Dallas Stars center Sam Steel may not be known to rack up a lot of points, but his impact goes far beyond that.
Anyone that follows sports knows that a championship roster is comprised of many different pieces that fit together; that bring out the best in one another. Every team has their stars, but comprising your team of effective role players is just as important to make it all come together.
Sam Steel is the epitome of that for the Dallas Stars. Steel’s true value is his versatility: the ability for coaches to move him up and down the lineup and sit back knowing he will make a difference. D Magazine‘s Sean Shapiro wrote a nice piece covering Steel’s contributions to the team’s success. Here is an excerpt from that article:
“At roughly the halfway point of the season, the 26-year-old has become the Stars’ unsung hero, a utility tool who kills penalties at an elite level and has helped elevate the offensive games of rookies Mavrik Bourque and Logan Stankoven. One NHL scout who works for a Western Conference team told me Steel’s game is most impressive because of his routes and arrival times. The skill is still there, but as the scout noted, Steel is always in the right spot, no matter the situation. As Dumba put it, Steel has what it takes to adapt and survive in the NHL, especially as a player who has never rivaled his scoring production as a junior. “
With the Stars pressed with cap space, Steel is providing a true bang for the buck, costing the Stars only $1.2 million this season. Fortunately (and unfortunately) for the Stars, Steel is playing above his value and will likely find himself skating in another uniform next season given looming financial commitments the Stars will likely be making with Wyatt Johnston this offseason, and possibly Jason Robertson in a couple years. Steel is fully aware of the cap space constraints, but is also trying to earn a payday for himself so there are no hard feelings. Fortunately for Steel, may well play for a contract on a Stanley Cup contending team.
You can read the rest of Shapiro’s article here.
Stars Stuff
Thank you to all who showed up for a great cause!
WHAT A NIGHT! 💚
— Dallas Stars Foundation (@DS_Foundation) January 23, 2025
The 25th annual Dallas Stars Casino Night presented by @deximaging raised a record-breaking $515,000 for the Dallas Stars Foundation!
Big thank you to everyone who helped make this event truly amazing! pic.twitter.com/wloR0uODFh
Here’s your next chance to make a difference!
Let’s come together to make a difference! 🥫
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 24, 2025
Join us, @DS_Foundation and @NationalLife for our Donation Drive to benefit Minnie's Food Pantry by bringing your donations to #PNCPlazaDallas before the game on January 31, or to our office in Frisco from January 27-31.
More info ⤵️… pic.twitter.com/5aWQODObMv
Around The Central
We have a few Central Division foes on the slate tonight:
- The Tampa Bay Lightning take a trip to the Windy City to face off against the Chicago Blackhawks.
- Our intra-division matchup tonight features the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Utah Hockey Club.
In other news:
Forsberg stays hot:
Filip Forsberg extended his goal streak to seven games and matched the @PredsNHL record that he set last season.#NHLStats: https://t.co/Tn1GCKZoZm pic.twitter.com/q2FgruMzKb
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 24, 2025
The World of Chel
Forgot there were games on last night? Well if you did, here is what you missed:
Alex Ovechkin moved within 20 goals of completing The Gr8 Chase as the @Capitals extended their winning streak to six games.#NHLStats: https://t.co/Tn1GCKZoZm pic.twitter.com/V5ET2uK1sI
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 24, 2025
Official memo from the Oval Ovi Office:
OVI IS NOW 20 GOALS AWAY FROM BREAKING WAYNE GRETZKY'S GOAL RECORD 🚨 pic.twitter.com/sGJZbHtBvK
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 24, 2025
Finally
Here’s your chance to watch the game with fellow Stars fans and perhaps meet up with anyone from DBD Nation who attends!
Home tomorrow, on the road Saturday WITH a new Watch Party spot! 🍻
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 23, 2025
Join us Saturday night for our @ModeloUSA Watch Party at Mayer's Garden in Dallas as we take on the Blues in St. Louis!#TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/8rlMAR1e1z