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Five Potential Trade Deadline Targets for the Dallas Stars

By Avery Klatsky

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 13: Jakob Silfverberg #33 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars in the first period at American Airlines Center on October 13, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 13: Jakob Silfverberg #33 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars in the first period at American Airlines Center on October 13, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 09: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the New York Rangers skates with the puck in the second period against the Calgary Flames during their game at Madison Square Garden on February 9, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 09: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the New York Rangers skates with the puck in the second period against the Calgary Flames during their game at Madison Square Garden on February 9, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

4. Mats Zuccarello, RW – New York Rangers

New York Rangers’ forward Mats Zuccarello was expected to be moved at the trade deadline last season, but was surprisingly not traded; the Rangers had a lackluster season, finishing four spots and 20 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Considering their uneventful year, people across the league expected them to be sellers at the deadline and try to receive some prospects, draft picks, or other players in exchange for some rentals.

As trade talks have heated up yet again, Zuccarello is finding himself yet again in the middle of the trade hype.

Zuccarello, who is a nine-year veteran in the NHL, has spent his entire career with the Rangers since he was signed by them in the summer of 2010. In his NHL career, Zuccarello has scored 110 goals and 229 assists in less than 500 games (498, to be exact).

The Norwegian has stumbled a bit this season, having only played 35 games and registering eight goals and 24 points so far. He is tied for fourth on the team in points and third in power play points with 11. Although he only has 24 points and has been limited in terms of games played this season, he is a fast winger that can add some skill to the Stars’ power play and is averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game.

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If the Stars were to trade for him, though, they would only have him for the rest of the season. Zuccarello is on the final lap of a four-year, $18 million dollar deal he signed with the Rangers in 2015, and will become an unrestricted free agent after this season. With a cap hit of $4.5 million, the Stars would have to make some space for him, whether that be putting Johns and/or Methot on the Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) or trading away players with high enough salaries to be able to take on his cap hit for the rest of the season.

Zuccarello could make for a solid top-nine forward to compliment the likes of Jason Spezza or Radek Faksa and add the depth scoring Jim Montgomery and the Stars’ management are looking for. As a bonus, he also has Stanley Cup experience and would be one of the older members on the Stars’ roster if Stars’ GM Jim Nill acquired him.

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