The Dallas Stars have signed center Joe Pavelski to a three-year contract worth $21 million and right wing Corey Perry to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. The Stars have also signed defenseman Andrej Sekera to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

The Stars receive:

In Pavelski, a soon-to-be 35-year-old center who has spent his entire 12-year career in San Jose. In spite of his age, Pavelski posted his highest goal total in three seasons (38) in 2018-19 while reaching the 60-point mark for the eighth consecutive season (lockout-shortened 2012-13 not included). Pavelski scored those 38 goals while taking fewer than 200 shots, which is his lowest full-season total of his career (career-high 20.2 S%). That might suggest a goal regression regardless of which team he plays for.  

In Perry, a former Hart Trophy winner and 50-goal scorer whose overall production has declined over each of the last three seasons. Perry may still be productive if his injury issues are behind him. He could prove to be a solid value signing for the Stars and a potential bounce-back candidate from the Stars’ middle 6 (although not to his career-high levels).

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Pavelski and Perry should provide the Stars with some much-needed scoring depth, with last season’s top line of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Alexander Radulov more likely to be split up if needed. Beyond the oft-used top line, the scoring dropoff for the Stars is significant. Radek Faksa was the next-highest scoring Stars’ forward with 30 points, although the Stars acquired Mats Zuccarello at the trade deadline and were able to benefit from a strong final month from rookie Roope Hintz (11 points in 14 games). Zuccarello has since signed with Minnesota.

The Stars have been a one-line team for two long, so the Pavelski and Perry signings provide the Stars with scoring depth that they have been missing for so long. Hintz would benefit in terms of even-strength points, though he will probably lose first-unit power-play time with a possible first unit of Seguin, Benn, Radulov, and Pavelski. Jason Dickinson, who saw some second-line duty during the playoffs, could be the odd man out on the second line.

The Pavelski signing means the end of Jason Spezza in Dallas as well, as the veteran forward has signed with Toronto for one year at $700,000.

In San Jose, Pavelski has numerous forwards that could lose value from his departure. Peter DeBoer tended to mix his lines, so there may not be one specific forward that could lose value more than the others. Logan Couture is likely the first-line center going forward. The Sharks have also lost Gustav Nyquist (Columbus) and Joonas Donskoi (Colorado) in free agency as well. So the top-9 is still fairly deep, although not as much as before. In terms of power-play time, someone like Timo Meier or Kevin Labanc could sneak into the top unit on a more permanent basis. Since the Sharks should be using a 3F-2D unit going forward now that Erik Karlsson is staying, they have enough forward depth to have one of the league’s stronger second units anyway.

In Anaheim, a youth movement is expected to take over. Youngsters such as Troy Terry, Max Jones and Sam Steel should all be able to take on greater roles and had even done so with Perry in the lineup later in the season.

Fantasy players this helps, in order:

Perry

Hintz

Fantasy players this hurts, in order:

Dickinson

Pavelski

Fantasy owners are already discussing the trade on the Forum – give your take here!