Justin Dowling’s impressive play has been rewarded and the center has signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Stars this week.

“It takes a lot off my shoulders, I’ve been kind of living in an odd situation with one-year contracts. It’s nice to get a two-year contract, I like the team down here and the coaches down here,” Dowling said. “I’ve learned a lot (about being a pro) here. Everything from how you arrive to the rink. How you dress and eat (before a game) all the way to how you play on the ice.”

Dowling said discussions with Jim Nill and Scott White started more than a month ago, but after the Rich Peverly incident contract negotiations took a step back before they heated up early this week.

Texas also officially announced Derek Hulak’s signing.

Here is the official release:

CEDAR PARK, Texas – The Texas Stars, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Dallas Stars, announced today that Dallas has signed center Justin Dowling to a two-year contract commencing for the 2014-15 season. Texas also announced that the club has signed left wing Derek Hulak to a professional tryout contract. Dowling, 23, is in his third full professional hockey season and his second with Texas. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound forward has posted a career-high 39 points (9 goals, 30 assists) in 66 games with Texas this season, as well as a +12 plus-minus rating and 138 shots on goal. Last season during the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs, the native of Cochrane, Alberta finished tied for second on the Texas Stars with four points in nine games (1 goal, 3 assists). Dowling went undrafted and was initially signed by the Texas Stars to an AHL contract on Jan. 7, 2013. In 194 career pro games, including 134 in the AHL, he has 145 points (46 goals, 99 assists) and 38 penalty minutes. Hulak, 24, just completed his fourth season of CIS hockey with the University of Saskatchewan of the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA). The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native had 48 points (13 goals, 35 assists) and 12 penalty minutes in 28 games, leading the Huskies in both assists and points. Hulak helped Saskatchewan reach the championship game of the 2014 University Cup and scored the Huskies’ only goal in a 3-1 loss to the University of Alberta. His six points (4 goals, 2 assists) in three games earned him the University Cup Tournament MVP honors. He was also the 2013-14 Canada West Player of the Year, a 2013-14 CWUAA First Team All-Star and he won the Dave “Sweeney” Schriner Scoring Trophy. Hulak made his professional debut with the Tulsa Oilers of the CHL during the 2010-11 season, before elected to play for the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to that he played four full seasons of major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League for the Regina Pats and the Saskatoon Blades. In 267 career WHL games, Hulak had 242 points (95 goals, 147 assists) and 183 penalty minutes.