Insider: 4 Big Names Listed As Dallas Stars to go "Big-Game Hunting" at Deadline

The Dallas Stars have some big money to spend over the next week, if they see fit. With $4.6 million already available in cap room with Tyler Seguin already on LTIR, they can obtain another $8.45 million to spend by placing Miro Heiskanen on long-term as well, as his return this season is very much in question.

GM Jim Nill has never been shy about adding at the trade deadline, now with all this extra leeway, expect him to go "big-game hunting" as insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period put it.

Dallas has already gone out and acquired Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci, but those hardly qualify as "big game" gets.

The Stars are likely looking to make a huge add at forward, plus one on the blueline, and Pagnotta goes on to name a pair of each in this list of four "big game" names that the Stars have on their radar:

Mikko Rantanen
Brock Nelson
Seth Jones
Erik Karlsson

As Pagnotta notes, "it's no secret" that they have interest in the NY Islanders pending UFA Brock Nelson, and of course, what contender wouldn't be interested in Mikko Rantanen if the Carolina Hurricanes decide to put him back on the market and flip him if they can't get him to agree on an extension.

Seth Jones' interest in coming home is already known, but his $9.5M cap hit might be too much even for Dallas at this point. If the Blackhawks do a little retention, it could happen. Same with Karlsson, who the Penguins would need to retain on to find any team to take him.

Whichever way they go, as noted by Pagnotta, Nill has the full backing of the higher-ups.

"Ownership has said, 'Hey, go get us whatever you need to help us win a championship'."

The Stars are firmly in 2nd spot in the Central Division, and once again will be Stanley Cup contenders heading into the playoffs. They'd like to take one step further than last year's Conference Finals appearance. And if Jim Nill gets his way by next Friday's deadline, they'll be given every opportunity to do so.