Dallas has signed their 2024 5th round draft pick (158th overall), Niilopekka Muhonen to a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday. The 19-year-old Finnish defenseman spent 2024-25 in Medicine Hat (WHL) after being selected in 1st round of the CHL import draft and had four goals, 17 points and a +20 plus/minus in 60 games played.
The Dallas Stars traded Faksa's $3.25 million cap-hit to the St. Louis Blues in the previous offseason. After spending a season with the Blues, scoring 15 points (5G / 10A) in 70 games, he returns to the Stars on a three-year, $2 million AAV contract. The Stars drafted Faksa 13th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Despite free agency opening up, Dallas has secured forward Colin Blackwell for two more seasons after he signed a two-year, $1.55 million contract ($775,000 AAV) on Tuesday. The 32-year-old forward will provide Dallas with much-needed bottom-six depth in 2025-26 after posting six goals and 17 points in 63 games played last season while averaging just 11:34 TOI.
Dallas' captain will return for a 17th season with the organization after it was announced Thursday that the Stars had agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with Jamie Benn. The contract is full of bonuses, which could reach as high as $4 million AAV if all are achieved by the end of the season. In 80 games in 2024-25, the 35-year-old veteran had 15 goals, 49 points and 70 PIMs while holding down a bottom-six role.
Lundkvist missed the last 35 games of the 2024-25 campaign due to shoulder surgery but has earned himself a one-year, $1.25 million contract extension to remain with the Stars on Friday. The 24-year-old defenseman will enter his fifth NHL season in 2025-26 after putting up five assists, 20 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus in 39 games played last season.
After two incredibly successful seasons in Dallas, Matt Duchene has decided to stay a Star after signing a four-year, $18 million contract extension ($4.5 million AAV) on Thursday. The 34-year-old is coming off a point-per-game campaign, during which he scored 30 goals and 82 points in 82 games played in the 2024-25 season. The veteran forward is entering his 17th NHL season.
Dallas signed their second depth goalie of the day on Tuesday after they extended their AHL starter Remi Poirier, to a two-year, two-way contract. The 23-year-old was originally Dallas' 2020 6th-round pick (185th overall) and spent the 2024-25 season with Texas (AHL), where he put up a 17-11-2 record, .908 SV% and 2.50 GAA.
Poirier spent the entire season with Texas (AHL), where he went 17-11-2 with a 2.50 GAA and .908 SV% in 31 games. Poirier served as Texas' No.1 netminder in the AHL playoffs, going 5-3 with a 2.19 GAA and .919 SV%. Expect him to start the 2025-26 season in the AHL again.
Back will take a seat on Thursday as the Stars look to shake things up with their season on the line. Mavrik Bourque will draw into the lineup in his place.
The Stars will of course hand Oettinger the start for a do or die Game 5 against the Oilers on Thursday. Oettinger played well in Game 4 despite being tagged with a third consecutive defeat, stopping 29 of the 31 shots he faced in the 4-1 loss. The 26-year-old netminder has a 9-8-0 record in 17 games this post-season, posting a .908 SV% and a 2.72 GAA. Oettinger and the Stars enter action on Thursday at -130 on the money line.
Hintz missed Game 3 on Sunday and isn't sure if he'll be available for Game 4 on Tuesday. He participated in an optional skate on Monday and, as he did in Game 3, will likely take part in warmups and see how he feels before a decision is made.
Oettinger will take the crease for a 16th consecutive game after allowing three goals on 25 shots (.880 SV%) in Dallas' Game 2 loss. The 26-year-old American netminder has been sensational throughout the playoffs, with his 9-6-0 record, .915 SV% and 2.54 GAA. He will be looking to get Dallas back in the win column as they head to Edmonton to take on the Oilers for Game 3 on Sunday.
