Battalion’s Kyle McDonald inks NHL deal

Adam Dennis feels the effort that Kyle McDonald has put in is really paid off. 

On Friday, the Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced that the club has signed forward Kyle McDonald to a three-year entry-level contract. The contract will begin in the 2023-24 season.

On Wednesday, a handful of Dallas Stars scouts attended the Battalion vs Owen Sound game including Rich Peverley, the Stars' Director of Player Personnel. 

Justin Ertel is another Stars prospect with the Troops, but he did not play as he is close to returning from injury. 

It is obvious the Stars like what they saw on the ice with Kyle McDonald and Adam Dennis could not be happier for his big power forward. 

"We have had a front-row seat to see the work that Kyle has put in, from his summer training in Ottawa and a really long stretch in the American League camp this summer and then just really betting on himself, coming back and putting in the work," stated Dennis, the Battalion general manager. 

"It is a great day for him and the organization."  

McDonald, 21, has 45 points (28-17--45) in 38 games with the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season. McDonald ranks third on the Battalion in goals (28) and shares sixth in points. He also leads the team in game-winning goals (6), ranks third in power-play tallies (6) and fifth in shots on goal (167). With 45 points in 38 games, McDonald ranks third on North Bay in points per game (1.18).

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound forward had goals in six consecutive contests (6-3--9) from Oct. 28-Nov. 10, 2022 over the course of a season-long eight-game point streak (7-4--11) and recorded a hat trick as part of a four-point performance (3-1--4) on Jan. 15 vs. Flint.

Prior to joining North Bay, McDonald spent parts of three seasons with the Windsor Spitfires, where he recorded 61 points (34-27--61) in 116 regular-season contests playing with current Dallas Stars rookie Wyatt Johnston. 

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, McDonald has amassed 134 points (80-54--134) in 182 career regular-season games with Windsor and North Bay. He also recorded six goals and nine points (6-3--9) in 13 OHL Playoff games with North Bay in 2022.