With Nill and Ruff, with Sergei Gonchar and a couple of free-agent center signings (Florida’s Stephen Weiss? Detroit’s Valtteri Filppula?), with the growth of young prospects, not to mention four picks in the top two rounds of the coming draft, the Stars may not be hoisting the Cup anytime soon. But they should at least become a part of the 16-team tournament that leads to that magical event.

-Tim Cowlishaw on the Dallas Stars. Read more at the Dallas Morning News.