GM Jim Nill says Stars are ahead of last season

The Stars unofficially started their 2024-25 season this weekend in Traverse City, Mich. when Dallas prospects played in a two-game exhibition with Detroit Red Wings prospects. Detroit won the two games, 5-1, and 3-2, as Dallas flew in on Saturday morning before Game 1 and then flew back Sunday evening after Game 2. First-round draft pick Emil Hemming had a goal and an assist, while free agent forward Arttu Hyry scored a goal and played well.

The prospects will join the rest of the roster in training camp beginning Thursday in Frisco, and that will lead to the preseason opener Saturday and then the regular-season opener on Oct. 10 against Nashville.

Stars General Manager Jim Nill answered a few questions before the Traverse City trip.

Q: The Traverse City Tournament has been reduced to just two teams and two games, but is it still important for your players to make the trip up there and compete against players of the similar age and experience?

Nill: It’s the best thing for players’ development. They need to get the games in before camp, they need to be ramping up to meet a higher level of play. We’ve been going to this tournament for 20-something years, so it’s been a great learning tool, and we want to continue that. It takes time to get players ready, and even for some of our veteran players at that level, this is a great opportunity to get ready. We’ve got some good young players. What did they learn from their first year pro? Did they take that next step?

Q: How do you assess the summer, and do you like where you are right now?

Nill: There are always going to be changes, so you are going to be a different team; whether it’s Joe Pavelski’s retirement or changes with personnel because of contracts or injuries or simply changes happen. But I think we filled in very well with the money that we had, and I think our team now is ahead of the team that started last season. Between the younger players getting a year older and then having a good group of younger players trying to make the team, I really do believe we are better there. You look at what Thomas Harley did last season, and that’s what we want to see more of. He was a question mark coming into camp, and he showed he’s a top four defenseman. Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque, we weren’t really sure how they fit, and they both excelled in the American League. You definitely have losses, especially with Pavelski, but there is an opportunity for someone else to fill that role both on and off the ice.

Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?

Nill: I think there is another level for a lot of our players. Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger – these guys are really starting to hit their prime, and that’s exciting. Look at Jake, a lot of goalies don’t hit their stride until they are 28, 29, 30, and Jake has the experience he has at 25. I think when you look at the players who are becoming the core, there is another level for each of them, and then another level for the team as a whole. We have a good team, I know we have a good team, and now we have to go out and do it. I know it’s not going to be easy, but that’s the beauty of it.

Q: How do you look at the group of defensemen? It’s hard to lose Chris Tanev, but the contract just didn’t work out. But you also changed out three other defensemen in Ryan Suter, Jani Hakanpää and Joel Hanley, and it seems like you have improved yourself in that way.

Nill: We’re very comfortable with what we added. I think we have more depth on defense now, we bring some different elements, and we have the chance to really come together and be a solid group. Matt Dumba is a good player, and I think he has another level to get back to. I think last year was a transition for him, but he’s 30 years old and I think he has the opportunity to come in here and really play important minutes. He’s got another level to get to, and let’s hope that playing for a team like ours brings that out in him. It’s a great opportunity for him. Ilya Lyubushkin plays hard, Brendan Smith plays hard. We’ve got a good mix. The coaches have some options, and we have to see how it all fits together.

Q: We in the media, and a lot of the fans, talk about moving Miro Heiskanen to his natural side, the left side. Do management and coaches talk about that issue?

Nill: We talk about it, but it’s less of a concern to us, and really less of a concern to Miro. He is confident in wherever he plays, and I don’t think he really thinks about it that much, but we do have the option with three right-handed defensemen, so we’ll look at that.

Q: How much does the Four Nations tournament affect what you do this season?

Nill: Not that much, but it is a great opportunity for players and coaches. We haven’t had something like this in a few years, and there’s nothing like playing for your country. We all want to get back to this, so there is a real excitement surrounding it. It’s a great motivation for a lot of players, a great opportunity to show what they have.

Q: You have lost some great penalty killers in Radek Faksa, Jani Hakanpää, Ryan Suter and Ty Dellandrea; how do you make up for that?

Nill: That’s the nature of the game. This is an opportunity for someone else. I think the players we brought in on defense, they all are good penalty killers. And then I think up front, different players will step up and take their turns. It’s like we said at the start, every year you have changes, and every year you have the chance to take a bigger bite or play a different role, and that’s what exciting for the players and the coaches when we come to training camp. We’re just getting started here, and there is a lot we need to figure out.

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 X (formerly Twitter) @MikeHeika.