On July 1, 2017, the Dallas Stars entered free agency with a relatively short to-do list. And considering the season they produced in 2016-17, it was surprising to see such a small index of needs. That shortened list was due in large part to the early action of GM Jim Nill.
After turning in one of the worst performances in franchise history during 2016-17, Nill immediately got to work at improving his roster in hopes of avoiding any more setbacks. He hired a new head coach in Ken Hitchcock a few days after exit interviews, traded for and signed starting goaltender Ben Bishop, and traded for veteran defender Marc Methot.