin would be a good fit both now and in the future, Mats Zuccarello might be able to help provide a punch, Mark Stone and Matt Duchene in Ottawa should be asked about...basically, any scorer on the market, the Stars should be part of the conversation to acquire them.

[caption id=attachment_46854" align="alignnone" width="1398] via Sean Tierney, @ChartingHockey[/caption]

4. Does Dallas have a player on the roster that they could move in a deal before the deadline?

Here are a few candidates to get shifted out in a "give to get" kind of deal. Valeri Nichushkin, who hasn't scored in 50-plus NHL games -- dating back to his last season before his KHL stint prior to coming back this season -- is an ideal change-of-scenery kind of guy. Same with mobile blueliner Julius Honka. Mattias Janmark could be a good get for a team looking for some speed in their bottom six, and Radek Faksa would be a hard one to part with but could be the center of a trade to bring in a top-six forward, especially if it's a player with term left on their contract. Maybe they can find a way to trade Martin Hanzal's contract to Ottawa to help them hit the salary floor next season....(Stars fans can dream, right?)

[caption id=attachment_46855" align="alignnone" width="1998] via Sean Tierney, @ChartingHockey[/caption]

5. In your opinion, what will the Stars do at the deadline?

I think Dallas will make a move, but I'm going to guess it won't be the sexy pick-up most are expecting. They'll spin it as prices being too high and not wanting to mortgage the future of the team, and the relatively lesser-known forward will be a question mark as to whether they impact the team enough to shore up their scoring capability. Dallas will squeak into the playoffs, and then after that it's a coin flip whether it get run out of the building in a first-round sweep or if they have goaltending that gets hot enough and defense that has been great all year that shuts down the opponent and allows the team to win a round or two. Honestly, I don't know what this team's direction is anymore, and that's a bit frightening as the trade deadline looms.

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