Stars sign Sam Steel to four-year extension

A notable depth player is sticking around the Lone Star State for a few more years.

On Monday, the Dallas Stars announced that the team has signed forward Sam Steel to a four-year contract extension. The deal, set to kick in during the 2027-28 season, will carry an AAV of $3.7 million through the 2030-31 campaign.

Given how the salary cap is expected to continually increase over the next several years, the 28-year-old’s new deal could prove to be a solid contract for the Stars. He’s entering the final season of his two-year contract, which has a cap hit of $2.1 million.

Steel certainly is a noted goal scorer, but he provides crucial minutes and can be a contributor in various areas of the lineup. He did find an offensive touch last season, setting career highs in goals (12), assists (21), and points (33) in 73 games. He also registered a plus/minus of +3 while averaging 16:04 of ice time per game, also a new best for his NHL career. He has reached the 20-point mark in each of the past five campaigns.

The Ardrossan, Alb. native helped Dallas finish second in the ever-competitive Central Division. He appeared in all six games of the team’s first-round series, failing to post a point as the Stars were eliminated by the Minnesota Wild.

The 2026-27 season is set to be Steel’s eighth as a full-time NHLer. He has spent the last three seasons in Dallas after one year as a member of the Wild in 2022-23. The Anaheim Ducks originally selected him in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, and he spent parts of three seasons with the team.

In 491 regular-season games in the NHL, Steel has scored 61 goals and 114 assists for 175 points, with another 14 points in 48 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.