When Valeri Nichushkin broke into the NHL straight out of the 2013 draft, he made his mark with 14 goals and 34 points in 79 games, giving the Dallas Stars the feeling they had a future force on their hands. Who would have blamed them?

But a promising season was followed closely by misfortune. As a sophomore, Nichushkin suffered a hip injury, was limited to eight games in 2014-15 and when he was back to full-time action come the 2015-16 campaign, he had a tough time finding his form. Across 87 games in the entire two years following his rookie year, Nichushkin had just nine goals and 30 points. What followed was a tough contract negotiation, Nichushkin’s departure from Dallas and a return to the KHL, where the bulky winger has since spent the past two campaigns.

With his time in CSKA Moscow complete, though, Nichushkin is on his way back to the Stars on a two-year, $5.9-million contract, and now Dallas is hoping that the time has come for their 2013 first-round pick to become the player he appeared he could be.

Offensively, it would appear Nichushkin has all the elements necessary to become an impact player for the Stars. In terms of size, he has the frame to compete with even the biggest, baddest blueliners, standing a solid 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. But Nichushkin also has the touch, too, as witnessed by his 27 goals and 51 points in 86 games over the past two seasons in Moscow. That’s not to mention the four goals and 14 points he’s scored in 28 games over his past two post-season runs in the KHL.

It’s not as if Nichushkin has really reached his full potential, either. Though he’s already been around long enough to have a three-year stint in the NHL and a two-year run in the KHL, Nichushkin only recently celebrated his 23rd birthday and he still has considerable room to grow. Under the tutelage of new Stars coach Jim Montgomery, who worked wonders with his young players during his time with NCAA’s University of Denver Pioneers, Nichushkin could get some much-needed guidance, and that’s not to mention what kind of knowledge he can soak up in watching Jamie Benn, one of the league’s best power forwards, operate at the highest level for the next two seasons.

Adding Nichuhskin wasn’t the only way the Stars sought to add offense Sunday, though, as they also made the move to bring aboard Blake Comeau on a three-year, $7.2 million pact that could turn into a nice value deal for Dallas. While Comeau doesn’t project to fit into the top six and likely will battle with the likes of Nichushkin for ice time, he put up a tidy 13 goals and 34 points last season in 79 games with the Colorado Avalanche. The journeyman winger will be skating with his sixth team since the 2011-12 campaign.