Where do the Dallas Stars go from here?

The Dallas Stars have to ask themselves two questions this summer:

1) How close are they, really, to competing for a Stanley Cup?

2) How important are their older players to getting over the hump?

The latter question may have already been answered, when they signed Joe Pavelski to a one-year extension back on January 1.

Given the quality Pavelski has provided in Dallas since he was paired with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, this was a no-brainer decision. Relatively cheap (only $5.5 million against the cap, once his easy-to-hit games-played bonuses come through) and almost guaranteed to produce dividends.

But beyond Pavelski, the Stars have a lot of decisions to make, particularly up front. Of their six pending unrestricted free agents, five are forwards. Pretty much to a man, these are usefu