Sport DFW
FanSided

Dallas Stars: Observations From Day 2 of Development Camp

By Lennon Rush

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 23: Miro Heiskanen poses for a photos after being selected third overall by the Dallas Stars during the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 23: Miro Heiskanen poses for a photos after being selected third overall by the Dallas Stars during the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Prospects from all over the globe met in Frisco this morning for Day 2 of the Dallas Stars Development Camp – here are a few notes on who stood out and more.

Even if it’s only June, the rush of watching Dallas Stars Hockey once again (sort of) proved to be an incredible sight. Tuesday marked the first day of on-ice activities for many young guns in the prospect pool, and the atmosphere at Comerica Center in Frisco was small, yet alive and eager to view the organization’s next wave of talent.

Wanting to capture this rare opportunity to witness these young men before most inevitably head back home, I spent my morning taking close-ups and video from behind each blueline. Here are a few observations from Tuesday’s session:

  • Stephen Johns was back skating with the first group, and it was a really welcoming sight. #28 didn’t look out of place or slow by any means, and for a man who hasn’t skated in a calendar year, his performance should have Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars front office salivating. It was great to see a healthy Johns take the ice with a smile.
  • I was really excited to see our newest first-round pick Thomas Harley in action, and he did not disappoint. While it was clear he’s still years away from jumping into the NHL, Harley looked smooth and calm in his skating. His shot has room for improvement, but these things take time. The 18th overall selection in this year’s draft had a fine opening day, and I’m eager to watch how he progresses moving forward.
  • It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why Tye Felhaber scored 59 goals in the OHL last year – he has a booming cannon of a shot. The Ottawa 67’s star looked offensively complete -fluid skating, electric hands, and a sizzling wrister defined his afternoon. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him thrive with the Cedar Park boys this season.
  • Really enjoyed watching Adam Mascherin go through drills. The 2018 4th round pick stood out in his ability to shift and use his hips. Mascherin looks to be that shifty winger prototype fans dream about – and he had a productive last year with the Texas Stars, notching 44 points (18 G, 26 A) over 75 AHL games. Can he improve upon these numbers? If so, he may make his AAC debut sooner than expected.

Speaking of 4th rounders,

Samuel Sjolund

looked quick and agile in his development camp debut. There were times when he looked like a forward during drills. Similar to Harley, there’s years of work to be done, but I imagine he will be creating offense in Sweden this season. It’ll be interesting keeping tabs on this one.

More from Dallas Stars

  • Riley Tufte didn’t look terrible, but he didn’t perform up to his draft pedigree, either. During skating drills, the Minnesota-Duluth star looked a tick sluggish, as to be expected from a man sporting a 6’6, 215 lb frame. Tufte looks like his calling will be screening goaltenders and cramming the crease. I hope to see him take the next step in his development with Cedar Park this year, but (far too) early observations do not have sold on the 2016 1st-Rounder quite yet.

    • The Dallas Stars may have found another 5th-Round gem this year, as Nicholas Porco stood out in drills. The Saginaw winger displayed nifty hands, solid speed, and a quick shot in his limited ice-time. I think we need to add his name to our list of “underrated players to watch” this year.

  • Riley Damiani looks like the real deal. By my account, the Kitchener forward had the best set of hands at Development Camp. It’s going to be really interesting to watch him play with Texas.  I think he’s capable of creating chances and becoming a dynamic playmaker some day in the not-too-near future.
  • Curtis Douglas is indeed 6’9. Wow.
  • My last note is on Albin Eriksson – this man was born with a god-given grace to his game. A 2nd-Round pick a year ago, Albin looked skillful in his ability to dangle his way towards the netminder. Lets give Jim Nill and the Dallas Stars some credit: these last few drafts looked to have brought a considerable amount of optimism to the prospect pool. I wouldn’t be surprised to watch the SHL forward play a meaningful role with the Texas Stars soon enough.

    • Must Read. The DFW Sports Curse. light

    These are just a few of my notes from Day 2 of the 2019 Dallas Stars Development Camp. The excitement captured at Comerica Park was real – but it’s important to remember two things:

    I am NOT an expert and do not pretend to be – these are simply some casual observations made by an aspiring journalist while filming.

    Tuesday marked the first day of on-ice activities for these young men, so these “good” or “bad” performances shouldn’t hold much weight in the hearts of fans. Some of these prospects aren’t even 20-years-old; there’s ample time for everyone to further along their development.

    Next. What Re-signing Roman Polak and Mattias Janmark mean for Dallas Stars. dark

    All in all, it was an exciting day to be back covering hockey. I will continue to attend and observe development camp until its conclusion; there promises to be much more insight to report on throughout the week. If you would like to see some clips from Tuesday, feel free to check out all of my footage on Twitter.

    • Published on 06/26/2019 at 11:00 AM
    • Last updated at 06/26/2019 at 07:20 AM
    Home/Dallas Stars