The Dallas Stars, parent club of the AHL’s Texas Stars, announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenseman Maxime Fortunus on a two-year, two-way contract through the 2011-12 season, and defensemen Trevor Ludwig and Brad Lukowich and right wing Raymond Sawada each on one-year, two-way contracts through the 2010-11 season.
Fortunus, 26, made his NHL debut with Dallas last season, recording four penalty minutes in eight games. He spent the majority of the season with the Texas Stars, skating in 72 games and recording 23 points (11g, 12a).
The 6-foot-1, 198-pound defenseman helped Texas reach the Calder Cup Finals in the club’s inaugural season in the AHL, playing in 24 games and tallying nine points (2g, 7a).
The La Prairie, Que., native was originally signed as a free agent by Dallas on July 3, 2008. In 368 career AHL games with Texas, Houston and Manitoba, Fortunus has totaled 31 goals and 67 assists for 98 points. He has also appeared in 79 Calder Cup Playoff games, notching six goals and 19 assists.
Ludwig, 25, split time last season with the Texas Stars and the Idaho Steelheads of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). He finished the season with Texas, collecting eight points (3g, 5a) and 62 penalty minutes in 47 games.
The 6-foot, 205-pound defenseman also appeared in 19 playoff games for Texas, recording one assist and 18 penalty minutes.
The Rhinelander, Wis., native was Dallas’ sixth round selection (283rd overall) at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Ludwig has played 70 career AHL games with Texas, Manitoba and Iowa, recording three goals and eight assists.
Lukowich, 33, has played 653 career NHL games and helped both Dallas (1999) and Tampa Bay (2004) win the Stanley Cup. Over his NHL career he has accrued 113 points (23g, 90a) and 369 penalty minutes. Lukowich has dressed in 71 NHL playoff games notching six points (1g, 5a) and 22 penalty minutes.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman played 224 games for the Dallas Stars from 1997-2002. Last season he split time with Vancouver and the Texas Stars, skating in 13 games for the Canucks, collecting two points (1g, 1a) and four penalty minutes.
The Cranbrook, B.C., native appeared in 29 games with Texas in 2009-10, his first career stint in the AHL. He tallied 18 points (3g, 15a) and 10 penalty minutes.
Sawada, 24, spent the majority of last season with the Texas Stars, appearing in 60 games and tallying 19 points (8g, 11a) and 92 penalty minutes. He also played five games for Dallas in 2009-10 recording two shots.
In the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs, Sawada collected three goals and five assists in 24 games.
The 6-foot-2, 207-pound right wing has played 122 career AHL games, collecting 49 points (16g, 33a).
Sawada, a native of Richmond, B.C., was Dallas’ second round selection (52nd overall) at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
