PuckSleuth
18Cap hit
$2.1M
2.0% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then a 4-year extension at $3.7M
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.273M
vs. $4.373M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
13:44
PP 0:00 · PK 1:27
xGF%
85.7
5v5, +34.4 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.31
per game
Faceoff %
—
1 W · 0 L
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 0 · Hits 3
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 @ NSH · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16:09 | 0:00 | 1:40 | 1-0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.26 |
| Oct 2 vs STL · L 4-0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11:19 | 0:00 | 1:13 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.35 |
| Apr 30 @ MIN · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:35 | 0:00 | 2:16 | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | -0.26 |
| Apr 28 vs MIN · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 13:35 | 0:00 | 1:05 | 0-1 | — | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.01 |
| Apr 25 @ MIN · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 17:41 | 0:00 | 2:45 | 1-1 | 100 | 1 | 0 | -1 | +0.13 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 941 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
66th percentile
50th percentile
77th percentile
23rd percentile
32nd percentile
30th percentile
70th percentile
12th percentile
60th percentile
44th percentile
29th percentile
77th percentile
82nd percentile
61st percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleReliable possession center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Steel is a steady defensive presence who handles the puck well and generates chances through consistent play rather than volume or speed. He operates in the middle of the rink with solid decision-making but lacks the shot volume and playmaking touch of elite centers.
- Shooting volume
- 10
- Playmaking
- 36
- Zone entries(est.)
- 58
- Forechecking
- 48
- Physicality
- 43
- Defensive impact
- 45
- Puck management
- 63
- Speed
- 38
Where he shoots from
Slot 58% · Mid-range 30% · Perimeter 12%(121 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Strong puck management and control at 63rd percentile shows composure with the puck
- Most shots from the dangerous slot area, 58% of attempts from prime scoring territory
- Balanced team defense and forechecking around 45-48th percentile suggests reliable two-way contribution
Watch-outs
- Bottom-10 shooting volume at 10th percentile limits goal-scoring upside despite quality chances
- Below-average speed at 38th percentile constrains his ability to create off-rush opportunities
- Playmaking ability at 36th percentile means limited high-assist upside for the position
Similar style: Lars Eller (FLA), Phillip Danault (MTL)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 73 GP
Season total +34.9, or +0.48 per game.
- Scoring
- +24.3
- Shooting
- +6.2
- 5-on-5 goals
- +0.8
- Defense
- +0.5
- Penalty kill
- +0.2
- Physical play
- +3.0
- Puck battles
- -1.5
- Penalties
- +1.3
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | Anaheim Ducks | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | +2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 18.2 | 14:58 | 49.1 | — |
| 2019-20 | Anaheim Ducks | 65 | 6 | 16 | 22 | -13 | 20 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 85 | 7.1 | 15:33 | 50.3 | — |
| 2020-21 | Anaheim Ducks | 42 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 14.3 | 14:32 | 52.8 | — |
| 2021-22 | Anaheim Ducks | 68 | 6 | 14 | 20 | -17 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 66 | 9.1 | 12:19 | 49.3 | — |
| 2022-23 | Minnesota Wild | 65 | 10 | 18 | 28 | +11 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 85 | 11.8 | 14:58 | 48.7 | +0.45 |
| 2023-24 | Dallas Stars | 77 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 86 | 10.5 | 13:15 | 45.0 | +0.38 |
| 2024-25 | Dallas Stars | 79 | 6 | 19 | 25 | -6 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 89 | 6.7 | 14:08 | 53.5 | +0.32 |
| 2025-26 | Dallas Stars | 73 | 12 | 21 | 33 | +3 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 82 | 14.6 | 16:04 | 50.6 | +0.48 |
| 2026-27 | Dallas Stars | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 13:44 | 100.0 | +0.31 |
| Career | 9 seasons | 493 | 61 | 114 | 175 | -28 | 154 | 2 | 19 | 5 | 11 | 573 | 10.6 | 14:24 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Sam Steel Signs 4-Year Extension With Dallas Stars
dlls-dallas-stars-podcast.simplecast.com · Sep 23
- Dallas Stars Sign Forward Sam Steel To 4-Year Contact Extension With $3.7M AAV | DLLS Stars Podcast
dlls-dallas-stars-podcast.simplecast.com · Sep 21
- Monday Dallas Stars Roundup: The Implications of Sam Steel’s Extension, Colin Blackwell and Matt Duchene Updates, and Dylan Talks Justin Hryckowian
starsthoughts.com · Sep 21
- Glen Gulutzan Talks Seguin, Steel & Hryckowian at Stars Media Day
dlls-dallas-stars-podcast.simplecast.com · Sep 18
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.03 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.1 mph
- 41st pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 77
- Hardest shot
- 86.2 mph
- 58th pct
- Distance
- 188.9 mi
- OZ time
- 40.3%
- 25th pct
- DZ time
- 41.6%
Usage
Last game: @ NSH, Oct 3
Line 3 with Jamie Benn and Arttu Hyry (5:25 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 28, forwards typically produce 93% of their peak (age 24).
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
5 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | DAL | $2.1M | 2.0% |
| 2027-28New deal | DAL | $3.7M | 3.3% |
| 2028-29 | DAL | $3.7M | — |
| 2029-30 | DAL | $3.7M | — |
| 2030-31 | DAL | $3.7M | — |
UFA after 2030-31. $16.9M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).