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Stars’ gamble on Mason Marchment deviates from recent Dallas free agency trends

Dallas bolstered its forward depth with a left wing coming off a career-season with Florida.

The Stars added punch to their forward corps by signing Mason Marchment, but still have some questions on defense, even after adding Colin Miller on a modest deal.

Dallas inked Marchment to a four-year contract worth $4.5 million annually, acquiring an intriguing forward that posted a career season in Florida last year. Marchment had 18 goals and 29 assists in 54 games last year while averaging just 14:07 per game with the Panthers.

Marchment’s contract does not include any trade protection.

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The right-handed Miller signed a two-year contract worth $1.85 million annually, and projects to be a bottom-pairing defenseman in Dallas. Miller spent the last three seasons in Buffalo, putting up 37 points in 137 games.

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Marchment, a left wing, figures to be a middle-six option for the Stars, who added an impact forward for the first time since signing Joe Pavelski in 2019.

Despite receiving bottom-six minutes, Marchment was the Panthers’ best play-driving forward as they won the Presidents’ Trophy. When Marchment was on the ice, no other Florida forward positively impacted shot attempts, shots on goal, goals, expected goals, scoring chances and high-danger chances as much as the 6-4 27-year-old.

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“His play around the net and his pursuit of the puck in the offensive zone,” Stars assistant general manager Scott White said. “He can carry it in. He knows where the hard areas of the rink are, and he’s not shy to get there. He showed he can finish. He showed he can finish 5 on 5. I think there was a lot of versatility in his game as well. He didn’t get a lot of power play time this past season, but I sense that will pick up here.”

The Stars are banking on Marchment continuing his progression after a breakout season in Florida last season. Prior to last season, Marchment would never have been thought of as a player worth an $18 million contract.

He was undrafted. He spent most of his first professional season in the ECHL. He was traded from Toronto to Florida for Denis Malgin, a player that played the last two seasons in Switzerland. Even his first year in Florida ended with just two goals and eight assists in 33 games.

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But as the Panthers became the best team during the NHL’s regular season, Marchment (and linemates Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell) became one of the team’s most important players. He burst onto the scene, and led Florida in both points and goals per 60 minutes at 5 on 5, while being an effective checker and forechecker.

“He plays with some bite, which we like and we think we needed to add to our particular group,” White said. “He does a lot of good things and, he’s 27, and we think there’s room to grow.”

Marchment is the son of the late Bryan Marchment, who died last week before the NHL draft. Mason told TSN during an interview on Wednesday that his familiarity with the Stars coaching staff was appealing to him.

Bryan worked as a scout with San Jose since 2007, overlapping with new Stars coach Pete DeBoer. Mason said that new Dallas assistant coach Steve Spott is a long-time family friend.

The Stars outbid Carolina on Wednesday to sign Marchment. The Hurricanes and Marchment were reportedly close to a deal before Dallas secured Marchment’s services. White said the Stars were in on Marchment the whole time, and never thought they couldn’t land him.

Marchment represents a different kind of free-agent signing by the Stars. Dallas has typically been reticent to sign free-agent forwards under 30 years old. Michael Raffl and Luke Glendening were 32. Pavelski and Corey Perry were 34. Blake Comeau was 32. Alexander Radulov and Martin Hanzal were 30.

Tyler Pitlick was the last free-agent forward ($1 million-plus cap hit) under 30 to join the Stars.

In the past, the Stars have been willing to gamble on veteran players that their production would continue. They haven’t often gambled that young players would improve. Marchment represents that gamble.

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“I think Plan A was to upgrade that particular group [of forwards],” White said. “He was available and we decided to pursue him.”

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