The Dallas Stars are bringing back Sam Steel for another year in victory green.
The Dallas Stars made their first signing of the offseason, inking depth forward Sam Steel to a one-year, $1.2 million contract.
Steel originally signed for $850k on a single year contract last season after not receiving a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent for the Minnesota Wild. Interestingly enough, news broke Sunday that Steel did not receive a qualifying offer this year from the Stars, but it appears that this was only to negotiate a more player-friendly contract. The raise put him much higher than his qualifying offer, and it was a good gesture by General Manager Jim Nill to offer a player that really helped bolster the fourth line a contract to show his worth.
Steel was excellent for the Stars in his bottom line role with Radek Faksa and Craig Smith, while also adding big penalty kill minutes. His partnership on the penalty kill with Wyatt Johnston and Faksa resulted in several short-handed goals and put Dallas near the top in that category in the whole league.
In 77 games, Steel tallied nine goals and 24 points, and has now scored 20 or more points in three straight seasons. But more importantly, as noted in the charts below, Steel provided shutdown defensive abilities while on the ice, stifling any chances in tight to the goaltender and in the middle of the ice.
Steel quickly became a fan favorite and even as a fourth line player with only a year under his belt for the Stars, letting him go would have set back a significant piece of the improvement to the bottom six forwards that Nill had made last offseason. It might not be the flashy signing of this offseason for Dallas, but nonetheless a key part of the depth is back for the upcoming season.
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