Alex Guptill and Alex Chiasson Headed to Ottawa in Spezza Trade

Alex Guptill (Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)
Now former Texas Stars Alex Guptill and Alex Chiasson will both be suiting up in the Eastern Conference this coming season. They have been traded along with Nicholas Paul and a 2nd round pick in next year's draft for Ottawa's Jason Spezza and Ludwig Karlsson. Spezza figures to be Dallas's hard-sought second center. Karlsson is a Swedish left winger who is likely to split time between Texas and Idaho next season.

The emergence of Brett Ritchie made Alex Chiasson an expendable part for the Dallas brain trust. They play similar games, but I feel Ritchie has a greater upside.

Texas fans didn't get much chance to see what Alex Guptill had to bring in a Texas Stars sweater during his ATO. He will start the year in Binghamton next season.

All in all, it's not as big an effect on the Texas roster as last year's big center trade that saw Texas lose Reilly Smith, Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow.

Comments

  1. The curse strikes again. I buy a jersey and the player leaves. This time Guptill. Best of luck in Ottawa Alex and Alex.

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  2. Can someone please teach Dallas negotiation skills, please?

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    Replies
    1. What is it that you are unhappy with? Jim Nill did a great job yesterday. We just need to remember that the Texas Stars are a development team, and as much as we may not like it, players will come and go. Steve

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    2. Texas hasn't been hurt thus far IMO. Looks like our goaltending should be in the worst case Campbell and Robinson (assuming we bring back Robinson), that's okay by me. Signing Spezza means they have 4 centers currently signed and a 5th in Eakin that you would expect them to sign. What does that do to Morin, Dowling, and Glennie? From first look it appears it's going to be tough for them to crack the Dallas roster. That means there are 8 other forwards on the Dallas roster or are expected to make the Dallas roster. Total that is 13 forwards that should make the Dallas roster. Add to that they have 5 defensemen under contract and would expect to risign Dillon, you would expect 1-2 defensemen from Texas to be front runners to make Dallas and that's 21 skaters. Opening night last year Dallas dressed 18 skaters.

      Like I said before Dallas is relatively young and we might see a backlog of talent in Cedar Park. Sure a few guys will move up but we always have a few guys moving up to us as well. What stands to hurt us the most is if they don't attempt to replace what Mueller, Jeffrey, and Meech as well as Morin if he does move up.

      Obviously this is all apt to change in a deal or two done by Dallas but I can't see them doing to much given the needle is pointing up for Dallas with the current roster and what they have in Cedar Park

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    3. I understand I made a blanket statement, and I apologize for that.
      Dallas went for a younger team last year, and now they're looking for experience, as indicated by the plethora of 30 year-olds they recently added. They're going to need veterans to replace Robidas, and probably Whitney too. But is one NHL forward and one AHL/ECHL defenseman equal to everyone we just traded away? I don't think the value matches up. This isn't nearly as lopsided as last year's trade ended up being, but I still think Dallas gets the short straw.
      I know it wasn't a blockbuster trade, and that it's Dallas's organization, but I would rather see Dallas let the Texas Stars develop, and reward consistently strong players with NHL contracts. It seems like they've been developing Texas in order to use them as trade bait. Dallas has a lot of great options in Cedar Park, but they're making quick fixes instead of long-term investments.

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  3. The Karlsson we get back from Ottawa is a winger not a defenseman.

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