With just six days left until the NHL trade deadline, Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram thinks Dallas GM Joe Nieuwendyk should be willing to deal anybody on his roster...well, anybody aside from Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson, Kari Lehtonen and Alex Goligoski, four players deemed the future of the franchise.
One name not on Engel’s list? Steve Ott. The 29-year-old grinder has spent his entire career in Dallas yet finds himself mentioned in various trade rumors -- something he wants no part of.
“I hear this stuff all the time. I don’t want to be traded,” Ott said. “I believe in this team. I believe in these guys. I believe in this franchise. This is the only team I’ve ever known. I don’t want to go anywhere.
“But it’s out of my control. If it happens, it happens.”
Ott isn’t the only Dallas veteran popping up in rumors. Engel lists Brenden Morrow, Stephane Robidas, Michael Ryder and Sheldon Souray as assets that “will get you something” in return -- and it’s interesting to note that, of those mentioned, Ott is the youngest at 29. (Also interesting to note that Ott, Morrow and Robidas all have no-trade clauses, according to Capgeek.)
It seems Dallas is ready to fully embrace a youth movement/changing of the guard. The Stars have a new owner (Tom Gaglardi) and great optimism about 26-and-under core of Benn, Eriksson, Goligoski and prospects Jamie Oleksiak, Scott Glennie, Alex Chiasson and Jack Campbell.
There’s also the issue of Dallas’ fading playoff chances. Despite their strong start to the season, the Stars have fallen on hard times recently:
The team is losing more than it’s winning, and in the position of requiring countless variables to break right to make the playoffs.
The last time the Stars won five straight was Oct. 10 through Oct. 21. They had a three-game winning streak in early December. Since then, however, it’s been more multi-game losing streaks than winning streaks, which has the team looking like it will be playoff-less again.
Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk’s goal is to make the playoffs, but at what cost? His recent trade of defenseman Nick Grossman to the Flyers for some draft picks is not a white flag, but Joe is at a delicate point.
In light of this, it’ll be interesting to see how Dallas approaches the deadline. Phoenix GM Don Maloney noted there’s a distinct lack of sellers on the market and should he decide to unload, Nieuwendyk would have plenty of intriguing assets for teams fight over.
UPDATE: ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun has more on potential Dallas deals, including rumors surrounding Mike Ribeiro.