On October 28th, 2025, the Dallas Stars extended #defenseman Thomas Harley’s contract. With an 8 Year Extension and $10.587 AAV, let’s take a deeper dive on the specifics and the breakdown of his contract.
“It’s a relief to just get it done and be able to play the rest of this year out, and to know I’m here for the next nine years is fantastic. Very happy”
Harley is a number one defenseman with elite mobility and a ton of puck skill. His passion and desire to be involved in everything continues to ensure that we will keep seeing greatness from him. As of the early 2025-26 season, Harley has one goal, seven assists, and eight points in ten games played, with an average of 23:07 time on ice per game, trailing only Miro Heiskanen.
Below are the specific year-by-year values of his contract:
Year 1: $9M Base & 4M Signing Bonus
Years 2-3: $9M & 2M SB
Years 4-6: $7.9392M & 2M SB
Years 7-8: $8.9392M & 1M SB
No Move Clause Years 4-8
“For now, it’s just kind of any other night. Go home, eat a DiGiorno pizza and go to sleep. Nothing crazy.” -Thomas Harley on how he plans to celebrate his eight-year contract extension
The Stars played a home game against the Washington Capitals than night and Harley was able to celebrate with his teammates in the locker room. “It’s fun to see the reactions, um, a lot of congratulations, a little bit of shit. But it was fun for sure.” Tyler Seguin even said some dinner tabs will be on him in the future.
This deal signals that the Dallas Stars organization views Harley not just as a supporting player but as an “anchor” on the back end. General Manager Jim Nill in a statement: “We’re thrilled to lock up Thomas for the next eight years…This extension is well deserved. Thomas has proven to be one of the top defensemen in our league, and his ability to step up in Heiskanen’s absence was an important part of our team maintaining its pace throughout last season. We’re looking forward to seeing him anchor our blueline alongside Miro for many years to come” The Stars will aim to build around him and Heiskanen as a defensive core, a defensive foundation.
Harley was motivated to get the deal done as he wants to stay in Dallas and believes he can win a Stanley Cup with this team. The Stars have made it to the Western Conference finals the past three seasons. This is a strong signal for fans: the Stars believe that they are contenders now and for the long haul and Harley is central to that vision. The extension for Harley provides defensive stability and helps build a core around which the Stars can continue to compete. However, for the Stars’ salary cap and future planning, this is a major commitment. Allocating so much to one defenseman means they’ll need to be judicious with other contracts and roster decisions moving forward.
This extension is more than a contract: it’s a statement. With an AAV of ~$10.6 million, Harley becomes the highest-paid defenseman on the Stars roster, surpassing Heiskanen’s previous ~$8.45 million cap hit. By committing big dollars and a long term to a young defenseman, the Dallas Stars have also communicated they believe his trajectory is upward, and that he will be a foundational piece of their team. For Harley, it’s a reward for rising to the moment. For Dallas, it is a calculated investment in sustaining competitiveness. An investment, I personally believe as a Dallas Stars fan, will pay off.
