NHL News: Dallas Stars Extend Thomas Harley

Harley was an RFA with arbitration rights this summer. So the Stars are buying three years of RFA years as he will have no-trade protection the year he would have been a UFA.

While Harley is not in the same status as RFA Luke Hughes was in New Jersey, he is in a similar status to Jackson Lacombe in Anaheim. And thanks to Hughes and Lacombe receiving $9 million per season on their recent extensions, the number for Harley was only going up.

Over the last couple of seasons, Thomas Harley emerged as a number one-pairing defenseman for the Dallas Stars alongside Miro Heiskanen. Last season with the Stars, Harley set career highs with 50 points (16 goals, 34 assists) in 78 games while averaging 23 minutes per game.

Heiskanen missed a majority of last season with an injury, so Harley’s role increased. During the 23-24 season, Harley recorded 47 points (15 goals, 32 assists) in 79 games, averaging 21 minutes per game. Harley is involved in all aspects of the Stars game not only offensively but has vastly improved defensively over the years.

In addition to his success with the Dallas Stars, Thomas Harley played for Team Canada at the Four Nations Faceoff. Who could forget him playing in the first Team USA and Canada game on that fun Saturday night at the Bell Centre. He couldn’t practice because there was uncertainty surrounding Cale Makar. But Harley suited up and was Canada’s best defenseman in that game and second-best defenseman in the tournament.

Harley will be on the team once again for Canada at the Olympics in February. Now the Dallas Stars turn their attention to Jason Robertson. The Stars want to keep Robertson, but it is just a matter of how much on a long-term deal.