Is Jim Nill’s ‘Win Now’ Strategy Out of Date for the Dallas Stars?

Examples of Jim Nill’s “Win Now” Moves

Jason Spezza

On the first day of free agency in 2014, Nill traded Alex Chiasson, Alexander Guptill, Nicholas Paul, and a 2015 2nd round pick (which later was traded again to the New Jersey Devils, who drafted G Mackenzie Blackwood with the selection) to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Sens’ captain Jason Spezza and Ludwig Karlsson.

Spezza’s impact on the Stars was immediate. In his first season on the Stars, he put up 17 goals and 62 points while playing in all 82 regular season games. The following year, Spezza had 33 goals and 63 points—it was his first 30+ goal season since 2011 and his fifth in his career. He finished third on the team in points behind Benn and Seguin.

In the postseason following the 2015-16 regular season, Spezza’s playoff experience shined bright; he had 13 points (5 G, 8 A) in 13 playoff games against the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues before Dallas was knocked out in the second round.

Although Spezza’s last two seasons with the Stars have been shaky, his tenure with Dallas started strong and helped contribute as soon as he joined the ranks.

Ales Hemsky

On the same day Dallas traded for Jason Spezza and Ludwig Karlsson, they also stole another player from the Ottawa Senators’ 2013-14 roster; right winger Ales Hemsky. Hemsky, who was 31 when he signed a three-year worth $12 million contract, had already spent 12 seasons in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers and Senators beginning in 2002.

Hemsky played in 166 games in Victory Green and recorded 28 goals and 70 points. He was one point shy of 40 in the 2015-16 season when he posted 13 goals and 26 assists.

Although Hemsky put up 32 and 39 points as a bottom-nine forward in his first two seasons, respectively, he struggled to stay healthy in the 2016-17 campaign and had only 15 appearances with the Stars. He had seven points—just four goals and three assists—in those games. Hemsky went on to sign a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens following the conclusion of the final year in his contract with the Stars.

Patrick Sharp

The Chicago Blackhawks were the team to beat in the early to mid-2010s. They beat the Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals in six games, won it again three years later against the Bruins, and won it again two years after that against the Lightning. But, following their 2015 Stanley Cup victory, the Blackhawks had cap space issues, and thus brought about changes in their locker room. During free agency in 2015, Jim Nill took advantage of Chicago’s payroll problems and traded for forward Patrick Sharp and defenseman Stephen Johns.

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Sharp, who was 33-years-old at the time of the trade, was brought in by Nill in hopes that he would add to an already decent scoring squad; and Sharp did just that. In his first year in Dallas, he put up a 20-goal season and finished with 55 points to finish fourth among forwards in scoring—behind Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Jason Spezza.

As a result of the increase in scoring, Dallas finished first in the league in goals scored and they captured first place in the Western Conference for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

But, after his impressive 2015-16 campaign, Sharp had trouble scoring points. The Stars dealt with an injury-riddled roster, and Sharp was limited to just 48 games, where he posted eight goals and 18 points. Sharp, whose contract ended after the 2016-17 season—a season that saw Dallas unfortunately miss the playoffs after such an incredible run the year prior—returned back to the Chicago Blackhawks for one final season in the NHL.

Lauri Korpikoski

In October 2016, Nill signed forward Lauri Korpikoski to a one-year contract when he was 30-years-old. Korpikoski, who was released a day earlier by the Edmonton Oilers, has scored 22 points (10 G, 12 A) in the season prior. Korpikoski scored eight goals—his first came in the Stars’ season opener at home—and finished with 20 points before being traded to Columbus for defenseman Dillon Heatherington at the end of the season.

Antti Niemi

Jim Nill also traded for veteran goaltender Antti Niemi on the night of the 2015 NHL draft by sending a 7th round pick (G Jake Kupsky) in the 2015 NHL draft to the San Jose Sharks. Niemi (who was 32 at the time) was brought in to split time in between the pipes with Kari Lehtonen. Niemi, who, like Lehtonen, was from Finland, played well in his first year in Dallas.

Through the two-goalie system Nill had set up with head coach Lindy Ruff and the rest of the coaching staff, Niemi and Lehtonen both won 25 games apiece. Niemi finished the 2015-16 regular season with a .905 save percentage and a 2.67 GAA. However, the Stars’ goaltending cracked under the pressure in the playoffs, and Niemi won only one game in three starts and five games played.

The following season, Niemi had trouble keeping similar stats he posted in 2015-16. He only won 12 games in 30 starts and finished with a 3.30 GAA. The Stars eventually acquired Ben Bishop from the Los Angeles Kings, which resulted in Niemi being bought out and placed on waivers in the 2017 offseason.

Marc Methot

In addition to buying out Niemi during the 2017 offseason, Nill traded 2017 7th round draft pick goaltender Dylan Ferguson and a 2020 2nd round pick to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for blueliner Marc Methot. Although trading for Methot, 33, at the time was a good move for the Stars’ defense, his transition to Dallas didn’t pan out as well as fans and management had wished.

Methot, who was selected by Vegas in the expansion draft after playing for the Ottawa Senators for five years, only appeared in 36 contests with Dallas, where he had one goal and two assists. He did have 77 hits and 52 shot blocks but was kept out of the lineup throughout the duration of the season with injuries.

Heading into Methot’s second year in Dallas, there were hopes that he would make a healthy return to the roster after Dan Hamhuis had left for Nashville and Greg Pateryn was headed for Minnesota. However, Methot has only played in nine games this season and hasn’t played since Nov. 1. What looked like a player who could make a strong return to the team turned into a tough break and physical loss for the Stars’ defense.

Jim Nill has repeatedly tried to build a team around its “stars” with players in the middle to back-end of their careers so that they can have the best chance as possible to win a Stanley Cup. Despite the fact that Dallas played great hockey in 2015-16, they’ve yet to show any potential that they are Stanely Cup caliber, and that begs a question: is the Stars’ “win now” strategy that Nill has followed for the past six years sufficient enough to push Dallas to the Cup?

The answer? It doesn’t seem like it. Unless, of course, Nill and the Stars pull off a blockbuster trade (that, for example, results in Artemi Panarin becoming a Star) and the roster finally adds the depth scoring that they’ve needed all season long.

The Dallas Stars have what could become a bright future with John Klingberg, Miro Heiskanen, and other young prospects in the organization. But, as for now, the present looks unpredictable; and since it does, could a rebuild be in store?

Do you think the Dallas Stars’ “win now” strategy has worked or is strong enough to push them into the playoffs this season, or will they have to rebuild next season? Let us know in the comments below!