One month in: Stars’ offseason additions getting settled, finding way with new group

I feel like everyone has moved at some point in their lifetime.

Whether for school, work or a simple change of scenery, everyone has experienced the rigors that come with uprooting your life and reestablishing in an entirely new city, state or country.

It’s no different in professional sports. In fact, it’s a career field where moving multiple times is usually a given.

Take the Dallas Stars for example. Head coach Pete DeBoer has coached five different teams in the last 16 seasons. Evgenii Dadonov has played for five teams in the past five years alone. Scott Wedgewood has been a part of six different organizations, including multiple stints with the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes.

There are only four current Stars over the age of 25 that have never changed teams in their NHL career, but all four had to move to America. Change is always a constant in sports.

It’s a reality of the business that becomes especially prevalent in the offseason. This past summer, the Stars added three new faces via free agency in Matt Duchene, Craig Smith and Sam Steel. All three are in unique places in their careers, but found their way to Dallas in hopes of competing for the Stanley Cup.

But with a move comes challenges. Finding a house, learning your way around a new city and adjusting to new climates can top the list. And what about the best schools, neighborhoods, or grocery stores? Those need figuring out as well.

Duchene has a wife and three kids that have split time between Dallas and Nashville since he signed. Smith and his wife just had their first child this summer. Steel’s fiancée and dog are still living in Edmonton and getting ready to move down to Dallas.

Change at a moment’s notice can be a grind, to say the least.

“We had a lot going on,” Smith said. “It sucks until you get finally settled, but then everything feels good. Then you get to know the guys and know everyone in the room. This is a great environment to be a part of and the transition was easy.”

Even so, all three have quickly found their place in the Stars’ lineup. Sure, the fact that the team has stormed out to an impressive 8-3-1 start doesn’t hurt. But the trio seems to be settling nicely and contributing on a nightly basis.

Duchene is leading the charge. After being bought out of the final three years of a seven-year contract in Nashville, the 32-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Stars. It’s the fifth stop in his NHL career and, one could argue, the best chance he’s had to win a Cup in his career.

“This was the first time I’ve moved on when it wasn’t really by choice or foreseen,” Duchene said. “There were definitely some challenges early on, but luckily, I got the summer to digest things. But coming to this team and another amazing city like Dallas, it’s been a blessing for sure. We’re feeling very lucky to be a part of this organization. They’ve blown us away with everything here. We’re feeling very fortunate.”

He has fit into the offensive attack rather seamlessly and become an impact player. Through 11 games, he has 3 goals, 8 points and 53 shot attempts. All of those rank in the top 5 on the team. He is also a team-leading 58.4% on faceoffs.

That’s after going the first four games without a point and just nine shots on goal.

“He’s driving play for us right now,” DeBoer said. “He’s been our best player for a few weeks. Every time he’s on the ice, he’s demanding the puck and he’s attacking the middle of the ice and holes in the defense and creating room for other people. He’s just playing at a really high level right now.”

Mix in the fact that he’s skating an average of 16:42 per game (tied for fourth among Stars forwards) and it’s clear that the coaching staff is comfortable with playing him in any situation. He rewarded that trust with a game-winning goal and two assists for his first three-point night with the team on Thursday in Columbus.

“It was really quick,” Duchene said about the move. “I felt pretty settled a couple of weeks in, kind of before training camp. Our family really settled in and it’s a really good fit for us both lifestyle and hockey-wise. The kids are loving it. It’s been great and I’m absolutely thrilled with my decision to come here.”

Craig Smith spent the first nine seasons of his NHL career facing the Stars often as a member of the Nashville Predators. But after parts of the last three seasons with the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals, he landed in Dallas on July 1.

The 34-year-old has been the one constant on the Stars’ fourth line, playing in all 12 games so far. And while he currently owns the lowest average time on ice on the team at 10:18, he’s making every second count. Smith has two goals and three points to go along with a plus-2 rating and 19 shots

“Bits and pieces of it is,” Smith said when asked about if each move is the same. “I think after you do it once, you see a different room and see how it all works and feels, it’s completely different. It’s new and exciting. I only knew just a handful of guys in here, which doesn’t happen very often. It’s been a lot of fun getting to know everyone.”

He’s become an even strength asset and has posted a career-high 63.5% of starts in the defensive zone, the fourth most among Stars forwards. In addition to being defensively reliable, he’s helped round out the Stars’ offensive depth nicely.

And while those two own over a decade’s worth of NHL experience, Sam Steel is still finding his spot in the NHL. He was selected 30^th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2016 and, after four seasons in California, signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild in 2022.

The one-year stint up north turned into career-highs in goals (10) and points (28) through 65 games played. He also had a goal and an assist in the First Round against the Stars, which gave Dallas an extended look at their newest addition.

This season, Steel has rotated in and out of the lineup. He’s played in eight games, posting one assist and 13 shots on goal (21 total shot attempts). He’s brought physicality, speed and versatility to the Stars’ lineup, skating both on the fourth line and even on a line with Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin when Duchene was injured.

“Getting there, yeah,” Steel said about the adjustment process. “More so with the team. That came easy because it’s a great group of guys. They’ve included me from day one and whatnot. The hockey gets going and it’s been getting better and better. It’s been a good first month.”

The three have helped the Stars round out one of the deepest and most dangerous forward groups in the NHL. And even while still trying to adjust to new lives off the ice, their lives on the ice and in the dressing room have transitioned rather seamlessly as the Stars continue to roll through the early portion of this season.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.