The Dallas Stars announced the long-awaited extension for Thomas Harley. The extension comes in at eight years, $10,587,500 AAV.
Harley was drafted 18th overall in the 2019 class by Dallas. The young defenseman made his NHL debut in the 2021-22 season before being sent to the American Hockey League to focus on his defensive skills. Due to injuries and the depth on the blue line, Harley was called up just before the end of the regular season in the 2022-23 season, where he was able to showcase what he had been working on with the Texas Stars.
Once he got back to the NHL, he was able to do everything they had hoped and more, instantly becoming someone they relied on throughout the playoff runt that ended in the Western Conference Finals. Since then, Harley has put himself on the map as a top defenseman in the NHL.
He currently is on the last year of his bridge deal that which carries a cap hit of $4 million for the past two years. Since being called up in the 2022-23 season, Harley has tallied 32 goals, 73 assists, and 105 points. Harley was also called on during the Four Nations Tournament to fill when Team Canada suffered injuries. Due to his performance, he has been invited to Team Canada's training camp for the 2026 Olympics.
The 24 year-old was due for a big raise and with the rising cap, his annual cap hit will age very nicely for the Stars. Once again, Jim Nill strikes again.
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