Stars sign defenseman Stephen Johns to three-year contract extension

Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has signed defenseman Stephen Johns to a three-year contract extension that has an annual average value of $2.35-million per year.
Johns, 26, registered a career-high 15 points (8-7=15) in 75 regular-season games during the 2017-18 campaign. He shared first among Stars defensemen with a career-high eight goals and finished tied for third among club blueliners with a career-high +10 plus/minus rating. Among League leaders, Johns finished tied for 20th with a Stars-leading 155 blocked shots, while he ranked 21st in the NHL and led the Stars with 201 hits.

In three NHL seasons, all with the Stars, he has appeared in 150 games and posted 28 points (13-15=28). The defenseman made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut during the 2016 postseason, skating in 13 games and logging six penalty minutes.

"Stephen has developed into a solid contributor on our back-end," said Nill. "He plays a very fast, physical game and is just starting to hit the prime of his career. We're pleased to have him locked up for the next three seasons."
Internationally, Johns won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2010 IIHF U18 World Junior Championships, notching three assists in seven games. He also competed in the 2012 IIHF U18 World Junior Championships, where he registered a goal and an assist in six games.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound native of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania was originally selected by Chicago in the second round (60th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He was acquired via trade by Dallas along with Patrick Sharp in exchange for Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt on July 10, 2015.