The Dallas Stars have signed right-winger Justin Ertel to an entry-level contract. The three-year deal will begin next season and carries a $925,000 cap hit, per CapFriendly. Ertel is currently in his second season in the OHL, scoring 25 goals and 66 points in 61 games with the North Bay Battalion. It’s a step up in scoring from his rookie year when he managed 36 points in 46 games.
The Stars drafted Ertel well before his OHL career began, though, selecting him in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft out of the Maritime Hockey League’s Summerside Western Capitals. Ertel, who was originally drafted by the Battalion in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection Draft, was spending the year in the MHL after the OHL canceled their season. And while the OHL returned for the 2021-22 season, Ertel instead opted to attend Cornell University in the United States, scoring one goal and nine points in 23 games. He’s likely now set to return to the States next season, after signing his first professional contract.
Ertel’s move to the pros should be interesting, with the 20-year-old winger boasting smooth skating, a strong understanding of how to get to open ice, and good grit along the boards – but showing room for improvement with the puck on his stick. He’s a hard-nosed forward who could fit well into professional systems. Dallas will hope that’s the case, as they look to continue profiting off their strong drafting as of late.