Texas Locks Down Michael Karow on Two-Year AHL Deal

(Credit: Ross Bonander / Texas Stars)

The Texas Stars signed another two-year AHL deal today, inking defenseman Michael Karow to a multi-year pact that will run through 2024-25.

Karow served as seventh defenseman for Texas through much of the year until Thomas Harley's recall made him an every-night contributor. In his 36 games, he was 1-8=9 with a plus-8. He played a few games in the ECHL this season as well.

Even with Petrovic and Karow, Texas still has a lot of holes to fill on defense. Many top defenders from this season are free agents of one kind or another included restricted free agent Dawson Barteaux and unrestricted Will Butcher, Ben Gleason, Jerad Rosburg and Ryan Shea. Oskari Laaksonen is a restricted free agent, and may be qualified to retain his rights, but has already signed a deal in Europe for two years.

Additionally, there will be many rookie defenders joining the fold, including Christian Kyrou.

Here's the release: 

The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, announced Tuesday that defenseman Michael Karow signed a two-year AHL contract extension through the 2024-25 season.

Karow, 24, posted nine points (1-8—9) and had a +8 rating in 36 regular season games during his first full professional season in 2022-23 and added two assists in eight playoff games. He also tallied two assists in three ECHL games with the Idaho Steelheads.

The left shot defenseman turned pro toward the end of the 2021-22 season and scored the game-winning goal in his professional debut Apr. 1, 2022 at Grand Rapids, before finishing the season with five points (1-4=5) and a +3 rating.

Karow played four years at Boston College, where he helped the Eagles to three Hockey East Conference Championships. He then spent a fifth season of college eligibility at Michigan Tech in 2021-22 and finished his NCAA career with 25 points (3-22=25) and a +27 rating in 168 games.

The 6-foot-2, 201-pound native of Green Bay, Wisconsin was originally selected by Arizona in the fifth round (126th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.