As the Dallas Stars look to free up cap space this offseason to sign six players with just under $5 million to work with, they’ll need to look at trading some players who remain under contract.
Mason Marchment is one player the Stars could consider parting ways with and was named earlier this month in The Dallas Morning News as one of five offseason moves the team could make to free up cap space. David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period also reported Wednesday that the Stars are shopping Marchment, who is entering the final year of his four-year deal with a $4.5 million cap hit.
Marchment just completed his third season in Dallas where he matched his career-high in goals (22) despite playing 19 fewer games.
Here is the case for and against trading the 29-year-old left winger:
Why the Stars should trade Mason Marchment
By trading away Marchment, the Stars could nearly double their available cap room.
His $4.5 million cap hit is significant, and if that space could be used to sign a veteran right-shot defenseman, it could be worthwhile entering next season.
While Marchment has taken steps forward in all three of his seasons in Dallas, he faced a challenging setback when he took a puck to the face on Dec. 27 against the Minnesota Wild and missed over a month following facial surgery.
Marchment was one of the team’s best forwards before that injury and gained league recognition, as he was named the NHL’s second star of the week on Nov. 18. But he wasn’t the same after returning and took some time to return to form.
In the playoffs, Marchment was one of the many Dallas forwards who didn’t deliver to the level the team needed. He scored just one goal and four assists in 18 games and also recorded 18 penalty minutes, including some costly ones.
Set to be an unrestricted free agent next year, the Stars wouldn’t gain anything if he walked in free agency, but if they traded him this year, they could regain some draft capital or another missing piece in return.
Why the Stars shouldn’t trade Mason Marchment
Marchment has had a solid upward trajectory during his time in Dallas.
After recording 31 points in his first season, he took a significant step forward and recorded 53 (22 goals and 31 assists) in 81 games in 2023-24. In 19 fewer games played, he still scored 22 goals and also added 25 assists for 47 points.
Marchment became a consistent contributor on the second power-play unit, and while he finished second on the team with 53 penalty minutes in the regular season, he also drew 31, among the most on the Stars.
He also brings a physicality the Stars lack in other areas, and when he can stay out of the penalty box, it’s important, especially in the playoffs.
Marchment is also an important member of the locker room, having a strong bond with goalie Jake Oettinger and with his linemates of two years now Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin. Trading him could disrupt some important chemistry.
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