Jim Nill likes the mix that the Dallas Stars have entered this season.
That group includes talented younger players such as forwards Jason Robertson and Roope Hintzdefenseman Miro Heiskanen and goalie Jake Oettinger. It also includes a veteran core led by forwards Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn.
“We’re doing a transition, but we still have what we think is a pretty strong core, so it’s going to be interesting to see,” the Stars general manager said in August. “You always have projections where players are going to be. Now the players have to go do it. Let’s see who’s going to grab the opportunities that are available. It’s exciting that way.”
Nill said he’s encouraged by how Robertson, Hintz and Oettinger emerged as important players last season. Robertson, 23, had NHL career highs in goals (41) and points (79); Hintz, 25, also had NHL career highs in goals (37) and points (72); and Oettinger, 23, was 30-15-1 with a 2.53 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 48 games (46 starts).
This season, Nill wants to see if the next wave of Stars youngsters are ready to break through in the NHL. That group includes forwards Ty Dellandrea and Fredrik Karlströmwho have played some for the Stars, and forwards Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourquewho could earn spots this season.
“I’d say two or four of them really have a great opportunity here,” Nill said. “I always want to be respectful, it’s a men’s league and it’s a big jump, but some of these guys are knocking on the door. As we’ve seen over the last few years in the NHL, some of these kids don’t t seem to miss a beat, and we’re hoping some of these guys are those guys. That’s what we’re looking for, just to see where they’re at and how they fit in, how quickly they adapt to the League . So that’s kind of exciting in a way for our franchise.”
Although the Stars still need to sign Robertson and Oettinger, each of whom is a restricted free agent, Nill said he’s confident those deals will get done.
“We’re continuing to have dialogue and negotiating,” Nill said. “Things are going the right way, but like with any negotiation, they just take time. Right now, without deadlines, those things just kind of go on. We’re going to get both players signed up. It’s just part of the process in today’s negotiations.”
NHL.com caught up with Nill and discussed several topics, from naming Peter DeBoer coach to what’s expected from Benn and Seguin and more.
What is it about DeBoer that makes him the right coach for Dallas?
“A lot of different things. He’s an experienced coach and he’s had a lot of success in the League. I’ve been fortunate, I saw him when I started, I was back in my Detroit days, he was in Plymouth coaching, so I saw him develop as a coach. He’s got a great demeanor for today’s NHL coaches. It’s a tough job and it’s a real balancing act and he has that great demeanor where he’s going to be firm, but also understand you have to handle everyone differently. He has a good handle on that type of coaching.”
DeBoer said Heiskanen could reach another gear. What gear is that?
“We think he has more offensively to give. We really started to see it in the [Stanley Cup] playoffs against Calgary. In that overtime in Game 7, he had three or four chances to win it for us. He just went to another level and that’s kind of him. As he’s given more, he even grabs and expects more. He’s been in the League for four seasons. He’s now comfortable in the League, comfortable in his game and we forget sometimes he’s only 23 years of age. This is when usually players start to take the next step and I think that’s where he’s at.”
Video: Miro Heiskanen Among the Top 20 Defensemen Right Now
How critical were Robertson and Oettinger last season, and how much have they proven they can be leaders on and off the ice?
“That’s what’s exciting. We’ve slowly transitioned. These guys have come in, they’ve done their development part, they were drafted by us, they’ve been developed by us and now they’re starting to grab it. In today’s with the environment [NHL Salary Cap] system and the way contracts work, it’s so important to have homegrown players come in. Those two guys have come in. Hintz, Heiskanen, Thomas Hardy, you need those young players coming up. They’ve come in at just the right time for our franchise and think they’ll be able to [help us] continue to be a contender because of that.”
Oettinger unexpectedly played 48 games last season. How ready is he to take the reins from the start this season?
“Last year was a great season for him growing-wise. We sent him down early. Our biggest concern was he played the previous season, during the taxi squad bubble year and didn’t get a lot of practice time, didn’t get a lot of reps, didn’t get a lot of games in (29). We were really concerned about development. We thought it was important for him to get to the American League, get games in (10) and he did a great job. Everyone wants to be in the NHL, but he understood that maybe this was the best thing for himself, and he took advantage of that. Then we got some injuries and he never left. He did a great job for us, helped us. get in the playoffs and you saw what he did in the playoffs (1.81 GAA, .954 save percentage in seven games). He’s a big part of our future as we move forward.”
Benn and Seguin’s numbers dipped last season (46 points for Benn, 49 for Seguin). What do you need from them this season?
“Well, it’s no secret and it’s what they want too. They know they have more to give on the offensive side. Jamie brings so many other elements to the game as well, that that’s sometimes forgotten. He’s a physical presence, he’s the leader of the team and there’s a value to that.
“With Tyler, we sometimes forget about the injuries he’s gone through. We’ve talked about these condensed seasons over the last three seasons and really no downtime to heal, and the injuries he’s gone through, hip surgeries and knee surgeries, a lot of times those take a year of just rest to get through. He wasn’t able to do that. From talking to him this summer, he feels great. I think he’s determined to come back and show that he’s still one of the elite scorers and Jamie’s in the same boat. If we get those guys contributing the way we think they can, it just adds so much more to our team and puts us to the next level.”
Video: Jake Oettinger on playing in the NHL Playoffs
Goalie Anton Khudobin had a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair in March. How is he doing?
“‘Doby’s doing well. He’s been back here (several weeks), we brought him back early so he can continue his rehab. He’s feeling well, and we’ll know as we get closer to camp where he’s at. We’re anticipating he’s going to be ready to camp but we’ll have to wait and see.”
How much will it help Oettinger to have some veteran competition again in camp?
“Competition’s good for everybody. We’ve got it Scott Wedgewood, who’s done a great job for us, we’ve got Khudobin coming off injury and we’re anticipating he’s going to be healthy. A lot of things happen quickly in this game. You never know between injuries and where things go, but we think we’re in a good position with our goaltending and just gives us a lot of different options.”
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