The Stars season has been a bummer. The club will not make the playoffs and after trading Jordie Benn on Monday, the Stars kept on trading talent.
The team announced the trade of defenseman Johnny Oduya to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forward Mark McNeill and a draft pick in a news release:
Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced to that the club has acquired forward Mark McNeill and a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for defenseman Johnny Oduya. If Chicago should advance to third round of the playoffs this season, and Oduya plays in 50% or more in first two rounds, then the selection turns into Chicago's third-round pick in 2018. Additionally, Dallas retains 50% on Oduya's contract.
McNeill, 24, has posted 28 points (6-22=28) in 58 games played for Rockford of the American Hockey League (AHL). In 273 career regular season AHL contests, all with Rockford, he has amassed 157 points (72-85=157). He appeared in one career NHL contest with Chicago in 2015-16 collecting three hits. He will report to Texas, Dallas' top development affiliate in the AHL.
The 6-foot-2, 214-pound native of Langley, British Columbia was originally selected by Chicago in the first round (18th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Oduya, 35, has posted seven points (1-6=7) in 37 regular season games this season. Since joining Dallas in 2015-16, he has appeared in 119 regular season games for the team and recorded 28 points (5-23=28).
The 6-foot, 195-pound native of Stockholm, Sweden was signed as a free agent by Dallas on July 15, 2015.
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Oduya returns to Chicago, where he was part of their last two Stanley Cup championships. After the Blackhawks won their Stanley Cup title in 2015, Oduya left in free agency for a $7.5 million, two-year contract with Dallas.
Oduya will be an unrestricted free agent again after this season.
"With the situation of our team, I think it's important for us to get the most assets we can," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "Johnny's been a great warrior for us. ... It gives him an opportunity to go to Chicago. They're in the playoffs and for us, it gave us some assets for down the road."
The struggling Stars, who were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last season, are still seven points out of a playoff spot with 19 games remaining this season. That was even after a 3-2 win at home Tuesday night against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Blackhawks, second in the Western Conference, host the Penguins on Wednesday night.
It was the third deal by Nill leading up to Wednesday's trade deadline. The Stars had already sent defenseman Jordie Benn, the older brother of team captain Jamie Benn, to Montreal on Monday; after trading forward Patrick Eaves to Anaheim last Friday.
McNeill had six goals and 22 assists in 58 games for Rockford in the AHL. He has played in only one NHL game, for the Blackhawks on Jan. 26, 2016, at Carolina. The 24-year-old forward will report to Texas, the Stars' top development affiliate in the AHL.
