Stars acquire Oilers center Shawn Horcoff for Philip Larsen and draft pick
Shawn Horcoff brings depth and leadership to the Stars roster. (Marko Ditkun/NHL/Getty Images)
New Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill made replenishing the team's thin roster of centers an off-season priority upon taking the job. Nill has been busy with Job One, adding four centers in less than a week. The Stars followed Thursday's blockbuster acquisition of Boston Bruins centers Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley by trading for another center: Shawn Horcoff of the Edmonton Oilers.
The Stars also used their first-round draft pick to take a center in Russia's Valeri Nichushkin.
MUIR: Dallas Stars earn top draft grade among Western Conference teams
The Stars send defenseman Philip Larsen and a seventh round draft pick in 2016 to the Oilers for Horcoff.
Horcoff, who will turn 35 before the 2013-14 NHL season begins, has seen his offensive numbers slide in the last two seasons. The Oilers captain scored 73 points in 2005-06, followed by three seasons of 50-plus points, before producing just 34 points in 2011-12 and 12 points in 31 games last season.
The Oilers captain's cap number -- $5.5 million -- reportedly will push the Stars into the NHL's top 10.