When the Dallas Stars acquired Patrick Sharp in July, they did so at the cost of Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt. To some in the hockey media, this trade was a bit of a head scratcher.
Dallas' blueline was seen as fragile enough; why trade one of your veteran defenders? It looked like Nill was doubling down on Dallas' already potent offense. And Stephen Johns was just a prospect; not someone who could walk into camp and start playing taking Daley's minutes.
The general rule of who wins a trade is whoever gets the best player.