But the Stars made some tweaks to the lineup, are counting on some youth, and the big change came behind the bench where Jim Montgomery will take over after establishing himself as one of the top coaches in college hockey at the University of Denver.

After making some big splashes in the offseason in previous years, the Stars were relatively quiet this summer. No flashy signings, no flashy trades. There was some quality time in the rumor mill though, and the rumors and speculation continue to pop up now and then.

Dallas Stars training camp gets underway Friday and along with it comes the sense of optimism that the regular season is just around the corner. The past fades into the rear-view mirror, and it's time to look ahead.

[THE JOURNEY BEGINS: Montgomery ready, eager to open first training camp | Stay up to date with the latest Stars coverage from Boise, Idaho]

"He's itching to get going," said Stars GM Jim Nill. "He's full of energy. He's very competitive, and he wants to win. He's going to be a breath of fresh air for these guys."

Montgomery will take over a team that looks somewhat different than last year, but has all the key pieces still in place. Gone are players like goaltender Kari Lehtonen, forward Antoine Roussel, and defensemen Dan Hamhuis and Greg Pateryn.

The Stars dipped into the NHL free-agent market and opted for a new backup goaltender in Anton Khudobin to play behind Ben Bishop, added to the forward depth by signing Blake Comeau, and brought in veteran Roman Polak on defense. Highly-touted defense prospect Miro Heiskanen joins the mix this season, and forward Valeri Nichushkin returns after a two-year stint in Russia.

There will be some players who went on a long run in the AHL playoffs pushing for playing time as well. And Montgomery will have to figure out how it all fits together.

Here are five storylines as the Stars hit the ice for camp in Boise, Idaho on Friday.

1. Welcome to Camp Monty

The Stars are playing under their third coach in three years. There was run-and-gun Lindy Ruff, then the defensive-minded Ken Hitchcock, and now there is Montgomery, who is going to look for a balance between his two predecessors. Not as hyper-aggressive as Ruff and not as defensively cautious as Hitchcock, but it will be a relentless, puck possession style of play.

He'll try to have his team hitting the ice and skating hard when the team opens camp at CenturyLink Arena. There are only two practices before the team scrimmages on Sunday and the first preseason game comes Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues at American Airlines Center.

"We want to be able to teach two to three things a day," Montgomery said. "We don't have much time before we play our first exhibition game, so we have to start setting in our structure, understanding the pace we want to practice with, so we can play at that pace."

Video: Montgomery on Stars' job, coaching elite talent

The evaluation of the players pushing for ice time and roster spots will begin right away.

"You are evaluating every day," Montgomery said. "Who is grasping what we are teaching, who is executing, and who is winning 1-on-1 battles. The game of hockey, it doesn't matter what structure you have, you've got to be first on pucks, and you have to win battles.

"If you want to play a puck possession game, those are the players you are looking for."

2. Tyler Seguin extension a done deal

Well, one thing the Stars won't have to worry about heading into training camp is the question of a Tyler Seguin contract extension. One of the main storylines this summer and as camp approached has been resolved.

After a summer of negotiations, along with some ups and downs, the two sides hammered out an eight-year deal worth $9.85 million per season. The deal, which is worth $78.8 million over the eight years, will keep Seguin under contract through the 2026-27 season.

Seguin is in the final year of a six-year, $34.5 million deal ($5.75 million per season) and could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019. He was eligible to sign a contract extension beginning this past July 1.

The contract extension removes what could have been an annoying distraction with management, Seguin, and his teammates frequently having to answer questions about the negotiations and Seguin's future. Now, those questions have been answered and put to rest.

More important, the Stars get a key piece of the team's future, and one of the league's top players locked up long-term.

3. Miro Heiskanen makes much-anticipated arrival

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding defenseman Miro Heiskanen since the Stars drafted him third overall in the 2017 NHL draft and it's been getting louder and louder ever since.

Is he NHL ready? He's looked it every step of the way over the past year, whether it was being named the best defenseman in Finland's top league last season or playing well at international tournaments, including the Olympics and the IIHF World Championship. He was especially impressive at the World Championship, where he competed against NHL players including a strong performance against Connor McDavid and Canada in a 5-1 victory by the Finns.

And the 19-year-old looked impressive at the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan, where he was playing against other top prospects, including several who are expected to play in the NHL this season.

Tweet from @Gwilkers96: Miro goal. @seanshapiro @StarsInsideEdge #Stars pic.twitter.com/JKUq3SIZ7O

Still, the Stars are trying to keep expectations in check. Montgomery said he is going to ease Heiskanen into the NHL, put him in favorable situations and let him play through mistakes as he grows into a bigger role.

"I think the more he feels comfortable here, the more you are going to see him excel," said Rich Peverley, Stars player development coordinator.

"He's an incredible skater. He's got a great touch around the net. He's patient, elusive. He's got all the makings right now."

4. Welcome back, Valeri Nichushkin

Forward Valeri Nichushkin returns to the Stars after spending the past two seasons in the KHL. The Stars signed Nichushkin to a two-year deal worth $2.95 million per season on July 1 and are hoping the Russian forward can be an impact player in his second stint in the NHL.

There was a lot of hype surrounding Nichushkin when he was drafted tenth overall in the 2013 NHL Draft, and he showed promise in his rookie season, tallying 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 79 games in 2013-14 as an 18-year-old playing in his first season in North America. He missed almost all of 2014-15 due to a hip injury that required surgery and then had his ups and downs in 2015-16 as he bounced back from the injury, tallying 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 79 games.

Nichushkin, who had expressed frustration with his playing time under then-Stars coach Lindy Ruff, bolted for his native Russia and the KHL, where he recorded 51 points (27 goals, 24 assists) in 86 games with CSKA.

Tweet from @DallasStars: Radulov and Nichushkin getting some work in together. #GoStars pic.twitter.com/cbJRZlkOXP

Now, the question is what the Stars are going to get the second time around. Time will tell, but Nichushkin is now 23 years old, so the Stars believe they are getting a more mature, more experienced player back. Plus, he'll be getting a fresh start under Montgomery.

"I expect him to play the same role as the last time he was here. He was a top ten pick, and he played in the NHL when he was 18 and was a very effective player," Nill said. "We're getting a better player back. He's excited about coming back. He's 6-4, he can skate, and he's a bull on the puck.

"We are looking forward to his addition."

5. How do the pieces fit?

One of the intriguing storylines to watch in any training camp is to see how the pieces fit together -- how the lines and defense pairs come together as opening night approaches.

Over the course of a long season, the lineup will change. Things go stale, and coaches juggle. Sometimes an opponent dictates some tweaks. Players get hurt, and coaches are forced to juggle. Players are acquired, and coaches adjust. Sometimes coaches tinker because, well, that's what coaches do. And they get to see what works and what doesn't.

But it's still interesting to see what the team will roll out opening night. You could look at the current personnel and guess at Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov on the top line. Maybe a second line of Mattias Janmark, Jason Spezza, and Valeri Nichushkin and a third line of Blake Comeau, Radek Faksa, and Tyler Pitlick.

Is that what Montgomery is thinking? Who knows. Will he see something else in camp and the preseason? Maybe.

The fourth line? With Martin Hanzal set to begin the season on injured reserve as he recovers from back surgery, Devin Shore, Brett Ritchie, Remi Elie, Gemel Smith, Jason Dickinson, and Roope Hintz appear to be the leading the candidates. Hintz is the only one of that group that doesn't require waivers, so it will be interesting to see if he could force the Stars into a decision on someone else.

On defense, John Klingberg and Esa Lindell would seem to be set as a top pair. Montgomery has mentioned possibly playing Heiskanen with Stephen Johns to start, so that could mean Marc Methot paired with Julius Honka and Roman Polak as the seventh defenseman. Again, time will tell as Montgomery and his staff get to see players on the ice.

But that is all just speculation, and that's one of the reasons you follow camp and the preseason.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mark Stepneski has covered the Stars for DallasStars.com since 2012. Follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.