Why is Dellandrea making so little? He's going to see roughly $1.5M on his next contract

That's his QO. He doesn't have leverage and Nill could make the argument that he will pay him next year when the cap goes up.

Jason Robertson's qualifying offer was in the low $800K's last year as well and he had no leverage. Same with Oettinger. Just because that's a player's qualifying offer doesn't mean that's what the team is going to offer them on a contract. Dellandrea is due for a pretty nice pay raise over what he was making last year and he's going to get it this offseason.

He still isn't getting 1.5. At best, he would get 1. He had 28 points. He's not in the same realm as Otter or Robertson.

I'm not saying he's in the same realm, and there is far more to his game than point production. Jason Dickinson got a 2 year deal worth $1.5M per year after the 2018-2019 season where he put up 22 points. If he only put up 22 points, why did he get the contract he did? Because he was far more effective on the ice than his point total showed. He brought value in the defensive end of the ice, in the physical aspect of the game, and he was a Swiss Army Knife that was able to be used at even strength, on the PK, & anywhere up and down the lineup.

Dellandrea is a carbon copy of that kind of player, and he's arguably better offensively. If you only look at his point totals, you're completely missing 75% of his game and what he does for the Stars. He is absolutely worth a short bridge deal worth $1.5M per year.

Cap is different than it was when Dicky was signed. I agree with everything you said I just don't see how it works this year. Next year if the cap goes up, absolutely.

The cap his higher today than it was back then. In reality, he should make MORE than what Dickinson got. I'm not sure he does, but it would absolutely be reasonable to see him come in closer to $1.75M. I think Nill is able to get him down off of that number a little bit, but not by $750K.

Stars currently have 14 forwards. How does it work? You move one of the forwards or send one of them to the AHL. Either they get collected via waivers or we are able to bury up to $1.15M of their contract. That's where you get the rest of the cap space for Dellandrea.