Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill has, over recent years, made a habit of making a major offseason splash in an attempt to get his club back to a Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2000.

Nill was beaten to the punch this summer by new Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas' signing of John Tavares. But according to a report Tuesday, Nill doesn't seem to be standing idly by. In fact, if rumors are to be believed, the Stars have emerged as front-runners to land highly-prized blue-liner Erik Karlsson from the Ottawa Senators.

Senators GM Pierre Dorion's future with the Sens hangs in the balance as Ottawa fans wait with bated breath to see if the much-maligned front-office executive can right the ship and resurrect the franchise from what has been a dismal 10-month period.

Karlsson is the face of the Senators, so Dorion needs to get the deal right - to save both himself and the franchise. But where would he even start?

What pieces would be involved?

First off, moving Karlsson means Ottawa will need to fill a massive hole on its blue line, so a promising defensive prospect being involved is crucial.

Quite obviously, no players coming back to the Senators would remotely make up for the loss of Karlsson. But this move is being made to solidify Ottawa's future, not to win a mediocre amount of games in 2018-19 and become a bubble team.

There's no denying that Karlsson was a different player after returning from serious offseason ankle surgery last year, but he remains one of the best puck-moving offensive defensemen in the league. So the package going Ottawa's way will have to be substantial, regardless of the franchise needing to cut payroll.

Reports have indicated the Sens are focusing on making 2017 third overall draft pick and stud defensive prospect Miro Heiskanen part of the deal, which would make a ton of sense from Dorion's perspective. Only problem, is Nill prepared to move one of the more promising players from last year's draft? If he's not, this is another potential deal that could work for both sides:

Realistically, there are myriad packages for what the Senators could get in return for their two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, as the club is in dire need of help at basically every position. But a trade like the one right above fills a lot of holes for Dorion right away.

However, Ottawa is devoid of a 2019 first-rounder from the Matt Duchene deal, so you can expect that Dorion will be holding firm on having a first-round pick being included in any potential Karlsson trade.

How would the trade impact the Stars?

Dallas is going to have to give up at least one or two active roster pieces to land a player of Karlsson's caliber. And there's no denying the bright futures of guys like Heiskanen, Honka, and Janmark. But that would be a small price to pay to add a perennial All-Star to its blue line.

Not to mention, imagine what the Stars' power play would like with Jon Klingberg playing opposite to his Swedish countryman? See you later. Both D-men average an insane amount of ice time per game (23:03 career average for Klingberg, 25:58 career average for Karlsson) and are both capable of hitting the 50- to 60-point mark on a yearly basis.

The price might be steep, and his future cap situation would need some tinkering, but if Nill has the opportunity to add a franchise player like Karlsson, he should be seriously considering coughing up the proper return to bring in that game-changing piece. If Nill can get Karlsson in Big D, the Stars quickly transform into a serious playoff threat.

How would the trade impact the Senators?

While Sens fans continue to groan and eye-roll in disapproval at seemingly every piece of news that comes out of the nation's capital this summer, Dorion has the chance to put the past season of mayhem behind him and turn the page on a new chapter of Ottawa hockey.

It was previously believed that any deal involving Karlsson would have to include winger Bobby Ryan and his hefty cap hit of $7.25 million over the next four years. But that rumor appears to be just that, as the Senators have reportedly agreed to not include Ryan in any Karlsson negotiations.

A trade with the Stars involving Karlsson wouldn't bring Ottawa back to life overnight, but it would go a long way in setting the club up for a successful future.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Carolina Hurricanes signed free-agent defenseman Calvin de Haan to a four-year, $18.2-million contract on Tuesday, the team announced.

"Calvin is a solid, puck-moving defenseman who will bring a veteran presence to the blue line," general manager Don Waddell said in a release. "He is a strong two-way player who is capable of shutting down opponents' top lines, and he will help solidify the left side and upgrade our defense."

The 27-year-old had been among the most coveted free-agent defensemen on the market.

De Haan gets himself a deal with an annual average of $4.55 million despite being limited to just 33 games this past season after undergoing shoulder surgery in late December.

In his limited action, de Haan managed 12 points while averaging 18:45 of ice time per night, fourth among all Islanders defenders.

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The Dallas Stars have emerged as the front-runners to land highly sought-after defenseman Erik Karlsson, sources told Chris Stevenson of The Athletic.

Related - Report: Senators give teams permission to negotiate with Karlsson

News regarding Dallas' keen interest in the two-time Norris Trophy winner comes only one day after the Senators reportedly gave teams permission to negotiate a new contract with Karlsson.

Despite it being heavily rumored that any deal involving Karlsson would have to also include Bobby Ryan and his beastly $7.25-million cap hit over the next four seasons, the deal with Dallas would not include the much-maligned winger, per Stevenson.

Ottawa offered its prized rearguard a contract extension on July 1 worth a reported $10 million per season, but given the relative mess the franchise currently finds itself in, it's widely expected Karlsson has played his final game in the nation's capital.

Karlsson is coming off a season in which he registered nine goals and 53 assists in 71 games.

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The St. Louis Blues re-signed forward Robby Fabbri to a one-year contract on Tuesday, the team announced.

Fabbri, who was a restricted free agent, missed the entire 2017-18 season following ACL surgery in October. It was the second time he underwent an ACL procedure, but Luckily for the 22-year-old, on Tuesday he was also medically cleared to return to hockey-related activities.

In his first two NHL seasons, Fabbri recorded 29 goals and 66 points in 123 games. He was drafted 21st overall in 2014.

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The New York Islanders agreed to terms with goaltender Robin Lehner on a one-year contract Tuesday, the team announced. The deal is worth $1.5 million, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.

Lehner moves to an Islanders squad that finished with the most goals allowed last season with a staggering 293 tallies. He also joins a goalie depth chart that includes only career backup Thomas Greiss and unproven AHL netminder Christopher Gibson.

A veteran of eight NHL seasons split between the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres, Lehner has a career regular-season record of 72-97-35 to go along with a career 2.82 GAA and .915 save percentage.

Lehner struggled last season for the Sabres, both with injury and with his consistency, while registering a 14-26-9 record with three shutouts. He was drafted by the Senators in the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs spent the last few days focusing on one of the best free-agent forwards in recent memory. On Tuesday, their attention turned to the back end with the signing of defenseman Justin Holl to a two-year contract, the team announced. The deal carries an annual average value of $675,000.

Holl made his NHL debut last season, playing two games for the Leafs and scoring a goal in each appearance.

The majority of Holl's 2017-18 campaign was spent with the Marlies, Toronto's AHL affiliate. He registered seven goals and 21 assists in 60 regular-season games. Holl also chipped in with three goals and two assists in 20 playoff games during the Marlies' championship run.

Holl played collegiately for the University of Minnesota Gophers, and he was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the 2010 NHL Draft. His deal with the Leafs is of the one-way variety, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

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The NHL draft and free-agent frenzy may be in the rear-view mirror, but the rumors surrounding a potential Erik Karlsson trade appear to be heating up.

On Monday, it was reported that the Ottawa Senators had given permission to interested clubs to discuss a potential contract extension with Karlsson. Signs certainly point to a potential departure from Ottawa, but if former Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson has his way, Karlsson will stick around.

"I think it's a difficult situation for everybody," Alfredsson said, according to TSN's Brent Wallace. "No question he is a generational talent and the best player to ever wear the Senators jersey. Then we'll see what happens. I know for me personally I hope he stays."

Related: Senators offer extension to Karlsson

As for if Alfredsson thinks Karlsson will be moved, he has no idea.

"To be honest I don't know what to think at this moment," Alfredsson said. "You know, what could happen? I heard at the deadline it was close. I heard after that it was close. I'm sure he'll call me if something happens."

Karlsson - who's set to be an unrestricted free agent next summer - is coming off a tough season with the Senators that saw the club finish with the second-worst record in the league, involved off-ice drama surrounding his family and former Senator Mike Hoffman, and seemingly featured never-ending rumors regarding the stability of the franchise in Ottawa with regards to owner Eugene Melnyk.

Still, the two-time Norris Trophy winner managed 62 points in 71 games and remains one of the elite defensemen in the NHL.

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The Arizona Coyotes re-signed center Brad Richardson to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.25 million, the team announced Tuesday.

The 33-year-old appeared in 76 games with the Coyotes last season, recording three goals and 15 points.

After acquiring centers Alex Galchenyuk and Marcus Kruger this offseason, Richardson now joins a crowded group down the middle for the Coyotes alongside Derek Stepan, Christian Dvorak, and Dylan Strome.

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