One hundred percent of the time, Joel Hanley works every time

Name: Joel Hanley
Number: 44
Age: 31
Birthplace:Keswick, Ontario
Height/Weight: 5-11, 190
2021-22 stats:Three goals, four assists and six points in 44 games
Contract:One year remaining at a cap hit of $750,000.

Performance evaluation

Hanley earned a great deal of respect from former Stars head coach Rick Bowness last season for his unflappable nature and his ability to perform consistently in many situations. The likeable d-man would play the same if he sat eight games as a healthy scratch or played three games in a row. He's a solid bottom pairing defenseman who doesn't make a lot of mistakes and tries to make the smart, simple play.
He's not going to score much, he doesn't typically deliver huge hits, but he can be like a middle reliever who eats innings and pushes the game along. But make no mistake - he won't shy away from the physical play, either. There's a place in the NHL for players like that.

Expectations for 2022-23

Bringing on Colin Miller probably means Hanley won't be stepping up in the lineup after John Klingberg and Andrej Sekera left, but the other interesting part of the summer is the signing of Will Butcher, a skilled undersized defenseman who has played under new assistant coach Alain Nasreddine when the two were in New Jersey. Butcher had his best seasons with Nasreddine, so there's a chance he's in the mix to play in the NHL this season.
Hanley has a one-way contract and Butcher is on a two-way deal, so the guess is injuries would have to factor into an opportunity for Butcher. Remember last season that AHL defensemen Ben Gleason, Ryan Shea and Alexander Petrovic never really got a shot in the NHL, so it'll be interesting to watch what happens this time around.
Hanley is a steady player who can help the team. He has to prove himself again to a new coaching staff, but that's nothing new to the seasoned veteran.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.