The Dallas Stars‘ recent bid to grab one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference came up a bit short, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty to be excited about for this franchise. The future is especially bright thanks to a recent change at the top.

The Stars said goodbye to general manager Joe Nieuwendyk a day after the regular season came to an end. His poor track record when it came to the trade market was a large reason why he was removed from his post. Luckily, he actually turned the Stars around quite a bit as far as their organizational depth is concerned.

This is a team with plenty of young talent, both on the current roster and in the minors. Which is why hiring a guy like Jim Nill is something that should have this franchise and its fans very, very happy right now.

Jim Nill is a guy that teams have been coveting for quite some time. Coming from an organization that develops their talent like the Detroit Red Wings do, he’s the type of front office executive that is going to steer a young team in the right direction. He’s a perfect fit for this organization.

The Dallas Stars have plenty of talent on their current roster. They have a couple of young stars, including the likes of Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson. They have a player that most would consider a franchise goalie, in Kari Lehtonen. They have some blue liners coming up through the ranks that will be making an impact in the near future.

With Nill at the helm, this Stars organization is going to be experiencing quite the culture change. Gone are the days of a mostly empty arena and failed playoff expectations. At least that’s the hope that the franchise has. And they certainly have the right man for the job.