NHL free agency tracker: Stars welcome in Matt Duchene, say goodbye to Max Domi

The 2023 NHL free agency period has kicked off and the Dallas Stars are tinkering with their roster.

After reaching the Western Conference finals last season, Dallas enters the next phase of the offseason with limited cap space and some needs to address. Expect to see movement across the league throughout the summer.

Here’s a look at some of the changes that are impacting the Stars this offseason:

Additions/Re-signings

Ty Dellandrea

The Stars are bringing back forward Ty Dellandrea on a one-year contract.

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The deal for the former first-round pick will be worth $900,000. Dallas retained negotiating rights for Dellandrea after offering the restricted free agent a qualifying offer on June 30.

“Ty’s become one of our most dependable two-way forwards,” said general manager Jim Nill. “His versatility allows him to play up and down the lineup, and he proved in the playoffs his ability to take his game to another level. He’s a heart-and-soul type of player, and we’re happy to have him under contract for the upcoming season.”

Matt Duchene

The Dallas Stars were one of the NHL’s most efficient offensive teams last season. It appears that aspect of the team’s game will get another boost.

On Saturday, the Stars announced that they’ve signed former Nashville Predators forward Matt Duchene to a one-year, $3 million deal. Duchene has been a productive scoring threat throughout his professional career, recording 744 points (316 goals, 428 assists) in 976 games.

Joel Hanley

The Stars announced that they agreed to a new two-year deal with the veteran defenseman Saturday afternoon. Hanley’s new contract will run through the 2024-25 season and is worth $1.58 million. It also carries an average annual value of $787,500.

“Joel has proven to be a dependable blueliner that can step in whenever he’s called upon,” general manager Jim Nill said in a statement. “His work ethic makes him an incredibly valuable member of our group, and we’re pleased to have him here for the next two seasons.”

Hanley made his first appearance with the Stars in 2018 after he was signed to a one-year deal. He has spent the last five campaigns in Dallas, appearing in 26 games in 2022-23.

He recorded two assists during the regular season and played in 13 games during the team’s postseason push to the Western Conference finals. Hanley posted one assist in the playoffs.

Craig Smith

Dallas signed former Washington Capitals forward Craig Smith to a one-year, $1 million deal Saturday afternoon.

Smith spent a portion of 2022-23 with the Capitals and Boston Bruins, posting 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in the regular season. He was traded to Washington in February, contributing six points to the team’s offense before it missed out on the postseason.

“Craig brings a wealth of experience and leadership to our group,” Nill said in a statement. “He’s a player we’ve been familiar with over the years, especially during his time in Nashville, and we’re looking forward to having him join our team.”

Smith adds more experience to the roster, having 853 career games under his belt with 414 points.

Sam Steel

Forward Sam Steel will join the roster on a one-year, $850,000 deal. He stood out as a member of the Minnesota Wild last season, recording career-highs in goals, assists and points.

Steel closed out the 2022-23 regular season with 29 points (10 goals, 18 assists). Nill pointed to Steel’s development over his professional career as a positive trait.

He has recorded 93 points throughout his time in the NHL, playing 292 games for the Wild and Anaheim Ducks.

Gavin Bayreuther

A familiar face is returning to the club.

The Stars agreed to a one-year, $775,000 deal with defenseman Gavin Bayreuther on Sunday. He spent four seasons in the Stars organization before joining the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022-23.

Bayreuther originally signed with the Stars after going undrafted in 2017. He played his first NHL game for the Stars during the 2018-19 season, where he recorded five points (two goals, three assists).

Last season, Bayreuther notched 14 points (two goals, 12 assists) in 51 appearances with Columbus.

Departures

Max Domi

Domi agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 2, signing up to play in the same uniform his legendary enforcer father Tie Domi wore for 12 NHL seasons.

Domi was a trade deadline acquisition from Chicago who had a modest regular season with the Stars before kicking it into gear in the playoffs, scoring three goals and adding 10 assists in 19 games.

Domi had been open to a return to Dallas, but the Stars’ tricky cap situation, along with the Dadonov extension, made that a difficult prospect.

Colin Miller

The team also traded defenseman Colin Miller to the New Jersey Devils for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft.

Miller had a productive regular season for the Stars in 2022-23, posting 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 79 regular season appearances. He originally joined the Stars last offseason, signing a two-year deal.

He appeared in 10 playoff games for the Stars in 2023.

Luke Glendening

The Stars won’t be able to count on the return of Luke Glendening, as he found a new home in Florida.

Glendening is joining the Tampa Bay Lightning on a two-year deal with an annual average value of $800,000. He appeared in 70 games for the Stars last year, posting six points (three goals, three assists) during the regular season.

Before joining the Stars, Glendening spent a majority of his professional career with the Detroit Red Wings. He was one of six players to sign deals with the Lightning on the first day of free agency.

Riley Tufte

Former Stars first-round pick Riley Tufte signed with the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

Tufte made three NHL appearances last year and spent a large portion of his season at the AHL level with the Texas Stars. He posted 35 points (19 goals, 16 assists) in the AHL during the 2022-23 regular season.

The Stars selected Tufte with the 25th overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft, giving him his first taste of action at the top level in 2021. He agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Avalanche.

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