The Dallas Stars continue to round out their AHL and lower-line depth as they announced the signing of Adam Cracknell to a one-year, two-way contract on Sunday.
Cracknall played 52 games for the Vancouver Canucks and and Edmonton Oilers last season and put up a respectable 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists) in the 44 games with Vancouver, closer to his career average of 27 points in 134 career games.
At 30, he’s a prototypical NHL journeyman having also played games for the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets at the NHL level and Omaha, Quad City, Peoria, Chicago and Springfield in the AHL, where he’s scored 220 points in 415 regular-season games.
Terms of the contract have not been released, though with a two-way deal it seems he may battle for fourth-line minutes with the likes of Brett Ritchie and Curtis McKenzie. He would be the 13th forward signed to the NHL roster, and if the Stars plan on carrying eight defensemen (as they apparently would if Jamie Oleksiak agrees to an RFA deal and someone like Esa Lindell starts the season in Dallas), there may only be 13 spots available for the forwards to start the season.
Before Cracknell’s contract is factored in, the Stars had an estimated $8.1 million in cap space, according to General Fanager.
The official release from the team is below:
Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has signed right wing Adam Cracknell to a one-year contract. Per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Cracknell, 30, split the 2015-16 regular season with Vancouver and Edmonton. He posted ten points (5-5=10) in total, all in his 44 games with Vancouver. He also appeared in eight games with Edmonton, registering six penalty minutes. In his 52 total games between the teams, he recorded 124 hits.
Appearing in ten full seasons as a professional, he has recorded 27 career regular season NHL points (11-16=27) in 134 games with St. Louis, Columbus, Vancouver and Edmonton. He has also appeared in ten career Stanley Cup Playoff games, all in his time with St. Louis, recording one goal and 40 hits.
At the American Hockey League (AHL) level, he has played for Omaha, Quad City, Peoria, Chicago and Springfield recording 220 points (97-123=220) in 415 regular season games. In 16 Calder Cup Playoff contests, he has registered seven points (6-1=7).
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan was originally selected by Calgary in the ninth round (279th overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft.