Tyler Myers walked into American Airlines Center four games ago carrying the weight of expectation that comes with being a veteran defenseman acquired by a Stanley Cup contender at the trade deadline. The Dallas Stars, sitting second in the Western Conference with 94 points, had identified their blue line as the area needing reinforcement for a deep playoff run. They got their man from Vancouver, but the early returns suggest they might have gotten more than they bargained for.
The numbers from Myers's brief Dallas tenure tell a story that should concern anyone watching this team's Cup aspirations. In four games with the Stars, the 36-year-old has registered zero points, managed just six shots on goal, and averaged 15:14 of ice time per game - nearly five minutes less than his season average of 19:53. But those surface stats barely scratch the surface of what the advanced metrics reveal about this acquisition.
#57 · D · 78 GPThe Warning Signs Were Already There
Myers's struggles didn't begin when he arrived in Dallas. His full-season numbers, accumulated primarily during 57 games with the Vancouver Canucks, paint the picture of a defenseman in steep decline. At 0.13 points per game and a brutal minus-25 rating, Myers was posting career-worst offensive numbers while hemorrhaging goals against at an alarming rate.
The advanced analytics from MoneyPuck tell an even more damning story. Myers's on-ice expected goals percentage sits at just 39% - meaning the Stars are significantly outchanced when he's on the ice. Compare that to Dallas's team-wide 5-on-5 xGF% of 51.5%, and you see a player who actively makes his team worse in possession battles. His 49 defensive zone giveaways rank among the worst on the roster, a concerning trend for a player brought in specifically to stabilize the back end.
Perhaps most troubling is Myers's penalty differential. He's taken 21 penalties while drawing just 12, creating a net negative of minus-9 that puts additional strain on a Dallas penalty kill that's already facing pressure during their playoff push. For a team that's built its success on disciplined play and special teams execution, adding a player who consistently puts them shorthanded represents a fundamental miscalculation.
The Dallas Deployment Dilemma
The Stars have tried to shelter Myers by pairing him primarily with Lian Bichsel, essentially relegating their deadline acquisition to third-pair minutes alongside a 20-year-old rookie. Even in this protected role, Myers has struggled to find his footing in Dallas's system. His 15:14 average ice time suggests the coaching staff has quickly identified the limitations they're working with.
What makes this particularly concerning is how it affects Dallas's depth chart. The Stars entered the season with nine defensemen on their roster, and Myers's arrival has pushed capable players like Kyle Capobianco and Ilya Lyubushkin into press box roles. While Lyubushkin's own advanced metrics show similar possession struggles (39% on-ice xGF%), the roster construction creates a logjam that limits flexibility.
The MoneyPuck data reveals that Dallas's team xGF% drops from 51% to 39% when Myers is on the ice - a 12-point swing that represents one of the most dramatic negative impacts on the roster. For context, elite defensemen like Miro Heiskanen show the opposite effect, with the team's xGF% jumping from 50% to 58% when he's deployed.
Contract Context and Future Implications
Myers's acquisition becomes even more puzzling when viewed through the lens of his contract situation. At $3 million per season through 2026-27, per CapWages, he represents a significant financial commitment for a player whose underlying metrics suggest he's providing negative value. The Stars, already managing a complex cap situation with key players like Tyler Seguin on LTIR, have allocated meaningful resources to a player who may not be capable of contributing at a playoff level.
The timing of this investment is particularly questionable given Dallas's championship window. With core players like Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston entering their prime years, and veterans like Jamie Benn in the twilight of their careers, every roster decision carries amplified importance. Using cap space and trade assets on a declining defenseman represents an opportunity cost that could prove costly.
The Bigger Picture Problem
Myers's struggles highlight a broader issue with how contending teams evaluate aging defensemen at the trade deadline. His 1.3% shooting percentage this season represents a dramatic drop from his career norms, but the underlying shot generation metrics suggest this isn't simply bad luck. With just one high-danger shot attempt resulting in his lone goal, Myers has shown little ability to create quality offensive chances.
The defensive metrics are equally concerning. His 49 defensive zone giveaways in 61 games project to a full-season total that would rank among the worst in the league. For a player whose primary value was supposed to be veteran steadiness and defensive reliability, these numbers represent a fundamental failure to provide what Dallas thought they were acquiring.
What This Means Moving Forward
With the trade deadline passed and rosters set for the playoff push, Dallas must find a way to maximize Myers's contributions or minimize his impact. The early deployment patterns suggest the coaching staff recognizes the limitations they're working with, but the salary cap implications mean Myers will likely remain on the roster regardless of performance.
The most optimistic scenario involves Myers finding his footing as the sample size increases and chemistry develops with his new teammates. The MoneyPuck data shows he's running below his expected goal totals, suggesting some positive regression could be coming. However, the underlying possession metrics and defensive zone struggles represent systemic issues that are unlikely to resolve quickly.
For a Dallas team that entered this season with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations, the Myers acquisition represents the kind of miscalculation that can derail championship runs. The Stars remain a formidable team with elite talent throughout their lineup, but adding a player whose advanced metrics suggest he actively makes the team worse represents a puzzling decision from an otherwise shrewd front office.
The next month will determine whether Myers can adapt to his new surroundings and provide the veteran presence Dallas envisioned, or if this deadline move will be remembered as a costly mistake in what could be the organization's best chance at a championship in years.
What They Said
The Stars' depth scoring was on full display, a theme that has defined their recent success. Jamie Benn emphasized the collective effort after the victory: "It seems like every night you're talking about different guys chipping in. That's what is great about this hockey club. It's different guys every night, and that's what it takes."
Glen Gulutzan couldn't hide his enthusiasm when discussing one of his players' clutch performance, calling it a "massive goal" before diving deeper into what he's seen lately. "I think this game has looked really good," Gulutzan said. "Good stick, holding on to pucks in the O-zone, creating turnovers, getting on people. I think his game in the last ten has been real good in lots of areas."
The respect was mutual across the ice, with Cale Makar offering praise for the Stars' execution. "Getting to know him a little bit, he's just such a consistent player. He's fun to watch on the ice," Makar said. "He really does so much, obviously for Dallas, but even for us with Canada. It was very cool to see."
For Dallas, it's exactly the type of balanced attack they'll need as the season progresses, with contributions coming from unexpected sources when it matters most.