The Dallas Stars made another stride in closing up free agent contract negotiations today by re-signing center Radek Faksa to a three-year deal.
Three years, $6.6 million with an AAV (average annual value) of $2.2 million.
That is what Radek Faksa will be making for the next three years as a member of the Dallas Stars organization.
The Stars took another step forward in successfully eliminating all pending free agents from their roster today by signing Faksa to a new deal, giving him three more years to develop with Dallas. Jamie Oleksiak and Gemel Smith now remain as the only RFAs who were qualified but have yet to be signed to new deals.
It was no surprise that Faksa got a new deal, nor are the details of the deal. Faksa is worth every bit of the $2.2 million cap hit over the next three seasons. This deal gives him a chance to continue proving himself to the organization in hopes of a longer-term deal with a higher pay raise.
Dallas Stars
Faksa will be 26 years old when the contract runs out, which is a typical age for hockey players to receive long-term deals. He will still be considered an RFA at that point, giving the Stars more options to work with depending on how the 2020 offseason looks for them.
In a season and a half (125 regular season games in total), Faksa has proven himself to be a dynamic and expendable center in Dallas. He has 17 career goals and 45 points in an average of 14:48 on the ice. Last season, he put up 12 goals and 33 points in 80 games, which is impressive for a third-line player backing up Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza.
He’s a valuable third-line center and can provide a scoring punch down the middle for the Stars’ bottom six. Faksa is a head forechecker, is a fast skater with smooth hands, and can play at even strength and on special teams. He plays a strong possession game and takes care of the puck in both zones, making the smart play.
His real strength comes on the penalty kill. Faksa played a critical role in helping the Dallas PK stay afloat this year, even among the outrageous number of power play goals against. When he was on the ice (typically paired with Antoine Roussel), the Stars PK looked solid.
In addition to offense and special teams help, he also excels as a defensive forward. In the defensive zone, he knows how to use his reach and weight while keeping the opposition to the outside and giving up minimal chances.
Former Dallas Stars head coach had this to say about Faksa’s play last season:
“He’s been a real important piece . He’s mainly the guy that can steady the ship, whether it’s in one end or the other. When we need a big defensive shift, he’s on the ice. When we need a big kill, he’s the guy leading it off. And a lot of times when we need a big face-off win, he’s the guy I’m sending over the boards. He’s a big man that can play physical and can get in on the forecheck and create his own chances. He’s led a line that I think has been the most consistent line for us.”
It’s nice to know that the Dallas Stars are getting three more years of this in Faksa’s new deal. Not to mention that he’s a fan favorite. His youthful play and attitude on and off the ice make it hard to root against him.
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And for Stars fans, that’s a good thing. They now get to enjoy three more years of talking about licking the gravy and following Faksa’s wonderful offseason adventures. Another great signing in the bag for Jim Nill.