Trey Taylor

September 2026 – Trey Taylor played 70 games for the Texas Stars in 2025-26, his first full professional season, and posted eight goals, 18 assists, and 26 points with 34 penalty minutes. He also appeared in the Calder Cup Playoffs, adding a goal and five assists in 14 games. He emerged as the top defenseman in the organization’s AHL group and was paired on the first pairing throughout the season.

Taylor is a defense-first blueliner whose skating, gap control, and stick positioning are his primary tools. He closes space quickly, wins positioning battles in the corners, and exits the zone with purpose. The two-time ECAC Best Defensive Defenseman award winner translated those instincts to the AHL without a noticeable adjustment period. Offensively, the eight goals are above what his college numbers predicted. He has a serviceable point shot that he gets through from the blue line, and his willingness to activate into the play creates chances that his college scouting profile did not advertise. He scored twice and quarterbacked the power play in the September 2026 prospect tournament in Detroit, reinforcing the sense that his offensive game is still developing.

Dallas general manager Jim Nill said during the tournament that the organization expects Taylor to play NHL games this season. The left-shot logjam in Dallas (Thomas Harley, Esa Lindell, Lian Bichsel) complicates his path, but Taylor has also played on his off side and looked comfortable there. Fantasy managers in deep leagues that count hits and blocks should add Taylor to their watchlist now. He is not going to produce 30 points in the NHL, but a 15 to 20-point defensive defenseman who racks up 150 hits and 100 blocks has category value in the right format. Whether he earns a permanent roster spot or shuttles between Dallas and Cedar Park this year, the trajectory is pointed up. Andrew Epps

September 2025 – After completing a collegiate career that saw him win two ‘best defensive defensemen’ awards in three seasons, as well as being named to the third all-star team, Trey Taylor joined the Texas Stars for the tail-end of the AHL season and playoffs.

In 110 NCAA games, he scored 16 goals and added 38 assists, and the offensive totals and awards should both give us insight that he won’t be called upon to contribute points from the blueline at the pro level.

The unsigned defender will turn 24 this season, and will look to bring his defensive prowess to Texas to audition for an eventual NHL job. In the small sample size of 10 regular season games, Taylor provided a single assist, and fired two shots per game on net. In the playoffs, he chipped in a goal and five assists in 14 games- elevating his contributions when the games meant more.

It remains to be seen if the Stars’ organization sees Taylor as an eventual NHL option, or AHL depth, and you’d be wise not to invest a pro roster spot or draft pick on him yet. Feel free to watchlist him and see if he earns some attention if your league rewards hits, blocks and other defensive metrics. Alex Wyatt

March 2025 – The Dallas Stars signed two-time ECAC Best Defensive Defenseman Trey Taylor to a two-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2025-26. He will play for the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Mark Henry