Late last season, the Dallas Stars surveyed their options for improving their lineup in order to bulk up for a potential Stanley Cup run at the National Hockey League’s trade deadline, the final weekend in which teams can make deals such as this.
That boiled down to the Stars actively acquiring shot-blocking expert Kris Russell from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka, forward prospect Brett Pollock, and a 2nd-round NHL Draft selection (Dillon Dube).
It was a really, really bad move.
Dallas flamed out in the Western Conference Semifinals to St.