FRISCO -- If you get the impression Stars general manager Jim Nill likes Russian players, you're right.
His first trade when he became general manager in 2013 was for defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Nill has had seven first-round draft picks in Dallas and has spent two of them on Russian players. And this offseason Nill shelled out the most he's ever paid for a free agent in signing Alexander Radulov away from the Montreal Canadiens.
His fondness for Russians can be traced to his fondness for winning.
"I've won four Stanley Cups because of the four to six Russian players that we had in Detroit, in all different eras," explained Nill over the weekend at the Stars developmental camp.