The Stars are keeping depth forward Kole Lind around for 2025-26 on a two-way deal, the team announced Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Lind, 26, will return for a second season in the Dallas organization instead of testing Group VI unrestricted free agency in back-to-back summers. A second-round pick by the Canucks back in 2017, he’s firmly settled into the tweener archetype. He’s long been among the AHL’s most productive and consistent scorers, but the 6’1″ winger has just eight points in 31 career NHL games.
None of those appearances came with Dallas last year. He spent the entire season with AHL Texas after clearing waivers. While his offensive output there was his worst on a per-game basis in a while, he still managed a strong 23-29–52 scoring line in 71 games to finish fourth on the team in scoring. He added 15 points in 14 Calder Cup Playoff games as well.
Amid a cap crunch in the Lone Star State, Lind stands a decent chance of seeing NHL action next year as a call-up or extra forward thanks to what will presumably be a league-minimum $775K cap hit. Even if not, there was evidently mutual appreciation of his production in the minors, and he’ll stick around as an important veteran piece to complement the Stars’ younger prospects. Lind has 111 goals, 173 assists, and 284 points in 384 AHL games (along with 449 PIMs) since making his professional debut in 2018.
Of course, he’ll need to clear waivers again during preseason if the Stars want to send him back to Texas. He’ll also be eligible for standard UFA status next summer since he turns 27 in October. After signing Lind, the Stars only have nine open contract slots throughout the organization.