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Jim Nill: Stars going experience-heavy in net

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 11: Jim Nill, General Manager of the Dallas Stars presents Kari Lehtonen #32 with a silver stick commemorating Lehtonen's 500th career game prior to face off against the Nashville Predators at the American Airlines Center on April 11, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)

SUNRISE, Fla. – Dallas general manager Jim Nill found a fascinating way to supplement Dallas Stars ‘unquestioned’ starting goaltender Kari Lehtonen -- acquire another starter in Antti Niemi. Well, technically it's the rights to negotiate for Niemi, an unrestricted free agent. But all indications were Nill was ready to bring the former Shark on board.

Nill noted he was looking to go into next season with both Niemi and Lehtonen on roster. That’s going to be a lot of money tied into goaltenders, a position that waffles on league-wide importance depending on the year.

“Kari is still an elite goalie. We just, we’re in a tough situation with our travel,” Nill said. “We have as much travel as anybody in the league and back-to-back games. I really think it’s becoming a two-goalie league now. You look around the league, the teams that have a lot of success, it’s because of two goalies and the pressure to win.”

This all makes a some sense. Per On the Forecheck, the Stars traveled the second-most miles last season at 48,216.

But to make a cross-sport reference, it’s like an NFL GM going to a double-QB system just to limit the wear and tear on one. Could you imagine Russell Wilson coming out of three or four games in the middle of the regular season being played by a backup just to give him some rest? Granted, that league plays fewer games and doesn’t have the same type of travel. But there’s a high amount of stress and importance placed on both spots.

Also, the teams Nill referenced as having depth in net, the Rangers and Flames, didn't have two goaltenders with potentially $5 million-plus salary cap hits.

Lehtonen had the worst non-Thrashers year of his career last season with a 2.94 goals against average and .903 save percentage in 65 games played. But most years he has proved more than capable. Since 2010-11, he didn’t have a save percentage lower than .914 – until last season.

“He’s going to bounce back,” Nill said. “He’s changing his conditioning over the summer and competition is healthy. We want our goalies to help us win the Cup and this could help us get there.”

The Stars also have the 31-year-old Lehtonen for three more years at a $5.9 million per-tear cap hit. Is this an asset Nill intends to flip? Nill said Dallas has salary cap space – as in $14.950,834 in cap space per general fanager. The only unrestricted free agent the Stars would like to re-sign in Patrick Eaves, and now Niemi of course.

“I’m not looking at that,” he said. “I’m just looking to solidify our goaltending and go from there.”

Niemi, 31, had a 2.59 goals against average and .914 save percentage for the struggling Sharks last year. He made $4 million per-year in his last deal. That has to be at least a starting point for Niemi. If Dallas keeps both, using that much cap space on goaltenders is an interesting way to spread your dollars around since the Stars need, oh a top-tier defenseman.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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