The Dallas Stars locked up two key defensemen with new contracts just before the start of training camp, giving Esa Lindell a $26.25 million, five-year extension and signing Thomas Harley to an $8 million, two-year deal.
The agreement with Lindell announced Tuesday came with the 30-year-old set to go into the final season of a $34.8 million, six-year contract. The deal averaging $5.25 million a season will take effect with the 2025-26 season and run through 2029-30.
Harley led Dallas blueliners in goals with 15 in his first full season as the Stars reached the Western Conference Final for a second consecutive year. The 23-year-old had 32 assists for 47 points and led NHL defensemen with three overtime goals.
Dallas opens training camp Thursday.
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Lindell's 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) last season were his most since 32 in 2018-19. He also had a club-high 162 blocked shots while averaging 20:28 of ice time per game.
“Esa is a stalwart presence on our blueline and has become a player that can be trusted in all situations,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “He is a proven penalty killer who logs some of the toughest minutes and defensive assignments.”
Lindell has skated in all 164 regular-season games the past two seasons. He has 191 points (49 goals and 142 assists) in 604 NHL games, all with the Stars, since his debut in four games at the end of 2015-16.
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Lindell, Harley and Miro Heiskanen form the core of the Dallas defense. The 25-year-old Heiskanen is going into the fourth season of the $67.6 million, eight-year contract he signed in 2021.
Last season, Harley became the fourth-youngest defenseman in franchise history to score an overtime goal and was the sixth blueliner in NHL history to have OT goals in consecutive games.
“Thomas is one of the league’s top young defensemen,” Nill said. “His performance last season was a testament to the way that he has worked on and off the ice to become a better player.”
