Knowing something hard is coming doesn’t make it any easier.
As much as fans were prepared for Mats Zuccarello’s eventual departure — now permanent, as he makes his way to Dallas — it didn’t make it any easier when the news dropped. And when already emotional fans saw the meager return first announced, it got even worse.
Jeff Gorton acquired a conditional 2nd round pick in 2019 and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2020. If the Dallas Stars win two rounds in the playoffs (and Zuccarello plays 50% or more of the games) the 2019 2nd becomes a 2019 1st.