Stars GM Jim Nill talks draft, free agency and salary cap

Jim Nill is very busy these days.

The Stars GM has to prepare for the NHL Entry Draft June 28 and 29 in Las Vegas, get prepared for the start of free agency on July 1, and try to get his own roster in shape right now.

That’s a hectic pace exacerbated by the fact the team made it to the Western Conference Final. But Nill said he wouldn’t mind it being even busier. Had the Stars defeated the Edmonton Oilers, they would still be playing while their front office was juggling these tasks.

“Because of our late season, everything is condensed,” Nill said. “We just finished our pro [scout] meetings and now we’re getting ready for the draft. It’s busy, but it’s a good problem to have because of how deep we went. You want that every year.”

Dallas got to Game 6 last season and lost to Vegas in the conference finals. That was both reassuring and disappointing. This year, the feeling leans a little more to the negative. The Stars had added to their roster and improved their regular-season record. However, they had to fight through Vegas and Colorado, the past two Stanley Cup champions, to get to their meeting with the Oilers. Once there, the “experts” had the Stars favored to move on and Dallas had a 2-1 lead in the series. However, they lost three straight games for the first time this season and were eliminated in six games.

“It hurts, because we were so close,” Nill said. “I thought in the third round against Edmonton, we had a chance to grab the series and we didn’t. When you get that far and you have a chance, you have to grab it. I thought we let it slip out in Game 4.”

He added, “It hurts because you don’t know when you’ll get back again. That’s what makes winning the Cup such an honor because it is so tough to do.”

Nill is getting started on trying again next season. Veteran Joe Pavelski has already announced that he does not plan to play next season, so that’s one change. Pavelski was second on the team in scoring with 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists) in 82 games. However, the organization has to decide whether it wants to re-sign UFAs Matt Duchene, Chris Tanev, Craig Smith, Scott Wedgewood, Jani Hakanpää and Alex Petrovic. If they are not signed, they can be signed by other teams on July 1. Dallas has more time with restricted free agents Thomas Harley, Sam Steel and Nils Lundkvist, but all of it must fit together under the salary cap.

The Stars traded pending-RFA Ty Dellandrea to San Jose for a fourth-round draft pick this week to help open up potential cap space.

“It’s part of managing the cap,” Nill said. “We’re up against it. We have a big overage because of bonuses for Joe Pavelski and Thomas Harley. That comes into play, and then we just have to make everything fit. We have some potential salary increases and we have to make it work.”

Dellandrea, 23, played in just 42 regular-season games and another six playoff games, so the team has other options.

“I had a good talk with him, and I think it was just good to move on and try someplace else,” Nill said. “He’s a great young man. We had a great conversation and he agreed.”

Still, the Stars will have to fill in for players lost. Both Logan Stankoven, 21, and Mavrik Bourque, 22, are possible replacements, and then Dallas will have to look to trades or free agency.

“The core is good and surrounded by the right people,” Nill said. “Now we have to supplement it. That’s why we have to make smart decisions with the cap.”

The Stars battled injuries throughout the playoffs, and Hakanpää had an arthroscopic knee procedure and was unable to return. In addition, center Roope Hintz broke a finger and had to adjust to that. However, Nill said there are no more surgeries needed over the summer. Forward Tyler Seguin battled through a lower body injury and will have to rehab that over the summer, but Nill said he won’t need surgery.

“Were guys banged up? Yes,” Nill said. “But nothing major that has to be taken care of, so we were very fortunate.”

Now, it’s time to turn the page.

“We went through as tough as two rounds as you can, and we were able to survive that, so you can look at that. But you have to find a way, and we didn’t find a way,” Nill said. “It’s disappointing. I think we know we are as good as any team out there, and that makes the ending disappointing, but overall, the second-best record in the NHL. It was a great season, a very consistent season. I was proud of that. We were never out of any games, and that’s an accomplishment for the players, the coaching staff and everyone who plays a role in that. I think a lot of our players learned from this.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.