As if their aggressive offseason would have dictated any differently, the Dallas Stars are reportedly set to land one of the top unsigned players at the start of NHL free agency.
TSN's Bob McKenzie reports via Twitter that center Martin Hanzal, formerly of the Arizona Coyotes and most recently of the Minnesota Wild, is "expected to go to" Dallas once the market opens Saturday.
Hanzal, 30, warranted a steep price at March's trade deadline after a long career in Arizona, and his short-lived stint with Minnesota was underwhelming. His four goals in 20 games failed to help the Wild live up to their lofty playoff hopes. His 39 total points in 2016-17 were still consistent with previous marks, however, and his two-way, first-line experience ensured he'd be a big target in free agency.
The Stars, meanwhile, haven't been slow to restock talent as they look to return to the postseason. After bringing back Ken Hitchcock as head coach, the team reeled in Ben Bishop from the Kings to man the net, re-signed the former Tampa Bay Lightning goalie and then landed Ottawa Senators-turned-Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Marc Methot to give Bishop help.
Now, if McKenzie's report holds true, they have a center to add to the mix.