The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!
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Read past 32 series stories here: https://dobberprospects.com/category/feature/32-in-32-series/
Make sure to check out the Dallas Stars team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/dallas-stars/
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The Stars off-season has been very quiet. Well, “quiet” outside of all the noise surrounding potentially trading Jason Robertson, to only re-sign him for one season where he can walk as a UFA afterwards. The team also had to dump RFA Maverik Bourque and depth defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to the Nashville Predators for a couple of picks, as even with the cap jump the Stars are right against it.
Dallas finished third overall in the entire NHL and that makes it tough to look to improve in the off-season. They were also rewarded by playing the seventh overall team in the NHL in round one of the playoffs for 2025-26. Or to put it in the Western conference way, they were second and had to play third, who had nine points on fourth. The Central division versus Pacific division, is the height of the current playoff format frustration. The Stars lost in six games to the Wild as they could not kill a penalty to save their season.
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NHL Draft Recap
Round 2, 59 overall: Jakub Vaněček, LHD
Reports out of the draft say that the Stars did not expect Vaněček to be there for them at 59, and they were very happy with the selection (but what team does not say that). By all accounts he is a player that has a great shot, can make plays, works to always up his play, and could grow in to a bigger role. Vaněček has also been a player that is noticeable for Czechia in international play. He could make a big slash with his play at the WJC this December. Long-term he may make the team, and as a late second round pick the numbers are against him, but he could surprise many and become a player for the team.
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Round 5, 155 overall: Ryan Brown, LW
Brown is a player that has been in the OHL for three years now, despite being just 18. In his second season with the Sarnia Sting he was named an alternate captain, quite impressive for a younger player. The London Knights traded for his mid-season and they are a team that knows talent. Once on the Knights, Brown broke out offensively putting up over a point per game, despite never doing that previously in the OHL, which he carried to the playoffs as well. Brown is more a character/leader type but there may be some untapped offense potential he has never been asked to use.
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Round 6, 187 overall: Anton Emil Wilde Larsen, G
AEWL (I have seen his name as “Anton Wilde”/“Wilde-Larsen”/“Anton Larsen” so I will just go with the simple solution) is a goalie and is 6-4. This is what NHL teams should do with late picks (in my opinion), just draft all the goalies you can late as there always are gems and a goalie in the second/third round seems to have the same potential as a goalie in the seventh round. AEWL seems to just be a shot in the dark with a hope he can develop his raw tools in to an NHL future. He will play in Sweden this year, which could really help him.
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Round 7, 197 overall: Jasper Kuhta, F
Kuhta is an overager that has stood out in international play, which is why the Stars say they selected him. He came to the OHL from Finland in 2025-26, and put up a point per game. He will now play for the University of Massachusetts in 2026-27 as he hopes to stand out again. Kuhta may be able to carve an NHL role if all goes right.
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Round 7, 219 overall: Mikhail Cherepanov, LHD
Cherepanov is a shot in the draft late pick that has some offense potential. He loves to jump in to the play and provide offense. Cherepanov will play in the NCAA for 2027-28 and the Stars hope he can develop positively to make the roster in the future. In all truth, picks after round two have an extremely low chance to make the NHL so here is hoping the Stars’ scouting department can earn their money.
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Off-Season Moves
Incoming
Joel Kiviranta – 1 year, $1M AAV – Apparently Kiviranta only want sot play for Dallas or Colorado
Kyle Burroughs – 1 year, $850k – NHL depth on the back end
Artem Shlaine – 1 year, $952,500
Outgoing
Maverik Bourque – Traded to Nashville as a casualty of the NHL salary cap
Ilya Lyubushkin – Traded with Bourque for the same reasons
Michael Bunting – Not re-signed and still unsigned
Re-Signed
Jason Robertson (finally) – 1 year, $12M AAV
Jamie Benn – 1 year, $850k with $1.15M in performance bonuses (hopefully no bonus is costing his team in the playoffs *ducks*)
Arttu Hyry – 2 years, $875k AAV
Kyle Capobianco – 2 years, $875k AAV
Harrison Scott – 2 years, $875k AAV
Matthew Seminoff – 2 years, $875k AAV
Luke Krys – 2 years, $875k AAV
Harrison Scott – 2 years, $875k AAV
….. Yes, you did read those last six contracts right. Mr. Nill, you can change a couple things up once and a while!
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In the System
Risers
Cameron Schmidt, RW
Schmidt just keeps improving year over year in the WHL. He, surprisingly, dropped in production with a mid-season trade from the Vancouver Giants to the Seattle Thunderbirds. He will also start his final WHL season with the Victoria Royals after another trade. The main issue against Schmidt is that he is 5-8 and at that size making the NHL will be quite difficult, the skill is there though and that may give him a shot.
Rémi Poirier, G
Poirier just keeps getting better and better in the AHL, and also had his first taste of being the starter. All he did he did with that role and responsibility is put up his best AHL numbers in his career, with a 0.912 save percentage and 27 wins. Surprisingly though, as a player that upped his play in the playoffs, he had one of his worst save percentages (0.883) ever. As long as he forgets that blemish, and keep up the strong play in the AHL, he will be Oettinger’s back-up in 2027-28.
Dawson Sharkey, RW
Already a long shot to make the NHL, Sharkey had a very strong 2025-26 in the QJMHL, his last since he will move to the NCAA for 2026-27. He posted 62 points in 60 games, but what is interesting for keeper GMs is that he put up another 120+ penalty minute season. Is Sharkey a potential cheap multi-category depth star on your fantasy league? If he has a great season at Northeastern University, then his chances will go up.
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Fallers
Emil Hemming, RW
Hemming is here for me, even though he still remains the Stars’ top prospect. He had 63 points in 46 games in the OHL, which is good, but he really did not look impressive internationally or in the AHL. What keeps him at the top is the draft pedigree for the team.
Justin Ertel, LW/RW
While Ertel did play a full AHL season, instead of being up and down from the AHL and ECHL, he really did not show much. In fact, he had two less points in 19 more games, down from nine to seven. Ertel is still a big body and he may get some games in the future as an energy fourth liner, but I am sure the Stars envisioned more out of the team’s third round selection all the way back in 2021.
Maxim Mayorov, G
Mayorov is here despite having a good history in the MHL, but my issue is that he is still in the MHL. He was impressive in two KHL games, but he really has been impressive on good teams and on bad teams he cannot keep them propped up. Mayorov is a long-term prospect anyway, so there is plenty of time here for him to develop.
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Likely to see NHL action
Trey Taylor, LHD
Brandon Halverson, G or Remi Poirier, G – whichever is performing better if there is an NHL injury. However, Halverson may be used as the third string NHL netminder
Artem Shlaine, C
Emil Hemming, RW
Christian Fitzgerald, C/LW
Cameron Hughes, C/LW
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Top 20 Prospects
This section is intended to paint a picture of the Dallas Stars prospects whose current trajectory projects them making the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.
- Emil Hemming, RW
- Cameron Schmidt, RW
- Rémi Poirier, G
- Matthew Seminoff, RW/C
- Dylan Hryckowian, RW
- Tristan Bertucci, D
- Jakub Vaněček, D
- Samu Tuomaala, RW
- Artem Shlaine, C/LW
- Atte Joki, C
- Trey Taylor, D
- Christian Fitzgerald, C/LW
- Jack Anderson, D
- Brandon Gorzynski, LW
- Arno Tiefensee, G
- Jasper Kuhta, C
- Jaxon Fuder, LW/C
- Dawson Sharkey, RW
- Måns Goos, G
- Aram Minnetian, D
*Let me know if this top 20 is wildly off (see contact below), I have not paid a lot of attention to the Stars’ weak system*
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Final thoughts
Dallas should still be a top team, and will still have to battle and play one of Colorado or Minnesota in round two if they are lucky. The team will look to sign Robertson long-term when they can, especially considering he took such a low one-year deal, but if they do not then this team may struggle in 2027-28 if they get nothing for him. Expect a lot of talk and stories surrounding this whole season.
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Make sure to check out the Dallas Stars team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/dallas-stars/
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Thanks for reading.
Follow me on Twitter: @FHPQuinn
Pat Quinn