Dallas Stars Sign Nathan Bastian, Exceed Cap

The Dallas Stars have signed forward Nathan Bastian to a one-year, $775,000 contract to bolster their forward depth and physicality. Bastian, 27, has played most of his career with the New Jersey Devils, with a brief stint at the Seattle Kraken, and tallied 10 points and 138 hits in 59 games last season. Over 276 career NHL games, he has accumulated 68 points and 750 hits, making him one of the top hitters from his draft class. General Manager Jim Nill highlighted Bastian's physical presence and his fit with new head coach Glen Gulutzan's system. With this signing, the Stars now have 13 forwards on their roster, effectively completing the unit for training camp. However, the move puts Dallas about $464,000 over the NHL's $95.5 million salary cap.