Payne, Hanna Sign with Stars for 2018-19 Season

CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, announced Friday the team has signed rookie forward Robbie Payne and rookie defenseman Shane Hanna for the upcoming 2018-19 season.

Payne, 24, joined the Stars on a tryout agreement late last season after concluding his collegiate career and appeared in six AHL games with a pair of assists. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound forward played four years at Northern Michigan University where he tallied 24 goals in 42 games and served as team captain during his senior season. He played 158 games over his four-year career at Northern Michigan with 94 points (54-40=94), including a career-high 34 during the 2017-18 season.

The Gaylord, Mich. native also spent time with USHL’s Tri-City Storm and Chicago Steel, plus the NAHL’s Kalamazoo Junior K-Wings.

Hanna, 24, appeared in 20 games last season with Texas tallying three assists. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound defenseman also competed in 41 games for the Stars’ ECHL affiliate, the Idaho Steelheads, with 17 points (5-12=17) last year. Before beginning his pro career, the Salmon Arm, British Columbia native appeared in 163 games over a four-year stretch at Michigan Tech with 90 career points (21-69=90) from 2013-2017.