Francesco Arcuri

August 2022 – One year removed from being selected 175th overall by Dallas, Arcuri has signed his entry-level contract. As an important piece of Kingston’s first line, driving play alongside Shane Wright (2022 – 4th Overall – Seattle), Arcuri, now 6-1 and over 200lbs, is among Dallas’ most intriguing U20 prospects. Set to slide a year of his contract staying in Kingston, it is not impossible that Arcuri exceeds expectations at camp and finds a spot in Dallas’ weak bottom-six. If the NHL doesn’t work out this season however, he will be a catalyst on a Kingston team that will likely be without Shane Wright. Aaron Itovitch

June 2022 – Slipping significantly in the draft, all the way to the sixth round, Arcuri looks like another slam dunk by the Dallas Stars. During the pandemic, he showed that his skill set could transition into a men’s league, leading the AlpsHL’s Steel Wings Linz in points (15) over an 18-game span. In the OHL with the Kingston Frontenacs this season, he excelled far beyond expectations, coming 5th in scoring with 74 points, only slightly behind players such as 2022 top prospect Shane Wright. However, in the ongoing OHL playoffs, Arcuri leads his team in points (19) by a big margin, proving his efficacy in important moments. His plus-11 rating, tied for first on his team with 2022-eligible Paul Ludwinski, equally shows how much his game has elevated in these playoffs, being a driving force whenever he is on the ice. Playing on an incredibly effective line right now with Wright and Ludwinski, Arcuri is equally showing he can produce well on the wing, especially with an elite player like Wright as support.

For such a recent late-round pick, Arcuri has a very complete game. Despite being described generally as a playmaker, his goal-scoring has seen massive growth over this past season with Kingston, with his 34 being tied for third on his team. For such a built player (6-1, 201 lbs), his physicality is disappointing, although still being 18, and still growing into his frame, that aspect of his game should surely improve.

Arcuri won’t be in the NHL anytime soon and will probably remain unsigned by Dallas for one more season, but if he continues his fantastic progress, don’t be surprised if he’s challenging for a roster spot in 2023-24. Aaron Itovitch