The Dallas Stars signed forward Mason Marchment after his breakout season with the Florida Panthers, it was announced Wednesday.
Marchment, 27, signed a four-year deal with an average annual value of $4.5 million against the salary cap. He made $800,000 against the cap on a one-year deal with the Panthers last season.
"Mason is a young and talented two-way player that will immediately bolster our lineup," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "He possesses offensive skill and has shown he has the size, physicality and grit to make an impact on both sides of the puck."
While the disappointment of a second-round exit at the hands of the rival Tampa Bay Lightning continues to hover over the Panthers, the regular season -- when they accrued the most points in the NHL -- won't soon be forgotten. And the contributions of the unheralded Marchment had a lot to do with it.
In 54 games, Marchment posted 18 goals and 47 points, all while showing the versatility to bounce between lines as Florida shuffled its forwards to include new players such as Claude Giroux. An undrafted left wing who had just 37 games played before the 2021-22 campaign, Marchment averaged 14:07 time on ice last season for the Panthers and was one of the few on the team to score a goal in the postseason, his third career playoff tally.
It's still to be determined if Marchment can continue to score at last season's pace, or if he was simply a byproduct of an explosive regular-season offense that afforded opportunities to several players. But he has an imposing frame -- at 6-foot-4, 209 pounds -- and may well end up being a bargain who could accrue second- or third-line minutes on a contender.
The Stars on Wednesday also signed defenseman Colin Miller to a two-year deal at an average of $1.85 million per season. Miller, 29, had 14 points in 38 games for the Buffalo Sabres last season.
"Colin is a puck-moving defenseman that will add experience and a right shot to our defensive core," Nill said. "We are excited to have him under contract with our organization for the next two years."