So it’s official that the Dallas Stars are having a not-so-secret love affair with the idea of Russian players. With Valeri Nichushkin and the prospects they’ve chased down that reminded them of his potential, the Stars haven’t seen a maximum return on investment yet. Nichushkin’s return is still uncertain and Denis Guryanov has been sticking mostly to the minors.
But even with Nichushkin still playing in Russia, the Dallas Stars have added enough offensive assets to seem beyond needing him for the time being. Their latest addition, Alexander Radulov, seems set to be the final puzzle piece that Dallas has been looking for to create a thoroughly effective first line.