While it was the first significant Dallas Stars rumor to gain traction during the UFA interview period, it wasn’t the first confirmed signing on July 1. Even so, the Stars eventually confirmed the reports around lunchtime on Monday by announcing the signing of UFA forward Joe Pavelski.
Pavelski’s contract is for three years and carries an AAV of $7 million, with a full no-trade clause attached to the first two years and a modified NTC on the final year (as a backup plan for the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft).
After the San Jose Sharks were forced into a cap crunch following the long-term extension of defenseman Erik Karlsson in June, Pavelski’s name quickly became a potential target on the UFA market.