Name: Mason Marchment

Number: 27

Age: 29

Birthplace: Uxbridge, Ont.

Height/Weight: 6-5, 216

2023-24 stats: 22 goals, 31 assists, 53 points in 81 games.

Contract: In third year of four-year contract that has a salary cap hit of $4.5 million

Performance evaluation: In his second year with the Stars, Mason Marchment looked a lot more like the player Dallas thought it was getting when it handed him a four-year free agent contract in 2022. Marchment went from 12 goals among 31 points, to 22 goals among 53 points, and was simply a more impactful force. Marchment was coming off a breakout year with the Florida Panthers, tallying 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 54 games, so Dallas was betting on him getting even better when they gave him the big contract. He dealt with the change of teams and the death of his father in that first season and that was a challenge, but having a coaching staff that knows him well helped a great deal in getting him back to his game. Marchment also found chemistry on a line with Matt Duchene and Tyler Seguin, and that seemed to be key.

Expectations for 2024-25: Marchment is a high-event player. That can be both good and bad. He led the Stars in penalties taken last season at 24. He also led in penalties drawn at 26. He was fourth in giveaways at 45. He was third in takeaways at 43. He seems to stir the pot, and there are times the Stars definitely need that. In pushing his numbers up significantly, Marchment showed he has the potential to be a key contributor on a team that looks for scoring balance. Marchment did a much better job of reading officials last season, which allowed coaches to use him more. He also was an important part of the power play, scoring six goals while averaging 1:25 in man advantage time on ice per game. That power play skill will be interesting this next season. Dallas will have two very skilled young forwards in Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque, and the guess is they will be used on the power play. But with Joe Pavelski retired, there is a place on the top unit, and Marchment might have an interesting shot that could be useful. Marchment was second on the Stars last season behind Pavelski in “tipped” shot attempts. There’s no better time to use that shot than on the power play, and Marchment has a knack for getting in front of the net. Could that give him more opportunities, and more goals, if he proves successful? Everything seems to be trending in the right direction for Marchment, and that could mean an even better year statistically. Marchment was third on the Stars in hits at 108, and that will be a key on a team that lost Jani Hakanpää, Radek Faksa and Ryan Suter, who were all in the top five in hits, along with Marchment and Jamie Benn.

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.