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Thanks for joining us for our July 31-in-31 series! Every day this month we will be taking a look at how each team fared in the NHL Entry Draft, as well as checking in on incoming/outgoing prospects and Development Camp notes. Check back every day for a new team profile, and next month when we begin the August 31-in-31 series diving more into prospect depth charts.
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DRAFT REVIEW:
Somehow surprisingly, considering their defensive pipeline, the Stars used seven of their eight picks on forwards. Looking back at Jim Nill and Joe McDonnell (Director of amateur scouting) draft tendencies, it was not that surprising to see them pick four times out of the OHL. Half of the players they’ve picked since 2013 have been from the Ontario Hockey League. For the first time since 2013, they’ve picked forwards under 6-foot-0 in overager Adam Mascherin and his Kitchener teammate Riley Damiani. They had all of their original picks and an extra fourth-rounder (from 2017 Oduya trade) they used on Mascherin.
Round 1 (13th overall) – Ty Dellandrea, C
After seeing Barrett Hayton getting picked fifth overall and Vitaly Kravtsov ninth overall, Dallas’ selection of Ty Dellandrea at 13th was the third biggest surprise of the first round based on the most popular rankings. He started the year outside of most top 31 rankings. Dellandrea was ranked No. 76 on the NHL Central Scouting midterm list but he increased his draft stock all year long and finished No. 25 on their final list. He had a strong U18 tournament and he was one of the biggest risers in the second half of the season. Dellandrea also had a strong showing at the NHL combine where he finished fifth on the VO2max testing among the 104 players invited.
One thing to keep in mind concerning Dellandrea is that he played for the OHL’s worst offense. The Flint Firebirds only managed to score 194 goals. That’s 1.8 goals less per game in comparison with the league leading team in that department, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, who scored 317 times. Here’s some interesting stats about Dellandrea:
– He participated to 30% of his team’s goals (Barrett Hayton = 19%)
– He took the second highest number of faceoffs in the entire OHL (won 50.6% of them)
– He loves to shoot the puck – ranked third among OHL draft eligible with 3.55 shots per game
Ty Dellandrea projects to be a strong two-way second-line center. His character makes him special. He doesn’t show high-end skills but he owns all the tools to be successful at the top level. He’s a leader who’ll lead by example and coaches will love him. He will be NHL ready rather sooner then later. Players with higher ceilings where obviously still available at No. 13 but Dellandrea represent a low risk pick that fits the team number one need.
Round 2 (44th overall) – Albin Eriksson, LW
Jim Nill second-round selection was also sort of a reach. Bob McKenzie had Albin Eriksson ranked 68th in his final ranking. Even though he’s physical, the big 6-foot-4 winger is able to play a skill game. He’s strong in puck protection and he has strong release which makes him a threat in the offensive zone. He needs to work on his skating but it’s not a flaw in his game. Eriksson recorded 22 goals and was the best goal-scorer among U18 players in the SuperElit J20 league. His 40 points in 38 contests put him only one point behind Dominik Bokk. His 86 PIM (sixth in the league) are a testament of his style of play. As of today, he looks like a strong third-line player with a physical presence and a nose for the net.
Round 3 (75th overall) – Oskar Back, C
Oskar Back played in the same league as Albin Eriksson. He had a decent production with 32 points in 38 games (fifth among U18 players). The Stars got a good value with that selection considering he was still available at that spot. Back loves to control the puck by shielding it using his body. He’s a pass first type of player and his great understanding of the game had him playing 14 games in the SHL. The plan is for him to play in the Allsvenkan in 2018-2019 so it will be interesting to monitor is impact in a stronger league. Don’t expect top-six aspirations for Back. He’s more of a bottom-six responsible forward.
Round 4 (100th overall) – Adam Mascherin, LW
Mascherin is a 20-year-old who re-entered the draft by refusing to sign with the Florida Panthers. He was drafted for the first time in the second round of the 2016 draft. In him, the Stars get a mature player whose main weapon is his deadly shot. Mascherin shot is NHL caliber and one of the best of the 2016 draft. He’s also know for his work ethic and his pro approach to the game. He needs to work on his skating but it shouldn’t prevent him from playing in the NHL one day. His size and speed might make it harder for him to play in a top-six role, but a third line energy winger role is realistic.
Round 4 (106th overall) – Curtis Douglas, C
At 6-foot-9 and 247 pounds, Curtis Douglas is the biggest player from the 2018 NHL draft. For a guy of his size, he has a good speed and some nice hands. He compare his style of play to Brian Boyle with and edge. After being traded, he finished the season on the Windsor Spitfires top six where he scored 28 points in 28 games.
Round 5 (137th overall) – Riley Damiani, C
This pick was a great one. Damiani was a riser in the final weeks of the calendar. He’s a responsible two-way player who shows energy and dedication on every shift. This is the kind of pick that could end up being a steal mainly due to his elite skating and acceleration. He’ll need to work on his faceoffs before turning pro if he wants to keep playing center.
Round 6 (168th overall) – Dawson Barteaux, D
Barteaux was the only defenseman selected by the Stars in this draft. He’s a playmaking defenseman who was drafted 14th overall in the WHL draft back in 2015.
Round 7 (199th overall) – Jermaine Loewen, LW
Loewen is an overager of 20 years old and he’s the first Jamaican-born player to be drafted in the NHL. He’s a big 6-foot-4 power forward. His game evolved a lot in during last season in which he showed what he was capable of offensively. He’s hard to contain and his physicality is a definite strength. With 64 points in 66 games, he was the Kamloops Blazers leading scorer. He’s a project.
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DEVELOPMENT CAMP:
The Stars held their development camp from June 25th to June 29th. All eight of the new prospects were present.
Undrafted players invited:
Carson Gicewicz – 21 – C – St. Lawrence Univ. NCAA
Mitch Lewandowski – 20 – LW – Michigan State Univ. NCAA
James Phelan – 21 – C – Moncton Wildcats QMJHL
Jeff Baum – 22 – D – Providence College NCAA
Adam McCormick – 18 – D – Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL
Ondrej Vala – 20 – D – Everett Silvertips WHL
Cooper Watson – 22 – D – Michigan Tech NCAA
Riley McCourt – 18 – D – Flint Firebirds OHL
Anthony Popovich – 18 – G – Guelp Storm OHL
Some notes about the camp :
– Caamano and Mascherin are ready to turn pro. They will be solid additions to the Texas Stars
– Stenqvist is a solid skater
– Dellandrea and Tufte were very dynamic
– Robertson and Eriksson stood out
– After reaching the AHL finals, the Texas Stars will become younger and more exciting in 2018-2019.
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OFF-SEASON MOVES :
IN:
RW – Valeri Nichushkin
RW – Erik Condra
LW – Blake Comeau
LW – Michael Mersch
D – Roman Polak
D – Joel Hanley
G – Anton Khudobin
G – Colton Point
OUT:
LW – Antoine Roussel
LW – Custis McKenzie
D – Greg Pateryn
G – Mike McKenna
UFA:
D – Dan Hamhuis
G – Kari Lehtonen
LW – Cole Ully
RE-SIGNED:
RW – Joel L’Esperance
LW – Remi Elie
C – Jason Dickinson
D – Reece Scarlett
D – Stephen Johns
QUALIFIED:
Mattias Janmark
Devin Shore
Gemel Smith
Dillon Heatherington
Philippe Desrosiers
HOW IT LOOKS:
Even though Dallas signed Roman Polak, the subtraction of Greg Pateryn should be good news for Julius Honka. Polak played 15 minutes per game last season in Toronto while Pateryn played an average of 17 minutes. Expect Honka to play on the second pairing. Valeri Nichushkin is an upgrade to an aging Antoine Roussel. The Russian should easily reach a minimum of 35 points in the upcoming season. Comeau will bring experience and depth to the lineup. Players like Jason Dickinson, Gemel Smith, Remi Elie and Tyler Pitlick will have to fight to keep their spot with the big club because some new faces like Roope Hintz, Nick Caamano, Michael Mersch and Denis Gurianov will challenge them.
Benn – Seguin – Radulov
Janmark – Faksa – Nichushkin
Comeau – Spezza – Shore
Pitlick – Hanzal – Ritchie
Elie – Dickinson – Smith
Gurianov – Hintz – Caamano
Heiskanen – Klingberg
Lindell – Honka
Methot – Polak
Hanley – Johns
Heatherington – Scarlett
Bishop
Khudobin
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Thanks for reading, check back next month for our August 31-in-31 Series that dives deeper into each organization’s prospect depth charts and players development towards making the big jump!
JPMac
DobberProspects Writer & Scout
Dallas Stars