The Dallas Stars have signed general manager Jim Nill to a two-year contract extension, securing his leadership through the 2027-28 season.
The team announced the deal on March 31, 2026, from their base in Frisco, Texas. Owner Tom Gaglardi praised Nill as one of the most respected executives in the NHL. Gaglardi highlighted Nill’s skill in roster building through drafts, trades and free agency, positioning the Stars as contenders now and in the future.
Nill took over as general manager in April 2013. Since then, the Stars posted a regular-season record of 549-345-125, good for the eighth-most wins in the league over that period. They qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs nine times, including the 2013-14, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. Dallas reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 and advanced to the Western Conference Final four times: in 2020, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Nill’s postseason success stands out. The Stars racked up 63 playoff wins since 2013, second only to Tampa Bay’s 88. In recent years, he earned the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award for three straight seasons from 2022-23 through 2024-25. No other executive has won it more often. During those years, Dallas led the NHL with 327 regular-season points and ranked fourth with 149 wins. Their 29 playoff victories over that span ranked third, behind Florida’s 45 and Edmonton’s 35.
Nill credited his staff for the progress. He expressed gratitude to Gaglardi and excitement about pushing for a Stanley Cup. At 67, Nill ranked among the league’s longest-tenured GMs entering the 2025-26 season, behind only Winnipeg’s Kevin Cheveldayoff and St. Louis’ Doug Armstrong.
This extension comes as the Stars chase their fifth straight playoff berth. They sit second in the Central Division with a 44-19-12 record and 100 points through 75 games, trailing only Colorado. Key players like Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley and Mikko Rantanen anchor the roster Nill assembled. Earlier this month, Nill noted salary cap limits would curb big trades at the March 3 deadline, with extensions looming for Robertson and Harley.
The move locks in continuity for a franchise that ended lean years and built a consistent contender. It signals Dallas’s focus on sustaining deep playoff runs and ending a Stanley Cup drought since 1999.
Stars sign GM Jim Nill to two-year contract extension https://t.co/boOKAXqN3b
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) March 31, 2026
