DALLAS — The Dallas Stars announced that defensemen Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley both signed multi-year contract extensions on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
According to a news release from the Stars, Lindell's contract is a five-year, $26.25-million extension and will begin at the start of the 2025-2026 NHL season and run through the 2029-2030 season.
The 30-year-old Finnish defenseman, Lindell, played in all 82 regular-season games last season and was the third-ranked defenseman with the Stars as he posted 21 assists, 162 blocked shots and recorded 26 points. In the 2023-2024 postseason, Lindell scored five times in the 19 games he appeared in.
“Esa is a stalwart presence on our blueline and has become a player that can be trusted in all situations,” Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill said in a press release. “He is a proven penalty killer who logs some of the toughest minutes and defensive assignments. We are excited to have him locked in as part of our defensive core for an additional five seasons.”
Throughout his career, the 6-foot-3-inch, 216-pound defenseman has played in 604 games, which is the 11th-most by a defenseman in Dallas Stars history.
For Harley, his contract is a two-year deal worth $8 million which will go into effect at the start of the 2024-2025 season.
The 23-year-old defenseman played in 79 games during his first full NHL season and led NHL defensemen in overtime goals with three.
"Thomas is one of the league's top young defensemen," Nill said in a press release. " His performance last season was a testament to the way that he has worked on and off the ice to become a better player. We are looking forward to his continued growth and helping anchor our blueline for many years to come."
The former Stars' 2019 first-round pick recorded four points in 19 postseason games with the Stars in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and ranked second on the team and fourth in the league in blocked shots with 50, according to the Stars.
