The Dallas Stars have made their first move of the 2026 NHL trade deadline, and it\u2019s a big one in every sense as they acquire 36-year-old defenseman Tyler Myers from the Vancouver Canucks. Myers, who was born and raised in Houston, becomes the first native Texan to play for the Stars.<\/p>\n
General manager Jim Nill dealt for the 6-8 blueliner with two draft picks \u2014 a second in 2027 and a fourth in 2029. The veteran right-hander, who has 1,123 NHL games under his belt, will also rejoin some old friends on the ice. He played junior hockey with Jamie Benn as a member of the Kelowna Rockets\u2019 WHL championship team in 2008-09, and Casey DeSmith is a former Canucks teammate.<\/p>\n
Myers\u2019 no-movement clause gave him options when he learned a trade could be on the horizon. After slogging through the season to date on the NHL\u2019s last-place team, Dallas must have seemed like a great destination. \u201cWhen we found out they had some mutual interest, we pushed hard to get it done,\u201d he told the media.<\/p>\n
You can read Mike Heika\u2019s full story below and on the Dallas Stars website<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Stars got bigger on the blue line on Wednesday and head coach Glen Gulutzan may have received a few more degrees of physicality that he\u2019s been seeking.<\/p>\n Getting a jump on Friday\u2019s NHL Trade Deadline, Dallas sent two draft picks (a second in 2027 and a fourth in 2029) to Vancouver for hulking defenseman Tyler Myers<\/a>. The veteran of 1,123 games is listed at 6-8, 229 pounds and adds to an already big defense corps for the Stars.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s very effective, rangy and a good penalty killer,\u201d Gulutzan said Wednesday. \u201cHe\u2019s a hard guy to play against, especially come playoff time. I\u2019ve heard nothing but good things about him, so we\u2019re excited to get him here.\u201d<\/p>\n Myers has a no-movement clause in his contract, so he was able to direct where he might land. In his seventh season with the Canucks, who currently have the worst record in the league, Myers said he knew a trade was possible, and said Dallas gives him a great option at age 36.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we found out they had some mutual interest, we pushed hard to get it done,\u201d Myers said Wednesday.<\/p>\n In addition to his size, Myers also is right-handed. That gives Gulutzan and assistant coach Alain Nasreddine the option of playing him beside either lefty Thomas Harley<\/a> or Lian Bichsel<\/a>. Those are enticing options.<\/p>\n \u201cHis ability to play on the right side will give us an added element of flexibility on the blueline,\u201d general manager Jim Nill said. \u201cWe would like to welcome Tyler [Myers] and his family to Dallas.\u201d<\/p>\n Myers was born in Houston and will become the first Texas native to play for the Stars. His father was in the oil business and took Myers to some Houston Aeros games as a youth. Myers got hooked and started playing youth hockey in Texas, even visiting StarCenters in Dallas to play games. However, he moved to Calgary when he was 10 and his career took off from there.<\/p>\n He played junior hockey in Kelowna with Stars captain Jamie Benn<\/a> and the two were members of a WHL championship team in 2008-09. Myers was drafted 12th overall by Buffalo in 2008 and won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2010. He said he has fond memories of playing alongside Benn. He also was teammates with goalie Casey DeSmith<\/a> while in Vancouver, so that will be another friendly face in the dressing room.<\/p>\n Gulutzan took over as head coach this year after seven seasons as an assistant coach in Edmonton, so he has seen Myers quite a bit in the Pacific Division.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw him in the regular season and the playoffs, so I know a lot about him,\u201d Gulutzan said. \u201cI think he\u2019ll fit right in.\u201d<\/p>\n The Stars have had their ups and downs this season but are rounding into shape very well right now. They have the second-best record in the NHL and are in the middle of a franchise record 10-game winning streak.<\/p>\n Gulutzan has pushed \u201cone degree more\u201d to get more physicality and battle, and it has paid off during the streak. The Stars were allowing 27 shots on goal per game before this recent run and are allowing just 20.9 in the past 10 games.<\/p>\n