The Dallas Stars have wasted little time since being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in getting a jump on preparing for next season.

Co-general managers Brett Hull and Les Jackson and head coach Dave Tippett have been re-signed to three-year contract extensions and long-time Stars forward Mike Modano announced his intention to return for another season in 2008-09.

This week they’ve made their first significant roster move, re-signing young defenseman Trevor Daley to a three-year, $6.9 million contract extension, which will count as $2.3 million per season against their cap.

"At just 24 years of age, Trevor continues to grow as a hockey player and we are looking for his game to improve over the next three years," said Co-General Manager Les Jackson. "He is a valuable member of our hockey club and is a key part to our strong nucleus of younger players."

The Globe and Mail’s James Mirtle summed up Daley’s performance this past season: “A good contract for a player who quietly logged 20 minutes a night over 82 games this season.”

Daley made significant strides this past season with the Stars, in part due to injuries suffered by veterans like Sergei Zubov, Mattias Norstrom and Phillipe Boucher. He rose to the challenge, posting 5 goals and 24 points.

He has a bright future with the Stars and should continue to provide a strong physical presence on their blueline.

Meanwhile, in St. Louis they’ll have to find another backup goaltender for Manny Legace, as reports out of Europe claim Hannu Toivonen has signed with a team in his native Finland.

It’s possible Toivonen may have signed this contract as insurance in case he fails to land a better deal with the Blues as a restricted free agent or if cut loose by the club as an unrestricted free agent this summer, but given the lack of progress of his NHL career to date, odds are he’s decided to return home.

Toivonen made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins in 2005-06, posting a 9-5-4 record with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage until a high ankle sprain sidelined him for the rest of the season.

That sparkling performance had him in line to compete for the starting goalie job with the Bruins heading into the 2006-07 season, but he struggled through a 3-9-1 record with a lofty 4.23 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage, and was demoted to the minors for most of the season.

He re-signed a one-year contract with the Bruins last April but the club dealt him to the Blues last summer.

The change of venue did little to help Toivonen improve, with a 6-10-5 record in 22 games, a 3.44 GAA and a save percentage of .878.