A week to the day after rookie defenseman Stephen Johns made his Dallas Stars debut, the team announced that they’ve given the 23-year-old a two-year extension.
In his time with the Stars, a total of four games to this point, Johns has a goal and two penalty minutes. The details of his deal weren’t made public per team policy, but it is a one-way deal, which means Johns will earn the same whether he’s at the AHL level or the NHL—and is a pretty strong indicator Johns will be on the big club’s roster next season.
"Stephen did a tremendous job leading in Cedar Park for Texas all season long," Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a press release, via the Dallas Morning News. "He brings size, physicality and skating to our group of defensemen, and we fully expect him to contribute at the NHL level for years to come."
Johns’ first and only NHL goal to this point came in the third period of Thursday night’s comeback victory over the Lightning, and tied things up at 3-3 with 10:18 remaining. Two minutes later, Jamie Benn put in what would be the game-winner.
