According to Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli, Sam Steel is expected to sign a one-year contract with the Dallas Stars worth $1.2 million.
Steel did not receive a qualifying offer from the Ducks on Sunday, but this new deal represents an increase from his $850,000 cap hit in the 2023-24 season.
In his first season with the Stars, Steel netted nine goals and recorded 24 points over 77 games. This marked a slight decline from his career-high of 28 points achieved with Minnesota in the 2022-23 season. Despite the drop, it was a respectable performance for the depth forward. Notably, among the RFAs not offered a qualifying deal this year, Steel had the highest point total, achieving this feat while earning just above the league minimum.
Hearing Sam Steel is staying with #TexasHockey, expected to re-sign for 1 year x $1.2 million after not receiving a QO today.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 1, 2024
Drafted 30th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2016, Steel has struggled to establish himself as a prolific scorer in the NHL. During the 2016-17 season with the WHL’s Regina Pats, he scored 50 goals and 131 points. He debuted in the NHL two years later, making an immediate impact in the 2018-19 season with 11 points in 22 games and also added 20 goals and 41 points in the AHL.
Steel experienced some challenges in the 2019-20 season, registering only 22 points in 65 games. Following two more tough seasons, the Ducks chose not to re-sign him, leading him to the open market before the 2022-23 season, where he achieved his best performance to date.
The Stars, with nearly $20 million in projected cap space this summer, have extended a qualifying offer to Thomas Harley, who is coming off a breakout season. The team currently has 12 other players under contract beyond Steel and is expected to integrate young talents like Mavrik Bourque and Logan Stankoven into significant roles next year.
