
Dallas Stars re-sign Mavrik Bourque and Nils Lundkvist, young players still searching for roles
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Stars have re-signed two young players still searching for roles, with forward Mavrik Bourque and defenseman Nils Lundkvist agreeing to one-year contracts.
Bourque played in 73 regular-season games in 2024-25, but dressed for just three playoff games as the Stars lost in the Western Conference final for the third consecutive year. Edmonton beat Dallas in five games after winning in six last year.
The 23-year-old Bourque signed for $950,000, the Stars said Friday. He tallied 25 points (11 goals) last season. Bourque was the 30th overall pick in the first round by Dallas in 2020.
Bourque made his NHL debut on April 6, 2024, the only game he played in 2023-24. He also made one playoff appearance that season.
Lundkvist has been a disappointment since the Stars traded a first-round pick for him before the 2022-23 season. He was drafted in the first round by the New York Rangers in 2018.
Injuries limited the 24-year-old to 39 games in the regular season, and Lundkvist didn't appear in the postseason after playing sparingly in most of his 12 playoff appearances in 2024. His second consecutive one-year contract is for $1.25 million.
Lundkvist has 44 points (nine goals) in 183 games over four seasons.
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30 minutes ago
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Michael Irvin Recalls Dallas Cowboys' Infamous 1994 'White House' Where Players 'Could Do Whatever You Liked'
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New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
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New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Could former first-round pick Mazi Smith be one of Cowboys' roster cuts?
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If Smith had not been drafted in the first round, would he still be on the team after two seasons? Part of the reason is because the Cowboys have wanted to make it work. Jerry Jones often shares Tom Landry's belief that you should not make judgment on a defensive lineman until his third season. Jones has referenced that when talking about Smith as he did in the past with Taco Charlton and Trysten Hill. Charlton played just over two seasons for the Cowboys before he was released. Hill made it three and a half. Smith has had the unenviable task of learning under his third defensive coordinator in three seasons. Matt Eberflus has been implementing a more attacking defensive line in his first year on the job. In that system, Smith is expected to penetrate the offensive line, get in the backfield, shed blocks and make plays. 'It's important that he does that right and does that well,' Eberflus said following Dallas' first preseason game. 'He's doing a good job in the drills and all those things, but we got to keep evaluating that process. And we're all in a competition right now. Nothing is set in stone. Competition for playing time, competition for the roster. And we want it that way, so guys are competing.' Smith was open about not playing well against the Rams. He took ownership and vowed to play better against the Ravens. However, even with double the snaps, he didn't stand out often. Cowboys DT Mazi Smith was not pleased with how he played Saturday against the Rams: 'I just didn't do anything. You gotta do something. I'm a first-round pick. There are expectations and all that. This is my third year.' — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 12, 2025 According to Pro Football Focus, Smith has been one of the NFL's lowest-graded defensive tackles over the last two seasons. His 2024 grade ranked him 208 among 220 interior defensive linemen. 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I think he has the mindset to do all the things that he wants to accomplish. Now it's our job to work together and bring that to fruition.' Defensive tackle is one of the roster's weakest positions. The current unofficial depth chart has Odighizuwa and Smith listed as starters. But that doesn't mean much. Odighizuwa and Thomas are the only roster locks at the position. For a defense that badly needs to improve at stopping the run, an outside addition might be a requirement before Week 1. Until then, it appears Smith will battle with Perrion Winfrey and rookies Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote for the final spots. Those decisions could come down to who plays best against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night at AT&T Stadium. Schottenheimer said Monday that Smith 'did some good things' against the Ravens, specifically mentioning a play he showed the team where Smith blocked the center, allowing Tyrus Wheat to loop around to make a play. Smith doesn't necessarily have to be the one sacking the quarterback or making the run stop. But he has to be wrecking things up front to open it up for other defensive linemen and linebackers. 'It's the consistency thing,' Schottenheimer said. 'What I've learned in my time is when you're a first-round draft pick or you're a high-paid free agent, there is pressure that comes with that. Not that Mazi feels that pressure, but Mazi wants to do great. Mazi wants to be a great player. Mazi can. But what he has to do is be more consistent. That great play I described where he's getting his second step in the dirt and fish-hooking the center and he's basically destroying the line of scrimmage, that's got to be the standard. Not the, 'OK, I did that,' and for two plays I'm not holding the point as strong as I need to.' Has he done enough to warrant a roster spot? We'll soon see. But it has not already been determined. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle