Forward Mats Zuccarello plans to explore free agency and won't sign a contract to stay with the Dallas Stars -- at least not yet.
General manager Jim Nill told the team website that Zuccarello still could sign with the team.
"We've talked a little bit with his agent, but he wants to test the free-agent market and he's got that right," Nill said at the 2019 NHL Draft. "So they're going to look into the market and see what else is out there and then we will swing back and see where he's at.
"We've got an interview period that starts Sunday, so we'll start talking to other people and he'll do the same thing and we'll see where things go."
The Stars acquired Zuccarello from the New York Rangers in exchange for two conditional draft picks on Feb. 23. The following day, in his first game with the team, he sustained a broken arm and missed the next five weeks.
Between the Rangers and Stars, he played in 48 games and tallied 12 goals and 28 assists. He returned for the playoffs and appeared in 13 games, scoring 11 points (four goals, seven assists).
Zuccarello, who turns 32 in September, joined the Rangers in 2010 as a free agent signee from Norway. In 511 NHL games, he has 114 goals and 241 assists.
--Field Level Media
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