The Dallas Stars have a crucial off-season, and it centers around more than just who their head coach will be in 2025-26.
Among the most important moves Dallas has on its horizon involves a trade involving defenseman Matt Dumba, according to The Athletic.
Dumba, 30, is signed on for one more season at $3.75 million according to PuckPedia, but his career regression continued this past season. The stay-at-home defenseman had just 10 points in 63 games, and his point total dropped for the fourth consecutive season.
Dumba had just one goal and averaged just 15:18 time on ice. He did not play any games in the Stanley Cup playoffs because he was a healthy scratch by now-fired coach Pete DeBoer.
The Stars reached the Western Conference Final but fell to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.
Why Do The Stars Need To Trade Matt Dumba?
Dumba was in and out of the lineup throughout the season and watched from the press box as Alex Petrovic posted just two points and a minus-1 rating while averaging 12:45 in 17 playoff games this year.
So while spelling out the Stars’ cap woes — they have less than $5 million salary cap space with just 16 pro contracts for 2025-26 — The Athletic’s Harman Dayal explained why Dumba must go.
“Offloading the final year of Matt Dumbaâs $3.75 million AAV is a must, even if it requires a sweetener,” Dayal wrote.
Stars general manager Jim Nill has the team in Stanley Cup-or-bust mode, and they got a boost since the salary cap is rising to $95.5 million next season.
But with high-priced deals like Mikko Rantanen ($12 million AAV through 2033), Tyler Seguin ($9.85 million through 2028), Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen ($8.45 million apiece), goalie Jake Oettinger ($8.25 million through 2033) and Wyatt Johston ($8.4 million through 2030), Nill will have to make some serious salary-related decisions to make.
Plus, the Stars have some big-ticket free agents to consider signing, including captain Jamie Benn, regular-season point leader Matt Duchene and playoff hero Mikael Granlund.
“Bennâs only ever played for the Stars and has already made over $100 million in his career, and Duchene signed a cheap one-year extension last summer,” Dayal wrote. “But thereâs no realistic way all three can come back unless Dallas moves out several other big-name players. Granlund is probably the most likely of these three players to leave in free agency.”
Plus, as Dayal pointed out, rival teams could target talented 23-year-old restricted free agent Mavrik Bourque for an offer sheet.
What Can The Stars Do To Fix Their Cap Problems?
Aside from shipping out Dumba, Dayal suggested valuable wing Mason Marchment could be enticing for rival clubs in a cap manuever.
Marchment had 22 goals and 47 points in 62 games last season and will carry one more year at $4.5 million on his contract.
Dealing both Marchment and Dumba would clear out $8.25 million in cap charges, without retaining salary, and would leave the Stars with about $13.25 million in space. That could be enough to bring back the trio of Benn, Duchene and Granlund.
“Duchene ($7.1 million), Benn ($4.8 million), and Granlund ($4.98 million) are projected to cost $16.9 million against the cap on their next contracts, according to AFP Analytics,” Dayal wrote “Itâs possible the Stars can convince some of those three to sign bargain contracts cheaper than that.”
Still, with Duchene’s playoff struggles, the Stars may opt to let him walk and put their valuable space to locking in Bourque.
If Nill wants to make a huge splash, which he has not be scared to do, he could decide to off-load Jason Robertson and his one more year of $7.75 million — at 25 he will remain a restricted free agent and can sign an eight-year contract with either the Stars or any other team if he gets traded.
Off-loading Marchment, Robertson and Dumba would clear up the Stars’ cap issues, and a Robertson trade would command a huge return since he is a three-time 35-goal scorer and coming off an 80-point season. But Robertson is only 25, and dealing a player with his resume at his age is likely going to age badly.
“Perhaps thereâs a long-shot scenario where the Stars would consider trade offers on Robertson if they fear the cost of his extension next summer, but that would likely be a huge mistake,” Dayal wrote. “Overall, Dallas has by far the most challenging cap puzzle of any NHL team to solve this summer.”
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