Name: Evgenii Dadonov

Number: 63

Age: 35

Birthplace: Chelyabinsk, Russia

Height/Weight: 6-0, 185

2023-24 stats: 12 goals, 11 assists for 23 points in 51 games

Contract: In second year of two-year deal with a salary cap hit of $2.25 million

Performance evaluation: Evgenii Dadonov has been a bit of a wildcard in his time with the Stars. He came in after a trade with Montreal in 2023 and played 23 games, collecting 15 points (3 goals, 12 assists). He then played a regular shift last season before suffering a lower body injury in February and then sitting out until the final game of the regular season. He can bounce from the top line to the fourth line. He has been a healthy scratch at times. His 23 points in 51 games were 0.45 points per game, which is a solid contribution from the creative winger who doesn’t mind taking chances.

Expectations for 2024-25: Dadonov knows coach Pete DeBoer pretty well and their interactions – first in Florida when Dadonov was young, and more recently in Vegas – is probably a key reason why Dadonov was acquired. You can tell that DeBoer likes Dadonov and doesn’t mind using him in any situation. That said, he is 35 and there are younger players who probably need minutes ahead of the veteran. With Wyatt Johnston a fixture and Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque likely candidates for the top nine, Dadonov is probably going to be a regular on the fourth line with Sam Steel. That’s not a bad thing, as the two still offer some depth goals, and that has been a key to the DeBoer way of thinking in Dallas. One of the most noticeable elements of Dadonov’s time with the Stars is his playoff performance. After missing the last third of the season, Dadonov came in and played every playoff game. He had a solid 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 19 games and came up with some key plays in big moments. In his two years in Dallas, Dadonov ranks ninth in playoff points per game (0.49), third in even strength goals (7) and fourth in plus-minus (plus-5). He is eighth in shots on goal at 55, despite being 18th in average time on ice at 14:05. There’s a reason Pete DeBoer trusts the guy . . . he can raise his game at the right time of the year.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @MikeHeika.