Dallas Stars Sign Ryan Garbutt, Luke Gazdic And Ludwig Bystrom

The Dallas Stars have continued to sign their free agents signing Ryan Garbutt to a two year one way contract ($575,000) and signing Texas Stars forward Luke Gazdic to a one year two way deal. Ryan Garbutt (undrafted) joined the Dallas Stars during last season and has performed well as an energy man on the fourth line. Luke Gazdic (6th round 2007) has yet to play an NHL game but has become a regular with the Texas Stars scoring 23 points ( 11 goals, 12 assists) in 76 games. He has spent his career within the Stars development system.

Ludwig Bystrom, a second round pick in 2012 43rd overall, was also signed to an entry level contract with the Dallas Stars today as well. Ludwig Bystrom split the 2011-2012 season between Modo U20 and Modo. He is likely to remain in Sweden for the foreseeable future playing with Modo as he has a season left on his contract. He was also selected 21st overall by the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL in the CHL Import Draft. There have been rumours, though denied by both Bystrom and his agent, that he is considering playing in North America next season.

Ryan Garbutt will likely start next season on the Stars fourth line and play a similar role to the one he played during his time in Dallas last season.

Press release after the jump.

Frisco, TX - The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed forward Ryan Garbutt to a two-year contract, forward Luke Gazdic to a one-year, two-way deal and defenseman Ludwig Bystrom to a three-year entry-level contract.

Garbutt, 26, played 20 games for the Dallas Stars last season, posting three points (2 goals, 1 assist) and 22 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward started the 2011-12 campaign with Dallas' American Hockey League affiliate, the Texas Stars, where in 50 games, he posted 16 goals (fifth-most on the club) and 17 assists for 33 points (seventh on the team).

Prior to his professional hockey career, Garbutt spent four years with Brown University where he earned his bachelor's degree in economics. He also played for Brown's hockey club, where he posted 29 goals, 29 assists for 58 points in 116 games. The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba was undrafted and was acquired by the Stars as a free agent on July 1, 2011.

Gazdic, 22, led the Texas Stars with 102 penalty minutes last season, and earned 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 76 games. Dallas' sixth-round selection (172nd overall) in the 2007 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-3, 228-pound forward has played his entire professional hockey career in Dallas' development system.

Since 2008-09, Gazdic, a native of Toronto, has scored a total of 23 goals, 21 assists and 44 points in 197 games for the Texas Stars. He has also played six games with the ECHL Idaho Steelheads, where he posted two goals and one assists for three points.
Bystrom, 17, played in three different levels of hockey for MODO in the Swedish Junior League last season - posting an assist and eight penalty minutes in 20 Elite League games; 29 points (7 goals, 22 assists) and 101 PIM in 34 games at the junior level; and scoring a goal in one appearance at the Under-18 level. He added four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in eight junior league playoff games.
Bystrom was part of the Swedish team that won the silver medal at the 2012 Under-18 World Junior Championships, where he earned an assist in six games. He was ranked as the No. 8 European Skater by NHL Central Scouting prior to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, where he was selected by Dallas in the second-round (43rd overall). The 6-foot-0, 208-pound defenseman is a native of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden.