The Stars announced they’ve signed forward prospect Angus MacDonell to a three-year, entry-level contract. It will begin next season, taking him through the 2027-28 campaign.
Dallas selected MacDonell, 19, in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. They were set to lose his signing rights on June 1 if they didn’t get him inked to a contract, after which he could have re-entered the draft for 2025.
The 5’10” center was drafted out of the Ontario Hockey League’s Mississauga Steelheads and followed the franchise with their minor relocation to Brampton last summer. While not overly bulky at 185 lbs, he plays much larger than he is and plays a physical game – the drawback there being frequent penalties. He’s logged 162 PIMs in 100 games over the past two years.
Of course, he complements that engagement with good offensive play. A good shooter, he’s tallied 24-23–47 in 39 games with the Steelheads this year after posting 32-30–62 in 61 games in 2023-24.
While he doesn’t have the ceiling of a top-six forward, he could top out as a solid complementary piece on a scoring-oriented third line like the Stars tend to ice. He’ll be eligible to report to AHL Texas on a tryout down the stretch after his junior season ends, but he won’t be able to make his NHL debut until next season. He’ll likely see a full year or two of development in the minors before being considered for a recall near the end of his rookie deal if he develops well.