Stars GM says Brayden Holtby and John Klingberg off the board
Anthony Scultore
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Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill spoke with the press on Wednesday and informed them that goalie Brayden Holtby is not in play at the NHL Trade Deadline, set for this coming Monday.
In addition, defenseman John Klingberg is off the board unless a team blows him away with an offer.
Both players are set to be unrestricted free agent on July 13.
Stars holding on to Klingberg and Holtby
The Dallas Stars are very much in the playoff hunt with a record of 32-23-3. They currently sit one point the Vegas Golden Knights for the last wild cars spot in the West.
Klingberg, 29, has 31 points in 52 games this season and is looking for a new deal in the neighborhood of 8 years and $8M per season. The gap between the two teams is wide, which is why many speculated that he would be on the move.
However, with Mikko Heiskanen out with mononucleosis, the Stars are opting to hold on to him.
“Let’s be clear, I’m not calling teams about [Klingberg],” Nill told NHL.com on Wednesday. “Again, if someone overwhelms me with a proposal, hey, I’m going to do what’s best for the team. We’ve talked to some people and you always have to look at things. But our focus is on making the playoffs. That’s very important to our franchise. John’s a big part of that and we’ll just move forward.”
NHL.com
Holtby, 32, was also suspected of being on the move due to his UFA status, but Anton Khudobin’s hip surgery seemed to end that speculation. However, according to Nill he was never going to trade him.
“I was never really actively shopping him,” Nill said. “That was kind of more of the media… You never say never in case you get an overwhelming offer but the Khudobin surgery solidifies that Holtby is staying put.”
