5 Stars Players Leaving Dallas in the New Year
The 2023-24 NHL season is nearly halfway over and the Dallas Stars are heading towards a playoff appearance. But just because the team is on the right path doesn't mean these five players are guaranteed to last the New Year in the Lone Star State.
After making it to the 2022-23 Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Stars look like they are ready to make another deep playoff run. The Stars are 22-9-4 (48 points) through the first 35 games of the 2023-24 NHL season, putting them in a tie with the Winnipeg Jets for fourth place in the Western Conference.
After a strong finish to 2023, time will tell how the Stars will fare in the New Year. The status quo is adequate at the moment, but things could drastically change by the time the offseason rolls around if it they haven't already ahead of March's trade deadline.
In other words, not every player on the roster is guaranteed to survive 2024 in the Lone Star State.
Here are five Stars players who'll likely leave Dallas at some point in the New Year.
5 Stars Not Returning to Dallas in 2024
1. Matt Duchene
Matt Duchene has been paramount to the Stars' success throughout the 2023-24 campaign.
While some players decline with age, that hasn't been the case for Duchene, who signed a one-year, $3 million deal before the season began. The veteran forward has nearly been a point-per-game player, racking up 11 goals and 20 assists through 33 games thus far. His 31 points are also good enough for fourth on the team and put him on pace for 74, which would be the second-most in his career.
So, why would the Stars think about parting ways with him after all he's done?
As mentioned before, Duchene is on a one-year contract, meaning he'll be a free agent this summer. While Spotrac projects that Dallas will have over $18.5 million to spend in the offseason, management might not be willing to give a chunk of that to Duchene if he thinks he deserves far more than the $3 million he's making this season.
Nothing is guaranteed and Duchene continuing this pace will make it tough for the Stars to walk away. Having said that, don't be surprised if the 32-year-old walks away in July if he's hoping to cash in on one more huge payday before hanging up his skates in a few years.