"The Stars are studying moves to add a player because of the sudden possibility that they could drop below the NHL-mandated salary floor of $48.3 million.

The Stars have been paying half of Sean Avery's salary to the New York Rangers since losing him on recall waivers in 2009, and that $1.9 million has also counted against the salary cap for the Stars.

However, the Rangers last week assigned Avery to the their minor league team in Connecticut , and the NHL notified the Stars that they could not count Avery's cap hit while he is in the minors, even though they still must pay the salary.

That puts the Stars perilously close to the cap floor."