The five-year contract extension for Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill highlighted an extremely newsy NHL week that included a blockbuster, straight-up trade between Columbus and Nashville and a former Halifix Moosehead requesting a trade at age 20.
Besides Nill deserving his new five-year deal — he has turned the Stars into the Western Conference's best team — the drama was heavy. To wit:
• Former Portland Winterhawks Ryan Johansen and Seth Jones were traded for each other Wednesday — center Johansen going to the Predators and defenseman Jones to the Blue Jackets — and they ran into each other at Port Columbus International Airport and talked about Johansen living at Jones' apartment in Nashville.