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On Sunday, the Dallas Stars signed left winger Ray Whitney to a two-year contract. Obtaining Whitney was the first blockbuster free agent signing that separated the Stars from the rest of the NHL.
The Stars will pay Whitney $9 million dollars over the next two seasons. Whitney is expected to make $4 million this upcoming season, and he will also receive an additional $5o0 thousand in bonus incentives. Whitney will get the same amount for the 2013-2014 season assuming he remains with the Stars.
Whitney had a career season in 2011-2012 with the Phoenix Coyotes. Last season Whitney achieved immense feats for a 39-year-old left winger. Whitney played in all 82 regular season games scoring 24 goals, 53 assists (6th best in the NHL), and 77 points (tied for 12th best in the NHL).
Before joining the Coyotes, Whitney had a few successful seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. He joined the Hurricanes for the 2005-2006 NHL season and the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup that year. The following season Whitney recorded a career-high 83 points. In the 2008-2009 season, Whitney posted 77 points despite a loss to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
There is no question that Whitney played a huge role in helping the Coyotes reach the Western Conference Finals last season, but he is 40 years old now. Age is not working in Whitney’s favor. The main challenge for Whitney will be to guide the Stars to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with his playmaking ability on the wing.
The main question that Stars fans want to know is if Whitney will translate his skills in Dallas or become a one trick pony due to old age.
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