Dallas Stars sign James Neal and Matt Niskanen to two-year contracts
The Dallas Stars are loaded with young, talented players, and a double signing executed by the team Friday will ensure that two of them will remain with team for another two years.
Restricted free agents James Neal and Matt Niskanen were both signed to two-year contracts by the team today. Neal is slated to earn $2.25 million this season, and $3.5 million in 2011-12.
The 6ft 3in native of Oshawa, Ontario is coming off a productive season in Dallas. In 78 games, the 23-year-old left winger scored 27 goals and added 28 assists for 55 points.
Drafted 33rd overall by the Stars in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Neal scored his first National Hockey League goal in his first game on 10 October 2008. His first hat trick came on 23 December
2008 in an 8-2 rout of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Neal has scored 51 goals and 41 assists for 92 points in 155 games during his two seasons in Dallas.
Niskanen’s contract was valued at $3 million and will pay him $1.25 million this year, and $1.75 million next year. The 23-year-old defenceman is going into his fourth season with the
Stars. Last season, he scored three goals and 12 assists for 15 points in 74 games.
The 6ft 1in Niskanen was a first-round draft pick of the Stars in 2005 (28th overall). He made his debut on 3 October 2007 against the Colorado Avalanche, and scored his first NHL goal
26 days later when the Stars faced the San Jose Sharks.
At the mid-season mark, the native of Virginia, Minnesota led the team in plus/minus, which earned him an invitation to the Young Stars Game during the 2008 NHL All-Star Weekend.
During his three seasons with the Stars, Niskanen has amassed 16 goals and 60 assists for a total of 76 points in 232 games.
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