Sam Steel

Sam Steel

26-Year-Old CenterC
Dallas Stars
2024 Fantasy Outlook
The Stars didn't extend a qualifying offer to Steel, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent. Nevertheless, the 26-year-old signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Stars after briefly testing the market. Steel was effective in a bottom-six role for the Stars last year with 24 points through 77 games, but he rarely handled power-play duties. He'll be a valuable piece of the Stars, especially on the penalty kill, but his fantasy utility will be flaky without power-play usage. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Stars in June of 2024.
Scores in loss to Toronto
CDallas Stars
December 19, 2024
Steel scored a goal on four shots and went plus-2 in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs.
ANALYSIS
Steel has two goals and two assists over nine contests in December. It's not a lot of offense, but he continues to provide consistency in a depth role for the Stars, most often as the fourth-line center. He's up to four goals, 13 points, 36 shots on net, 30 hits and a minus-2 rating through 30 outings overall. Steel has a chance at a career-best year -- his previous high mark is 28 points in 65 games in 2022-23 with the Wild.
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NHL Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2016
2024 NHL Game Log
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2023 NHL Game Log
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2022 NHL Game Log
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2021 NHL Game Log
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2020 NHL Game Log
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2019 NHL Game Log
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2018 NHL Game Log
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2016 NHL Game Log
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2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    14:03
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:09
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    2:03
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
14:58
0:49
0:53
2023–24
13:15
0:03
1:51
2024–25
14:03
0:09
2:03
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Stars Power Play Depth Chart
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2021
2020
2019
2018
Steel's first and only season in Minnesota ended up being the most productive of his brief NHL career. He set new high-water marks in goals (10), assists (18), points (28), plus-minus (plus-11), and hits (46). In a somewhat surprising move, the Wild declined to qualify Steel, making him an unrestricted free agent. He signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with Dallas on July 1. The 25-year-old offers virtually no fantasy value but does make for solid depth down the middle for the Stars.
Steel has scored exactly six goals in each of his first three NHL seasons, although he played in 22 games back in 2018-19, 65 in 2019-20, and 42 a year ago. Steel was drafted as an offensive forward. The numbers haven't been there to date and Steel seems miscast in a depth role, so something will have to change in order for the Ducks to get maximum value out of their former 2016 first-round pick (No. 30 overall). Dynasty/keeper league managers should hang onto Steel if possible in hopes he finds a consistent role on a thin Anaheim roster, but he's completely off the map in redraft formats.
Steel is the leading edge of the Ducks' plentiful upcoming youth movement. His first full year in the league was rather mild, however, as he put up 22 points in 65 games and struggled to a minus-13 rating on the defensively suspect team from Anaheim. Steel produced eight of his points on the power play -- he'll likely see second-unit duties until he earns a larger special-teams role. The first-round pick from 2016 will challenge Ryan Getzlaf and Adam Henrique for a top-six job in 2020-21, but expect Steel to start the year on the third line with room to grow. Dynasty managers will want to hang onto the Alberta native, but his services will likely only be needed in deeper redraft leagues.
Steel split time between AHL San Diego and the big club during his first professional season in 2018-19, notching an impressive 41 points in 53 minor-league contests while posting an additional 11 points in 22 games at the NHL level. A first-round pick from 2016, Steel is one of the best prospects in Anaheim's system. The 21-year-old should be a lock for the Opening Night roster this year, and could ultimately end up challenging Adam Henrique for the Ducks' second-line center job. With a strong two-way game and an already capable offensive skill set, Steel will definitely be worth a flier in all fantasy formats this season. If he can earn a role on the power play, the left-handed forward could post 15-plus goals and 40-plus points in 2019-20.
Viewed a defensive-minded center when drafted by Anaheim (30th overall) in 2016, Steel proceeded to post 214 points over his final two WHL seasons and now looks like a top-six guy who should be ready to help the Ducks as early as this season. Steel is a high-character player with elite hockey IQ. Anaheim has several aging forwards on its roster and even if the prospect begins the season in the AHL, he still figures to be looking at significant playing time for the Ducks sooner rather than later. Owners in deep redraft leagues would be wise to stash Steel if at all possible.
More Fantasy News
Tallies in Sunday's win
CDallas Stars
December 8, 2024
Steel scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Flames.
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Logs another assist
CDallas Stars
December 3, 2024
Steel produced an assist in Monday's 2-1 win over Utah.
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Gets helper in win
CDallas Stars
November 29, 2024
Steel notched an assist, two hits and two blocked shots in Friday's 5-3 win over the Avalanche.
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Plucks apple in win
CDallas Stars
November 24, 2024
Steel notched an assist in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Lightning.
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Assists in consecutive games
CDallas Stars
November 16, 2024
Steel provided an assist in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Wild.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Good fit for Minnesota?
CFree Agent
July 13, 2022
Michael Russo of The Athletic believes the Wild could pursue Steel in free agency.
ANALYSIS
Minnesota doesn't have much cap space to work with, so cheap, potentially high-upside players like Steel, a 2016 first-round pick, make sense for the team to pursue. Steel has yet to reach his potential offensively -- he was limited to 20 points through 68 games with the Ducks last season -- but he's been good defensively, and he's still just 24 years old.
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