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 News & Notes

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Former Stars GM Doug Armstrong begins his new job with the St. Louis Blues Monday, but as he talked to the media about his new team there were still a lot of questions about his old team.

"I was very happy for all the people involved. I was with Dallas for 17 years and those ties and those emotions don't go away quickly," Armstrong said late last week when asked about his time with Stars on XM Satellite radio. "I don't know if they'll ever go away. Working with and bringing Dave Tippett into the organization, just watching the maturation of Brenden Morrow and Marty Turco and having the honor of watching Mike Modano's career from 1990 on, it's been a great ride.

"I was so happy that they could exorcise that playoff demon that was hanging around the organization, not only getting out of the first round but taking a very good Detroit team deep into the playoffs."

Armstrong also mentioned the organization's decision to basically stand pat last summer and not make a big splash in the free agent market. Armstrong and management came under fire from some in the media and among some in the fan base for the lack of activity in the market.

Although the Stars stumbled early in the season, it was basically the same group of players that turned it around, went on a run in February and was probably playing the best hockey in the league heading up until the deadline.

"I think it shows the job Dave and his coaching staff were doing was right and the management staff of Les Jackson - and I was working there at the time - [was right] for taking the hard stance and not doing some of the things the populace wanted by signing the wrong free agents and going about our job the way we thought best," Armstrong said. "I think it looks like at the end of the day they are not only set up for this year, but they are set up moving forward."

In previous interviews Armstrong gave Jackson and co-GM Brett Hull full marks for the deadline deal that brought Brad Richards to Dallas from Tampa Bay. Armstrong also credited Jackson and the scouting staff for doing a nice job finding good players with the draft picks Armstrong started stockpiling when he took over as Dallas GM.

During an interview with CBC Hockey Night in Canada radio, Armstrong was asked if there was one young player on the Stars' he really liked.

"I think Nicklas Grossman is a player I really have an affection for," Armstrong said. "He's a big strong player. He plays the game the correct way. He's a lot like Matty Norstrom in the sense that he just helps you win hockey games."

Armstrong then talked about a couple of the young prospects on the horizon for the Stars.

They have another young defenseman, [Ivan] Vishnevskiy, a dynamic skater, great puck mover that can come in and hopefully learn from Sergei Zubov and he can take over. He's that type of offensive player," Armstrong said.
"[Left wing] James Neal is a big, strong player that plays a North American style, more importantly, a Canadian style. He'll be in there and be able to push."

"The Stars haven't had a top pick in a number of years, but Les Jackson, Tim Bernhardt and the entire staff have gone out and found players that can come in and compete. I think the Stars have a good group of young defensemen and some forwards who are going to come in and surprise. I think you saw a little bit of that last season with Loui Eriksson. He's projected to be a top six forward in that organization. [Joel] Lundqvist has been a real proven playoff player the last two years. I think his style is built for that time of year and that style of hockey. The Stars' cupboard is full and I think they are going to be a team to be reckoned with moving forward."

Draft pick signing deadline

Sunday was the deadline for NHL teams to sign players taken in the 2006 draft, but that deadline isn't that simple because of a lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and IIHF.

The status of European draft picks remains in limbo while there is no agreement and teams retain the rights to those players.

It doesn't have a big impact on the Stars because they took only one European player - forward Max Warn of Finland - in 2006.

That left forward Aaron Snow as the only 2006 draft pick the Stars needed to sign, and there was no word Sunday that Dallas had signed the third round pick. If a player isn't signed by the deadline he goes back into the draft.

The Stars already have their first round pick from 2006 - defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy - under contract. Goalie Richard Bachman and center David McIntyre are still in college and don't need to be signed until they graduate.

The Stars also have three European picks from 2004, who were supposed to signed by Sunday but whose rights they retain for now due to the transfer agreement issue.

There are two 2004 picks who wrapped up their college careers this past season -defenseman Trevor Ludwig and forward Matt McKnight - who will need to be signed by August 15 or they will become free agents.

Here's a look at the status of the Stars' 2006 draft picks and the status of some of the other unsigned picks whose rights the Stars still retain. Players in bold italics are those who need to be signed this summer.