In the past two free agency periods (2018 and 2019) the Dallas Stars have opened the checkbook, ready to land the game’s biggest and most expensive players. In 2018, that player was John Tavares, who had Dallas on his shortlist of franchises that he would take an interview with. After the Stars’ second-round exit in 2019, the team was able to woo Joe Pavelski away from San Jose and Tampa Bay, with an expensive three-year contract.
It was all part of a philosophy from an ownership and front office that seemed bent on spending to the cap to maximize the potential of the on-ice product.