Heiskanen should fire his agent if he suggests that deal.

Do the stars have to expose Dickinson for the player requirement? (I get they don't protect him, but does he have to meet the player requirement clause?) Because I figure they could probably trade him for some decent return.

Carolina don't need an injury prone goaltender. They have a starter with Nedeljkovic, they'll sign a backup. I appreciate the reasons for it, but it would still need to be at a position of need for Carolina

Bishop starts. The only way he doesn't is if he plays absolutely awfully

The Stars don't HAVE to expose Dickinson for the expansion requirement (he doesn't meet it anyway), but after the Stars signed Comeau the prevailing thought was that they made that signing so that they could protect Faksa. I fully expect the Stars to go with the following protection list:

Benn
Seguin
Radulov
Pavelski
Hintz
Gurianov
Faksa

Klingberg
Lindell
Heiskanen

Bishop

I personally, would protect Dickinson over Faksa, and not to trade. Dickinson is simply the better player & a guy that I re-sign and keep in my bottom-6.

You know there is a decent chance that Gardiner doesn’t play again, right? Sounds like he’s contemplating a 3rd back surgery.

Apparently that got debunked. One of the Canes beat reporters tweeted that he’s playing in one of the summer tournaments. I thought that would be the case too but if he’s playing in an exhibition summer tournament chances are no surgery on the horizon.

I'm a big Gardiner fan, but it would have to be a huge turn around from a debilitating injury for it to be worth a team taking a chance on him. It's a ton of money for more than a year. I don't understand, why not just give Oleksiak that money (better player now and probably does not hit 4).

What is your best thought on what a return would be for him/a contract term? Has there been any talk in the market?

Nah I’m with you. I’m a canes fan but as a stars fan I wouldn’t be taking him on. To your point Oleksiak is better all around even if he doesn’t have the offensive ceiling that a healthy Gardiner has and doesn’t have a back injury concern lingering over him. But as a Canes fan would love to move his cap hit

Was the OP changed or are you confusing Bishop and Khudobin?

Khudobin is injury-prone. Bishop is made of glass.