Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has signed defenseman Esa Lindell to a five-year contract extension, which begins in the 2025-26 season and runs through the 2029-30 season. The five-year contract extension is worth $26.25 million and has an average annual value (AAV) of $5.25 million.
Lindell, 30, skated in all 82 regular-season contests during the 2023-24 campaign with Dallas, marking the second consecutive season that he has appeared in all the club’s regular-season games. The blueliner ranked third among Stars defensemen with 21 assists and 26 points (5-21—26), his highest point total since 2018-19. He also led the club with 162 blocked shots and ranked third with 20:28 time on ice per game.
“Esa is a stalwart presence on our blueline and has become a player that can be trusted in all situations,” Nill said. “He is a proven penalty killer who logs some of the toughest minutes and defensive assignments. We are excited to have him locked in as part of our defensive core for an additional five seasons.”
Last season, Lindell paced the team and ranked second in the NHL with 3:32 shorthanded TOI/G, marking back-to-back seasons that he has finished second in the category. In four of the last six seasons, Lindell has ranked top five in the League in shorthanded TOI/G and since the 2017-18 season, he has logged the most total shorthanded TOI of any active player in the NHL with 1,632:46. During the 2024 postseason, he tallied five points (3-2—5) in 19 contests, ranking second among team blueliners in points and TOI/G (24:45).
In nine NHL seasons, Lindell has skated in 604 games, earning 49 goals and 142 assists for a total of 191 points. Among franchise leaders (1967-present), his +104 plus/minus rating ranks third all-time and first among defensemen. His 604 career games are the 11th-most by a defenseman in team history and the 22nd-most by any player. The blueliner has appeared five times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording 22 points (5-17—22) in 85 contests and 24:05 TOI/G.
Internationally, the defenseman has represented Finland on numerous occasions, including capturing gold medals at the 2014 World Junior Championship and the 2022 World Championship, along with a silver medal at the 2016 World Championship. Earlier this summer, he was announced as one of the “First Six” players selected to skate for Team Finland at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025.
The 6-foot-3, 216-pound native of Vantaa, Finland was originally selected by Dallas in the third round (74th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
