While the league prepares for Monday’s trade deadline, the Dallas Stars aren’t forgetting their other contract negotiations. Today the team has signed minor league defenseman Joel Hanley to a two-year two-way extension. Hanley was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but will now be under contract with the Stars through 2020-21.
Hanley, 27, has played more NHL games this season than any other in his career, suiting up 16 times for the Stars. Most of the season has been spent in the minor leagues where he has long been a solid two-way player, and that’s likely where he’ll serve most of this contract as well. The undrafted defenseman has 13 points in 36 games for the Texas Stars.
The deal will carry a cap hit of $700K at the NHL level, the league minimum for next season, reports TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, a small raise on his current $650K salary, the current minimum. He will also earn a bit more at the minor league level as his AHL pay jumps from $200K to $275K next season and $300K for 2020-21. Hanley will have to clear waivers once again before the start of next season to go back to the AHL.