Why buying out Ryan Suter is the right move for the Dallas Stars

On Thursday, the Dallas Stars announced they will buy out the final year of defenseman Ryan Suter’s contract. 

While it was a bit unexpected due to the circumstances, it looks to be the right move for general manager Jim Nill and the Stars. 

Suter has been just okay since signing a four-year contract with Dallas in 2021. He was a crucial veteran presence for Dallas’ many young players, but has mostly been a bottom-pairing defender on the ice. When put into a bigger role due to injuries above him, Suter looked out of place. That became apparent in the intensity of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 39-year-old finished 2024-23 with 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) and a plus-14 rating in 82 games. While the plus-14 looks good, it came on a team with a plus-64 goal differential that had only a few players below even. 

Suter’s buyout gives the Stars some free cap space (about $2.8 million next season) and allows them to be more aggressive in pursuing free agents like Chris Tanev and Matt Duchene. It also allows Stars coach Pete DeBoer to give more ice time to younger players with more upside.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Ryan Suter. Veteran defenseman out in Dallas. He’s had an up and down ride with the Dallas Stars… if the buyout goes through… It would put Suter in an interesting class. He would be on two buyouts at the same time in Minnesota and Dallas. Does this move make sense for the Dallas Stars?

Frank Seravalli: I think it does for a number of reasons. One, the Stars are scrounging in couch cushions for as much salary cap space as they can find. They’d like to find a way to keep Chris Tanev… They are pinching pennies. Suter was a way to easily save a few million bucks. When you look at Suter’s play in the playoffs, he’s held up fine during the regular season. When it gets to another level, he’s just long in the tooth and he doesn’t have the ability to keep up at this point in time. Could he latch on somewhere as a third-pairing defenseman for minimal money?… Will he call it a career? 

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