Contract talks ongoing between Stars, Nichushkin

After snagging a forward in free agency, the Dallas Stars turn their attention back to signing one of their own.

As the calendar nears September, restricted free agent Valeri Nichushkin remains without a contract.

The two sides are talking, at least.

"(Nichushkin's) agent and I have had great dialogue," general manager Jim Nill said Wednesday after announcing the signing of Jiri Hudler, per the team's website.

"We look forward to getting him signed and getting him in here. It’s a big year for him to continue his growth. We have high expectations for him."

The 21-year-old is coming off his entry-level contract, with mixed results over his first three NHL seasons. He impressed early with 14 goals and 34 points as a rookie, but was limited to eight games in his second year due to injury. In 2015-16, Nichushkin scored nine goals and added 20 assists, and a big jump is expected over the next few years.

At this point, a low-cost bridge contract seems likely, providing Nichushkin a period of time within which to prove he's worth a bigger commitment.