Dallas Stars Reach Agreement With Devin Shore On New Contract

The first of three arbitration cases has been handled ahead of the scheduled meeting time. Devin Shore and the Dallas Stars agreed on a new contract on Friday afternoon. One more RFA down.

GM Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars took the first step in avoiding arbitration altogether for a sixth straight summer.

On Friday afternoon, the Stars announced that they have come to terms with forward Devin Shore on a new contract. The deal, which is for two years and carries an AAV of $2.3 million, takes care of another RFA case for Dallas.

Shore was one of four remaining restricted free agents in the Stars’ 2018 summer group. And on top of that, he was one of three to file for arbitration. His hearing was scheduled for July 20, which is only a week from today. But both sides can now breathe a sigh of relief and look towards the future.

This contract definitely carries a certain weight with it. Shore finished his second full season at the NHL level last year. And while he once again provided durability by skating in all 82 games for the second year in a row, there were a few worrisome parts of his play.

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For one, Shore posted the lowest plus-minus rating in Dallas Stars history at a -30. It wasn’t uncommon for the 23-year-old to finish a game with a -2 or -3 rating, though he primarily finished with a 0 or -1.

On top of that, he regressed from his rookie season goal totals by two (13 to 11) and point totals by one (33 to 32). This was even after Shore skated 1:18 more on average and owned a more frequent role on the power play. So, it wasn’t the best sophomore turnout for Shore.

But he’s a solid asset on the power play and penalty kill and has played at all three positions in his NHL time. And at the age of 23, there is still plenty of room to grow.

What we’ve learned from his two years in the NHL is that when Shore is in the right system (such as a Lindy Ruff system), he can be a valuable player. And when he is put in the correct role (such as on special teams like with Ken Hitchcock), he can thrive.

Perhaps Jim Montgomery will be able to find the right fit for the young forward. He owns good puck-handling skills and works well in front of the opposing net. Shore can get physical when he needs to and files in well in the bottom nine. Though he had a down year, there is plenty of time to right the ship.

If Shore can be given the right role, we could very well see the best Devin Shore yet in 2018-19. His energy and skills are two valuable pieces of his overall presence.