Dallas Stars sign defenseman Thomas Harley to eight-year, $84.696 million contract extension 

FRISCO, Texas – Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has signed defenseman Thomas Harley to an eight-year contract, which begins in the 2026-27 season and runs through the 2033-2034 season. The eight-year contract is worth $84.696 million and has an average annual value (AAV) of $10.587 million.

“We’re thrilled to lock up Thomas for the next eight years,” said Stars General Manager Jim Nill. “This extension is well deserved. Thomas has proven to be one of the top defensemen in our league, and his ability to step up in Miro Heiskanen’s absence was an important part of our team maintaining its pace throughout last season. We’re looking forward to seeing him anchor our blueline alongside Miro for many years to come.”

Harley, 24, has recorded eight points (1-7—8) through 10 games played with the Stars this season, which makes the 2025-26 campaign the highest-scoring start to a season in his career. He had a career year in 2024-25, totaling 50 points (16-34—50) in 78 regular-season games and set career highs in goals, assists, points, even-strength goals (15), power-play points (15), plus/minus (plus-32) and time on ice per game played (23:23). His 50 points ranked 15th among all NHL defensemen last year and made him the third Stars defenseman in the last 10 years to reach the 50-point plateau. His 16 goals last season were tied for the sixth-most by a Stars defenseman in a single season in franchise history and were tied for the sixth-most among all NHL defensemen that year. Twenty-seven (9-18—27) of his 50 points came in 30 games from Jan. 31 – Dallas’ first game without Miro Heiskanen – through the end of the regular season, which ranked fifth on Dallas’ roster and tied for fifth among all NHL defensemen during that span.

The six-foot-three, 214-pound defenseman added 14 points (4-10—14) in 18 Stanley Cup Playoff games in 2025, scoring the series clinching goal against Winnipeg to send the Stars to the Western Conference Final for the third consecutive season. His 14 points ranked second both on the Stars roster and among all NHL defensemen last postseason and made his 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff run tied for the fifth-highest scoring postseason by a Stars/North Stars defenseman in franchise history. In addition to his offensive contributions, Harley ranked ninth among all skaters with 467:23 of total ice time and tied for fifth in the NHL with 39 blocked shots.

Harley has totaled 111 points (33-78—111) in 207 regular-season games with Dallas since making his NHL debut during the 2021-22 season. Originally selected by the Stars with the 18th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, he ranks third among defensemen drafted that year in career scoring and leads all 2019 draftees with 27 career playoff points (5-22—27). Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Harley has totaled 105 points (32-73—105) in 167 regular-season games, tying for 14th among all defensemen in scoring during that span and tying for seventh among all NHL skaters with five overtime goals.

Although born in Syracuse, New York, Harley holds dual citizenship and has elected to represent Canada in international competition. He won a silver medal wearing the Maple Leaf at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and most recently won gold with Team Canada at the Four Nations Face-Off where he was a late injury replacement.