Reece Scarlett will be staying in Texas, as the Dallas Stars have re-signed the free agent defenseman to a one-year, two-way contract. Scarlett was actually scheduled to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent on July 1st, after failing to get a chance at the NHL level once again in 2017-18. The team hasn’t released any financial details, but it would be surprising if Scarlett secured anything more than the minimum of $650K at the NHL level.
Scarlett, 25, was acquired in November from the Florida Panthers, and quickly found his niche with the Texas Stars as a reliable defensive option. Recording just seven points in 44 regular season games, he was nevertheless an important part of the team making the playoffs. The Stars weren’t favored heading into the postseason, but Scarlett and other veteran AHL players led them all the way to the Calder Cup finals against the Toronto Marlies. They’d spread their luck a little too thin against the powerhouse Marlies and come up short, but it was still an outstanding season for the group.
No one is expecting Scarlett to make an impact at the NHL level next year, but bringing back reliable depth options is important for any organization. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him make his NHL debut at some point if the Stars face injuries, and at the very least will provide some experience to Texas as they look to improve on 2017-18. There is plenty of young dynamic talent coming through the pipeline for the Stars, but it’s players like Scarlett who are the backbone of any minor league organization.