NHL Rumors: 3 Dallas Stars Not Expected Back Next Season

The Dallas Stars were eliminated by the Calgary Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and now the attention turns to next season. Management will be busy this summer trying to improve their hockey team, meaning unfortunately not all Stars players will be back next season. Let's take a look at three players likely done in Dallas:

Alexander Radulov

The Stars are not expected to re-sign Alexander Radulov as the veteran winger has slowed down in recent years. He'll be 36 years old when free agency begins July 13 and is coming off a season where he collected only four goals and 22 points in 71 games, by far his worst season as a member of the Stars organization. Radulov is coming off a contract where he made $6.25 million annually and expect to see him sign somewhere else for much less than this per season. There will be some interest and look for a one or two-year deal around the $2.5 million mark. 

John Klingberg

From feeling under appreciated to being double shifted in the playoffs, John Klingberg went through it all in Dallas this season. The right-handed mobile defenseman hits the open market this summer and will be one of the biggest fish in the pond. Klingberg's a 6-foot-3 frame and has great offensive awareness with and without the puck. This season he recorded 47 points in 74 games and expect to see him get a hefty raise from the $4.25 million he was making per season on his last deal. Klingberg is likely tied to Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins and once Letang makes up his mind, expect Klingberg to receive his new contract. From Dallas? At this point that appears clear as mud.

Braden Holtby

Make no mistake about it folks, the Stars are Jake Oettinger's team and don't expect to see the team re-sign Braden Holtby. The oft-injured netminder couldn't stay healthy this season and forced the Stars to go out and acquire another goalie mid-season. The 32-year-old Holtby will hit the open market on July 13, and there will be some teams lining up for a conversation as the goalie market is very thin this summer, which bodes well for Holtby and his championship resume. He appeared in 24 games, posting a respectable 2.78 goals against average and a .913 save percentage. 

Photo credit:  Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports