Stars lock up a key member of their core to 5 year contract
A smart deal? Or an overpayment?
This just in, the Dallas Stars have signed 30 year old defenseman Esa Lindell to a five year contract extension worth $5.25 million per season.
Salary cap resource PuckPedia reports that Lindell's new deal comes with a modified no-trade clause. Years 1-3 Lindell has a full no-trade clause, while in years 4 and 5 he'll have a 20 team no-trade list.
From PuckPedia:
Lindell put up five goals and 26 points in 82 games with the Stars last season, playing mostly alongside now Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Jani Hakanpaa on the team's second defensive pairing. Lindell's long-time defensive partner John Klingberg left the Stars a couple years ago and since then it's been a revolving door of partners for Lindell. He finished last season playing with trade acquisition Chris Tanev, now also of the Leafs.
I'd expect Lindell to line up alongside Matt Dumba, Ilya Lyyubushkin or Brendan Smith this upcoming season. Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley are likely to lock up the first pairing, giving Lindell some prime-time on the team's second pairing.
