SB Nation - Devin Shore

Dallas Stars Daily Links: NHLPA To Gather In New York City For Meeting

Erin Bolen — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:01:06 -0000

Well we've finally reached the tipping point - we'll know this week whether or not NHL fans will have to endure their third lockout in the last 20 years.

Both the NHLPA and the NHL's Board of Governors are scheduled to meet in New York City later this week, though no new negotiations are scheduled at this time. Chris Johnston of the Canadian Press reported that the NHL is expecting up to 250 players at its meetings.

But the sheer number of players and owners in the same place at the same time won't do any good if the two sides aren't willing to try and meet in middle somewhere.

There are no talks scheduled and the opportunity is narrowing. The NHLPA has two days of player meetings on Wednesday and Thursday and the board of governors is meeting Thursday. Both meetings are in New York. The league has asked players to accept a cut in their share of league revenues from 57% to 46%.

The other thing of note in that USA Today article is the question of the legality of a lockout in a pair of Canadian provinces - Alberta and Quebec. While neither would make the NHL play games until this mess is worked out, they might allow the players in those provinces to use the team facilities as well as receive a paycheck. The NHL, of course, thinks the arguments in both provinces hold no water.

After the jump, the two most important faces on the Stars defense next year, unhappy Brian Burke and deconstructing Ryane Clowe's Twitter account.

Trevor Daley is now the second-most veteran player on the Stars and the longest-tenured, at least consecutively, member of the Stars defenseman corps. And he knows that people will be looking to him this year for both production and leadership. [Fox Sports Southwest]

Another big pieces of the defensemen this year will be Alex Goligoski, and if he could take that step forward and become a No. 1 defenseman, that would benefit the Stars in so many ways. [DallasNews.com]
The Stars have gone through a large transition in the top 6 forward group, and coach Glen Gulutzan is excited about the new toys he has to play with. [DallasStars.com]
Gemel Smith gets a nice write up. Not a lot of information is new, but if you wanted a decent look at what the Stars got with the 104th overall pick in this year's draft, it's a nice starting point. [JuniorHockey.com]
Don't be surprised if Stars prospect Devin Shore has a slow start to the season this year. The second-round pick has been battling mononucleosis. [Bangor Daily News]
If you're looking for a cooler head in the NHL-NHLPA labor wars, there's a case to be made for Steve Fehr. [Sporting News]
In news that will be shocking to absolutely no one, Brian Burke was not a fan of the ESPN poll that named the Toronto Maple Leafs the worst franchise in all of pro sports. [Puck Daddy]
I'm not a huge fan of Ryane Clowe, but I am a big fan of our friends over at BoC and their take on his Twitter account. [Battle of California]
In a kind of epic version of Flashback Friday, one of the Stars Twitter accounts posted a ton of old highlight videos at the end of last week. In honor of my father, who is awesome and probably responsible for my love of all things hockey because of how he indulged my love for the late 1990s and early 2000s teams, I'm posting the video of one of his favorite names of all time - Darcy Wakaluk.

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The State Of The Dallas Stars Prospect System: The Foundations Of A Perennial Playoff Contender

Huw Wales — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:00:07 -0000

It is generally accepted that over the past four years, despite having only one top 10 picks in that time, that the Stars prospect system is stronger than it has been for a while. The management has made a conscious shift away from trading draft picks, especially first round picks, for players and has taken up the new trend that is beginning within the NHL. That is to build your team through the draft rather than relying upon picking up the top free agents and trades to become dominant. Though you need free agents and trades to keep the team winning the main part of the team's core should come through drafting.

As much as some of us may have disliked seeing the Los Angeles Kings win the Stanley Cup, though it was very much deserved reward for their post season dominance, it was interesting to see the make up of that winning team. Their team had a lot of players which were home grown and they were complemented with some big names that were traded in during the season: Jeff Carter and Mike Richards.

A team can't rely solely on the draft to create a Stanley cup winning team but it needs to draft well and have picks to make sure that they have the best talent and can trade away surplus players to solve any organisational weakness.

With the Stars recently unable to attract the top free agents and having had their hands tied financially in the past few years they have taken on this new model of an NHL organisation. But is the prospect system shaping up to be able to take our Dallas Stars back for an extended journey into the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

Where to start when analysing whether the Stars are ready to jump back into the thick of the action?

Goaltending

Our goaltender situation prospect wise is good, with Jack Campbell appearing to be able to become the franchise goalie of the Stars. His development is strong and despite having numbers in the OHL and AHL that appear lower than they should be he is still a very good goaltender. The teams who played in front of him in the OHL were not the top tier teams and most nights he was the one who kept them in contention at all. It was the same story in the AHL at the end of last season with the Texas Stars having not performed well after the departure of Glen Gulutzan. He has taken several steps along the road to become the future goaltender of the Stars but he needs time to develop in the AHL, at least another year or two.

Richard Bachman is the latest success story for Dallas Stars goaltender prospects and he has proven himself capable of performing in the role of backup. He doesn't have the high expectations of Jack Campbell but he could be one of those late round picks that turn into capable starting goaltenders. However he has received a one year contract with the Stars which makes his future appear to be dependent on the development of Jack Campbell and the evolution of the goaltending tandem in the coming years.

Tyler Beskorowany future with the Stars is questionable, especially following the free agent signing of Christopher Nihlstorp. Nihlstorp will either successfully seize the backup role from Bachman or become backup for Jack Campbell in the AHL. With the signing of Robinson to an AHL/ECHL contract a possible future with the Stars for Beskorowany seems increasingly unlikely.

Defense:

The Stars blueline was considered its biggest weakness prospect wise only a few short years ago. We traded our top defensive prospect at the time, Ivan Vishnevskiy, in the Lehtonen deal and beyond Philip Larsen there was no real defensive depth. How things can change in three years of drafts.

The Stars now have several prospects knocking on the doors to the NHL due to a mixture of developing prospects and good free agent signings. Undrafted defenseman such as Brendan Dillon and Jordie Benn have played in the NHL, albeit for a single game and a couple of games respectively. Dillion appears to be certainly bound for the NHL next season while Benn is likely to be one of the first defenseman called up in case of injuries.

Next season there are a pair of defensive prospects who are turning pro who could loom on the Stars blueline in a few years: Patrick Nemeth and Jamie Oleksiak. Both big, smooth skating and talented defenseman are likely to have a big impact on the Texas Stars defense and definitely have a future in the big club. Oleksiak at the very least is expected to be a top pairing defenseman in the NHL in a couple of seasons. These two top defensive prospects are likely to bring a huge home grown boost to the Dallas blueline in a few years and make it one of the bigger bluelines in the NHL.

Beyond these prospects who are likely to make an impact within two years we have project defenseman. Those whose chances of making the NHL are a lot less than Oleksiak and Nemeth but could become effective players if they develop well. Players such as Troy Vance, Jyrki Jokipakka and John Klingberg. They all show good potential which if tapped in only one of them could be a boast to the blueline. Picking up Ludwig Bystrom as well in the mid second round helped create a strong future for the blueline.

If even three of the prospects named could reach the NHL level then it would be a hugely beneficial for the Stars. Firstly to have a lot of players to choose from and increase competition for places and secondly in a stacked position the possibilities of trading from a position of strength for a position of weakness are greater. We saw this when the Stars traded a scoring winger James Neal, where we had a lot of strength at the time, for an offensive defenseman which the Stars lacked Alex Goligoski.

Forwards:

As a group these prospects have taken a step forward and there appear to be multiple above average prospects, mostly on the right wing. Though there are no real bluechippers amongst this group of players the fact that they are generally above average is a real advantage for the Stars. Instead of having all our eggs in 3 baskets like some teams do we have at least double digit number of prospects who have the potential to be a top nine forward, and the majority having high potential than that. Having only a fraction of them reach the NHL would be excellent. Considering the group of forwards that the Stars have in their prospect cupboards includes: Radek Faksa, Reilly Smith, Austin Smith, Scott Glennie, Alex Chiasson, Brett Richtie, Matej Stransky, Emil Molin, Matt Fraser, Mike Winther, Devin Shore and Alex Guptill. That's not a bad group of prospects at all and if only 20-25% of them get to the NHL that is still 3 players (ish). I personally think, and I'm going out on a limb here, that at least 5 of those players reach the NHL. Maybe not as Stars' players but in one form or another.

Left Wing:

Currently this has become the Stars biggest weak point in the prospect system. There are three prospects that could potentially be top nine or top six here: Matt Fraser, Alex Guptill and Mike Winther. I expect considering the Stars shotgun style drafting system that they will draft more left wingers in 2013 or attempt to pick up some in another way (Trade/Free Agency). Fortunately it's not as hard to shift wingers from one wing to the other as compared to shifting them to the centre position. Alex Guptill appears to be progressing pretty well with the University of Michigan and has impressed many scoring 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 41 games in his first season. Matt Fraser was the top scoring rookie in the AHL but needs to improve upon his defensive game, though I wouldn't be surprised to see him play with the big club at some point next season if injuries strike. Mike Winther needs more time in the juniors to develop but could be a surprise. He's got excellent feet but needs to make sure he continues to use his linemates effectively.

Centre:

The Stars improved what had been an area of weakness by selecting three natural centres (Winther is listed as a centre but played most of his junior career as a LW so that's why he is there) and also picking another one up in a trade. Before this there were only two prospects who played centre one of whom was Emil Molin. Emil Molin has been developing nicely in Sweden and if he goes to North America it will likely be in the next couple of seasons. Cody Eakin was part of the trade that sent Mike Ribeiro to the Washington Capitals and played 30 games in the NHL last season scoring 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists). I expect Eakin to play in Dallas next season and be centring either the third or fourth lines.

Of the three centres who have played in that position in the past season there is one player clearly above the rest and potentially NHL ready within a year or two. That is of course Radek Faksa. He has the size and talent but in my opinion will need to be polished more within the juniors. Devin Shore is a smaller forward but appears to have some excellent puck handling skills and has a potential as a second line centre, he is the Stars NCAA guy of the draft and he will spend the next few years developing with the University of Maine. Gemel Smith has been described as a Steve Ott type player and I completely agree with that assessment. He might not be destined for top line glory but he has excellent forechecking skills and a reputation as an effective agitator.

With the addition of these four players the Dallas Stars have helped strengthen what was a position of extreme weakness. However I still expect them to attempt to select at least one centre in the next draft. With Radek Faksa only one or two years away from the NHL, Eakin on the third/fourth line and Devin Shore and Gemel Smith developing and ready to turn pro a few years down the line it is certainly look more promising.

It's important not to forgot Scott Glennie, who has spent a lot of time going from wing to centre to wing over the past few years but he has settled down as a centre in the AHL. Though he hasn't yet reached the high hopes that many Stars fans had he appears to be developing nicely into a third line centre who has the potential to fill in higher up if necessary. Glennie could be one of those we see in Dallas next season, though potentially playing on the wing rather than centre.

Right Wing:

It's on the right wing that the Dallas Stars have a tonne of potential. Reilly Smith, Alex Chiasson, Austin Smith, Matej Stransky, Brett Ritchie and the intriguing Brenden Troock. Three of the six have turned pro and will spend next season with the Texas Stars and could be called up if injuries hit the Stars hard. Its this area that the Stars have stocked up with a lot of talent with nearly all of those named above seen as top six talent.

Looking at that list the Stars must be hoping that they can get at least three or four of those prospects to the NHL level. Hopefully some of these can shift to the opposite wing to make up for the lack of depth there however there is another option. I wouldn't be shocked in the slightest if in a year or two some of these prospects are traded away to acquire pieces to solve any organisational weaknesses.

If these players continue to develop as hoped then they could form part of an intimidating forward grouping that could be very impressive at the NHL level.

So When Will The Stars Challenge For The Stanley Cup?

I referred at the beginning of this piece to the LA Kings and their home grown talent and how essential it was to their success. A lot of their players were home grown and not free agent acquisitions. Some of the players they traded for, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, were exchanged for players that were developed by the Kings to a high standard. The Stars are not the LA Kings but they are following simular paths in terms of developing their team.

Looking at the prospect system the Stars have a lot of talent that could be NHL ready in time for either the 13-14 season but more likely the 14-15 season. Instead of having a one or two prospects join the big leagues every season it could be a flood. By the beginning of the 2014 season the Stars hope that Jack Campbell, Patrick Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Reilly Smith, Austin Smith, Alex Chiasson, Radek Faksa, Scott Glennie, Matt Fraser and maybe even Matej Stransky and Brett Richtie will have become NHL ready. That's a big influx of talent and though its statistically likely that not all of them will make it there should be enough to make the Stars a young and very talented team. Some might get traded away to acquire new pieces to solve weaknesses and might not play their careers in a Stars jersey but for now they are still forming part of a strengthening prospect system.

Our prospect system isn't the best in the NHL though its probably now within the top 10-15 (Puck Prospectus has the Stars at 13). But the Stars have multiple above average players who are going to be NHL ready in a couple of years. It's going to be the 2014-2015 season that is going to be the start of the Dallas Stars real return to the NHL. The Stars will make some noise this season with older veterans but the Stars will become perennial contenders with the arrival of this group of young and talented prospects. They've been crippled with financial restraints for the past four seasons and have suffered because of it. The Stars have been marginalised and forgotten with the playoff drought that the team and us as fans have endured.

But with the influx of new prospects all I can tell you is this:

Circle the 2014-2015 season in your minds. That's when the home grown Dallas Stars are coming to town - And the rest of the league better watch out.

2012 NHL Draft: What Have We Learned Of The Stars Drafting Tendencies

Huw Wales — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 13:30:15 -0000

Now that the excitement of the draft is over and the Dallas Stars have selected nine new prospects many have, or will be very shortly, writing about the strengthened systems and positions of each of their teams prospect cupboard. Here at Defending Big D we will also be getting around to this, however there is one thing I would like to look at first.

Heading into this draft there was a major difference within the organisation. I'm not talking about Gaglardi, though obviously he might have had some influence, but the parting of ways for the Dallas Stars and their former head of amateur scouting Tim Bernhardt -- who had been in that position since the 1998-1999 season. He played a significant role in every Stars pick since then. With him gone it was time for Les Jackson to step up to the plate and make the calls at the draft.

The draft provides important insight into the direction of the organisation and also helps outsiders analyse drafting tendencies. With the change in who calls the shots at the draft was there a major shift in how the Stars picked?

After the jump we will look at the last four drafts and see if any correlations on the future of the Stars can be drawn from them.

Note: If people are interested in investigating the drafting tendencies of the Stars this piece looks at the picks from 2007-2011.

2012

Rnd	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League
1	13	DAL	RADEK FAKSA	C	CZE	6' 2"	200	OHL
2	43	DAL	LUDWIG BYSTROM	D	SWE	6' 0"	169	SWE-JR.
2	54	DAL	MIKE WINTHER	C	CAN	6' 0"	172	WHL
2	61	DAL	DEVIN SHORE	C	CAN	6' 0"	185	OJHL
3	74	DAL	ESA LINDELL	D	FIN	6' 3"	187	FINLAND-JR.
4	104	DAL	GEMEL SMITH	C	CAN	5' 10"	164	OHL
5	134	DAL	BRANDEN TROOCK	RW	CAN	6' 2"	194	WHL
5	144	DAL	HENRI KIVIAHO	G	FIN	6' 1"	167	FINLAND-JR.
7	183	DAL	DMITRY SINITSYN	D	RUS	6'2"	200	UMASS

2011

Rnd	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League
1	14	DAL	JAMIESON OLEKSIAK	D	CAN	6' 7"	241	H-EAST
2	14	DAL	BRETT RICHIE	RW	CAN	6' 3"	209	OHL
4	105	DAL	EMIL MOLIN	C	SWE	6' 0"	170	SWE-JR
5	135	DAL	TROY VANCE	D	USA	6' 6"	200	QMJHL
6	165	DAL	MATEJ STRANSKY	RW	CZE	6' 3"	193	WHL
7	195	DAL	JYRKI JOKIPAKKA	D	FIN	6' 3"	191	FINLAND

2010

Rnd	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League
1	11	DAL	JACK CAMPBELL	G	USA	6' 3"	175	USHL
2	41	DAL	PATRICK NEMETH	D	SWE	6' 3"	201	SWE-JR
3	77	DAL	ALEX GUPTILL	LW	CAN	6' 3"	175	CCHL
4	109	DAL	ALEX THERIAU	D	CAN	6'2"	189	WHL
5	131	DAL	JOHN KLINGBERG	D	SWE	6' 0"	158	SWE-JR

2009

Rnd	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League
1	08	DAL	SCOTT GLENNIE	RW	CAN	6' 1"	185	WHL
2	38	DAL	ALEX CHIASSON	RW	CAN	6' 4"	187	USHL
3	68	DAL	RIELLY SMITH	RW	CAN	6' 0"	157	OJHL
5	128	DAL	TOMAS VINCOUR	C	CZE	6' 2"	199	WHL
6	158	DAL	CURTIS MCKENZIE	LW	CAN	6' 2"	192	BCHL

So What Does This Show?

Firstly this draft has followed the trend of picking most of their players who are at least 6"0, only one player breaks this rule in Gemel Smith who is only 5"10. But this is only 1 pick out 9 this year which suggests that they decided to take the skill and work ethic of Gemel Smith over the size of another player. None of the 2012 class are anywhere near the colossus size of Jamieson Oleksiak or Troy Vance though. The Stars continue to pick players with good size but not necessarily giants. This will likely continue in the near future.

Another interesting development over the last four drafts at least is the style of drafting that the Stars use, a style referred to as 'shotgun drafting'. This essentially means going into a draft with a specific weakness, then pick as many of that position as needed in order to address the issue. By picking lots of one type of prospect you have more prospects that could work out and therefore increase the likelihood of getting an NHL player at the position.

For example entering this years draft the Stars centre prospect pool was weak, especially beyond Emil Molin. The Stars have addressed this by firstly trading for a young centre in Cody Eakin and also selecting four centres in the draft. This immediately addressed the prospect weakness.

Another example would be the 2009 NHL draft when the prospect system was shallow on the right wing. In that draft the Stars used three of their picks to select players who at the time were listed as RW. (Glennie predominately plays centre now, while Vincour was listed as a centre but now generally plays on the wing). Its interesting now that in the 2009 draft several of those players picked, in particular Chiasson and Smith, look like they have strong futures within the Stars and could be playing in the big club by 2013 if not earlier.

The Stars continue looking to the WHL when drafting out of the North American Major Junior though the OHL is staging a comeback. This years draft they selected the same number but looking over the years its clear that the WHL is where some of the Stars best scouting comes from.

The Stars continue their tendency to draft players out of Europe (though only Sweden and Finland) with three of their 9 picks being selected from the Swedish and Finnish leagues. Five of the nine picks were european players, 2 Finns, 1 Swede, 1 Czech, 1 Russian. This is an interesting development because previous drafts selected a majority of North American players. However as a note of warning I imagine this would be a one off and that the majority of prospects will be from North America.

Another lesser known group of leagues that the Stars often looks to for prospects is the CJHL. This draft they picked up Devin Shore who played within the OJHL of the CJHL. Other players who have been drafted from or have played in the CJHL include Jamie Benn, Jordie Benn, Rielly Smith, Alex Guptill and Curtis McKenzie. The Stars in the future will likely continue to search for that talent within the CJHL.

This kind of analysis is fascinating for those, like me, who are draft geeks and have already begun to research prospects for 2013. But for now as Stars fans we should be happy with another strong draft. We shall analyse this draft in detail soon as we begin to learn more and more about the new Dallas Stars. Hopefully we shall see them in a Stars jersey in a couple of years.

Dallas Stars Daily Links: Free Agent Frenzy Starts Today

Erin Bolen — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 10:00:25 -0000

As the clock slipped past midnight early this morning, the NHL calendar officially flipped over to the 2012-13 season.

Now for the moment, let's put this whole cloud of CBA uncertainly behind us and pretend that some how, some way, everything will work out. After all, there's a much more enjoyable event to look forward to today - the official opening of the unrestricted free agent market.

The Dallas Stars could go several directions today, from acquiring expensive, shiny new pieces to help solve the short term problems. Depending on offers from other teams, they could welcome players from last year's team back into the fold if the offers out there aren't good enough. Or they could go into a full holding pattern, make a few minor moves and leave us all wondering what the plan is over the next several days.

Mike Heika has a paywalled article that sums up most of the options, and he makes it pretty clear what he thinks will happen.

General manager Joe Nieuwendyk still wants to win, he still will dabble in veteran players, he still will chase the playoffs. But he will do so with a clearer picture of the future. That future includes a lot of Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson and Alex Goligoski, and a ton of prospects who will fight for NHL ice time. It also might include a huge free-agent signing at some point. Just probably not this summer.

We'll have mounds and mounds of free agent coverage today, provided the Stars do anything of note. But before that all starts at 11 a.m. central time, you can catch up with the last-minute signings, boggle at the market price of defensemen and smile and shiny new draft picks after the jump.

For starters, a list of the available free agents. Feel free to fantasize in the comments below. [Canada.com]
The fine folks over at the NHL's website wrote a pretty comprehensive piece on what all the teams in the Pacific Division might be looking for in free agency, and the Stars made it even easier for you to find by re-purposing it.[DallasStars.com]
Before we get back into the free agent frenzy, here's a nice piece on new draft pick Devin Shore. [Durham Region]
More rumor mill fun - despite the probable ginormous price tag, some are saying that the Stars are going to be very aggressive in the pursuit of defenseman du jour Ryan Suter. [The Fourth Period]
And the people in Edmonton think the Stars will be making a pitch to Shane Doan. [Edmonton Journal]
The Nashville Predators kept one of the more interesting pieces from reaching the market when they agreed with Paul Gaustad on a four-year, $3.25-million per season contract. [The Tennessean]
Jason Garrison, who is very high on the list of many who have made "ideal free-agent targets" for the Stars, will likely get a ridiculous paycheck today. Remember, kids, defensemen are expensive. [SunSentinal.com]
A handy example of that - Matt Niskanen did manage to shake some of the confidence demons that plagued him just prior to his trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins. But is he really worth $2.3 million per season for the next two years? I know the Pens fans are okay with it, but he's still being sheltered from any tough assignments in his own end. He's got by far the weakest quality of competition of any of the Pens regular defense from last year. [PensBurgh]
The first official free agent decision is already made, as former Anaheim Ducks draft pick Justin Schultz decided to take his talents to the Edmonton Oilers. [USA Today]
If you really, really want to know about all the details that might come into play during the CBA negotiations, the always informative Nick Cotsonika has a laymen's summary for you. [Yahoo Sports]
And your final primer on all the top tier free agents in the style that only DGB can get away with and be more funny than insulting. [Down Goes Brown]
Or if you're looking for the general strategies that always work this time of year, Todd's got that part of the equation covered. [Thursday Morning Cupcheck]
Yes, I know this video is from the draft and therefore more than a week old. But if you'd like to play "Read the general manager's body language and hidden innuendo to know exactly what his plans are," then this is your time of year.

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2012 Dallas Stars Development Camp Roster & Schedule Released

Brandon Worley — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:07:23 -0000

The Dallas Stars have released the schedule and rosters for the 2012 Development Camp, which is always a great chance for fans to get a look at the young players in the system. This camp will also feature all nine of the draft picks from last weekend, as well the young prospects like Jamie Oleksiak and Austin and Reilly Smith that are so close to the NHL.

Camp will be held at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas and is free to the public for all on-ice practice sessions. Camp will begin on Thursday, July 5 and will conclude on Thursday, July 12. There will also be a street hockey game with players and coaches joining 100 children from the Boys and Girls Club of Colin County, on Monday, July 9.

You can find the full schedule here.

For those that will be attending these sessions, this is the first chance to start evaluating a very important question for the Stars heading into this season: Is Radek Faksa ready for the NHL? The 13th overall draft pick for the Stars this summer, this hard-working center is both emotionally and physically mature enough for the NHL but there are still some concerns that the jump would be too soon. Because the CHL transfer agreement with the NHL, Faksa can only play with the Dallas Stars this season, or the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL.

The other big battle to watch is in the net, with the Stars bringing nine goaltenders to camp. With Josh Robinson and Cristopher Nihlstorp joining the organization, there's going to be a very competitive fight for positions in the system -- especially the AHL level.

Full roster for the camp after the jump.

2012 DALLAS STARS DEVELOPMENT CAMP ROSTER (43)

* Alphabetical Roster

FORWARDS (17)

NO. PLAYER

11 Taylor Burke

12 Alex Chiasson

20 Radek Faksa

NA Austin Farley

15 Scott Glennie

61 Cason Hohmann

13 Justin Kirsch

49 Curtis McKenzie

57 Emil Molin

46 Brett Ritchie

79 Devin Shore

51 Austin Smith

63 Gemel Smith

18 Reilly Smith

68 Matej Stransky

4 Branden Troock

67 Mike Winther

DEFENSEMEN (17)

NO. PLAYER

78 Dan Barnes

72 Ludvig Bystrom

45 Jace Coyle

70 Craig Dalrymple

4 Brenden Dillon

71 Spiro Goulakos

65 Jyrki Jokipakka

54 Hubert Labrie

75 Esa Lindell

84 Cole Martin

74 Evan McEneny

17 Luke Mercer

47 Patrick Nemeth

43 Jamie Oleksiak

39 Carter Struthers

76 Dmitry Sinitsyn

42 Troy Vance

GOALTENDERS (9)

NO. PLAYER

1 Jack Campbell

34 Tyler Beskorowany

30 Doug Carr

35 Henri Kiviaho

80 Max Lagace

82 Hunter Leisner

41 Christopher Nihlstorp

31 Josh Robinson

60 Grant Rollheiser

The Dallas Star's 2012 NHL Draft: Thoughts On The Draft

Huw Wales — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:30:04 -0000

So after spending some time stepping back from the draft it's time to analyze the players that the Stars have selected and how well they have done with their picks. Firstly there is the obvious point that this draft can't be considered a failure or a success for anyone yet. We will only know that four or maybe five years down the line. But what is the perception now? Did the Stars pull off some steals, did they pass over a better player and have they helped the organization improve in the future (and perhaps the more immediate future)?

The reaction from the majority of DBDers appears to be that this was a good draft for the Stars and that they managed to get away with a complete steal picking Radek Faksa in the first round. On this point I would certainly agree with you. I have been a big fan of Radek Faksa for a long time and not even in my wildest dreams did I ever think there was a situation where he would still be on the board by the time the Stars picked at number 13. However he was and he has become one of the most talented prospects the Stars have and has become the best of the center prospects the Stars have. His work ethic, good character, excellent talent, size and potential make him one of my favorite Stars prospects along side Alex Chiasson, Matej Stransky and Reilly Smith. Could Faksa be in a Dallas Stars jersey for opening night? Its a possibility but far from certain.

So with the majority of fans happy with the selection of Radek Faksa I now want to look beyond the first round. To think about the other 8 prospects who become part of the Dallas Stars organization, all of whom will be at the Stars Development Camp between 5th and 12th of July. All this after the jump.

Firstly let us turn our attention to our three second round picks. I would have liked to have used these to get another pick in the mid/late first round however I believe that if such a deal where available then Joe Nieuwendyk would have gone for it. It wasn't, so the Stars got to pick three prospects in a somewhat deep second tier. Players picked between 14-50 were generally around the same potential ceiling so getting three picks in the first 54 and four in 61 meant the Stars were able to pick up some prospects who have good potential and skill level.

Ludvig/Ludwig/Ludvik Bystrom D - Firstly I'd like to know for sure how to spell his first name because I have seen it spelled in all three ways. The Stars call him Ludvig so until I am told that that is wrong I will call him Ludvig. I have to admit that I never expected him to be available within the second round and felt he would be gone by the end of the first. I was very happy that the Stars managed to pick him up then.

He's a solid two way defender who has the potential to become a top four defenseman in the NHL. He is stronger in his own zone but has show some flashes of potential to become an effective player on the power-play. He is a smooth skater and appears to be atypical of many defensemen coming out of Sweden. He isn't a big hitting defender, instead he uses smart plays, excellent stick work and crisp passes to get his team out of any trouble. He suffered a little this season because he was better than the majority of the competition for Modo in the SuperElit playing for the ModoJ20 but he wasn't given the ice time required to be effective when playing for the big club in the Allsvenskan. His contract at the moment is for Modo J20 but I find it hard to believe that he won't see time playing for the big club. If he does end up playing in the Allsvenskan he will hopefully move up their depth charts which should help his development. The fact of the matter is that he is too good for the juniors and playing him against inferior competition won't help his development.

Mike Winther LW/C - If I am being brutally honest I had really hoped they would use this pick to select Tim Bozon who by all accounts had possibly the nicest play-making skills in the entire draft. However the more I learn about Mike Winther the more I feel that the Stars made a good choice, it might not be the one I would have made, but nevertheless a good choice.

He entered the WHL with the hopes that he would become a potent play-making centreman for the Prince Albert Raiders. Instead after two seasons in the WHL he appears to have become a talented sniper using this skill to score from the edge of the zone. He appears to have originally been a do it all himself player but as this season has progressed he has overcome this issue and has become effective at using his linemates. Playing on the Raiders top line appears to be to his liking, he increased his point production by sixfold this season. His defensive work is sound and he is effective on the back check. Scouts disagree on the physicality of his game, some suggest he shies away from contact while others don't mention this as a problem. In time I imagine Dallas Stars fans will find out. Despite many scouts listing him as a center he has spent most of this season on the left wing. This might help the shallowness of good prospects on the left wing. He will likely spend the next two seasons playing in the WHL before heading to Austin.

Devin Shore C - Devin Shore is one of a series of prospects that have been drafted out of the CJHL (Canadian Junior Hockey Leagues) that have included Jamie Benn and Reilly Smith. Shore was another player that I felt could be a good fit with the Dallas Stars and could be an excellent prospect and player in the future.

Devin Shore decided not to play in the OHL with the Barrie Colts instead deciding that his future would best be served by heading to the NCAA. He played with the Whitby Fury of the OJHL this season and was named OJHL rookie of the year. He will be playing next season for the University of Maine's Black Bears. He is described as having excellent offensive instincts and the ability to be a relatively high end playmaker. He knows where to be on the ice in order to get the puck and has good anticipation skills. His skating style is considered ugly and could be more efficient, in time and refinement his skating could be improved. The biggest weakness is his defensive play, he loses his man too often and also has a habit of cheating on offensive moving away from defensive duties in order to prepare for a potential breakaway. However this will likely be resolved as he develops his game at the University of Maine. He is potentially a second or third line player at the NHL level.

Beyond the second round the likelihood of drafting a player who could make it to the NHL significantly decreases. It is the place where many of the projects who could potentially become good but would require everything to go right in their development at least to manage it.

Esa Lindell D - Esa Lindell is the second Nordic player that was selected by the Stars this draft. He is an interesting player with plenty of raw ability. The fact that he managed to lead the Jr A SM-Liiga in points for a defenseman is impressive and points towards a healthy potential offensive prowess. However he hasn't got Alex Goligoski offensive production, instead his offensive skills are more comparable to Trevor Daley. I really like this pick and think it could yield something down the line.

Esa Lindell plays for one of the stalwarts of Finnish Ice Hockey, Jokerit. Over the years they have produced some excellent players that have played both in Finland and in North America such as Teemu Selanne, Valtteri Filppula and the Dallas Stars own Kari Lehtonen. Lindell is a big defenseman at 6"3 and hasn't yet got the skating style that matches his size. His skating also impairs his defensive ability as he hasn't got the mobility to always effectively handle rushing forwards. Skating style can be changed and improved upon so this particular weakness can be resolved. His best asset and one that if it continues to improve and remain at a higher level is his offensive production. Not only did he lead the Jr A SM-Liiga in points for a defenseman he was also in the top 10 in point production in the entire league. Most of his points come on the power play where he has excelled with the addition time and space that the man advantage brings. It will take time to refine Esa Lindell for the North American game but he has the raw potential to become a middle pairing defenseman if all goes well.

Gemel Smith C - Gemel Smith is the kind of player that the Dallas Stars love, excellent work ethic and excellent character. Someone who, despite the obstacles, has put a lot of effort into the game and has become good at it. He might not have the size that has been typically associated with Dallas Stars picks of late but he makes up for it in his energy and commitment.

The first thing to note about Gemel Smith is that he is an incredible skater and one of the fastest in the draft. Interestingly for his size he is actually quite physical and makes sure he finishes his checks. He is incredibly determined, he doesn't like being told he can't do something and tries his hardest to accomplish his aim. He appears to have talent as an agitator being able to get under the skin of many of his opponents. He probably doesn't have the potential to be a top six forward but he would be an effective third line centreman. In a way I can see him fulfilling the kind of role that Steve Ott does for the Stars now. Gemel Smith has some good offensive talent and is often in the right place at the right time to get shots on goal. With his style of play and his attitude if he makes it to the big leagues I can see him becoming a fan favourite very quickly.

Brandon Troock RW - I have to admit when I first saw the Stars had picked Brandon Troock it left me scratching my head a bit. I felt there were some better players that were still available. The Stars are also deep on the right wing with prospects such as Matej Stransky, Austin Smith, Reilly Smith and Brett Ritchie. It would take a special player to persuade the Stars for the need to draft another right wing. It took a bit of research but I found out why they find Brandon Troock special.

Brandon Troock missed the entirety of the 2010-2011 season with nerve damage in his neck, the symtoms of which are akin to concussion(Simular to the kind Sidney Crosby has been suffering from). He came into the 2011-12 season determined to make his mark and to prove he was still capable of being a good player. He showed some hesitation at the start of the season, something not completely unexpected considering the nature and length of his injury woes, but dramatically improved as the season progressed. At 6"3 203lbs he is a big player which makes him perfect for a physical forechecking game. He can outmuscle and outwork most defenders. Despite his size, and the loss of a year of development, he has a powerful skating style. However the year lost has limited his defensive game without the puck. Though he will have time to catch up on this it will need to be improved upon. The most interesting and something that I find very promising that despite Brandon Troock obviously having the skills to excel in a role as a third line checking position he has some underrated offensive talents. He has a pretty good passing technique and his wrister is strong and quick. If he had that previous year of development would have been putting up more numbers than he did this season and will the Stars see him develop that offensive potential? His ceiling is probably a third line player but I think he could surprise. As one scout put it 'He has a rare combination of size, speed and skill that not many other prospects possess.'

Henri Kiviaho G - Until the Stars drafted him 144th overall I, like I imagine most Stars fans, had never heard of him. In fact I still have found very little online about him. I expected the Stars to select a goaltender with a late round pick so it came as no surprise. The Stars need a goalie in the juniors just to have a goalie in the pipeline. He appears to have been underrated after posting a 2.78 GAA whilst playing in the Jr A. SM Liiga. He is also the second Finn to have been selected in the draft. He appears to have the size that is the centre of most analysis of goaltending being 6"3. I trust that Kiviaho will do well as the Stars have excellent scouting staff in the Nordic states. I don't really have anything to write as a scouting report but instead will quote the Stars press release on him.

Goaltender Henri Kiviaho was the Stars' second fifth-round pick at No. 144 overall after a standout season with Kalpa in the Finnish junior league. He posted a 2.78 goals-against-average and a .909 save percentage in 28 games in 2011-12, with two shutouts. He was named the SM-liiga's Young Player of the Month in November, 2012.

A native of Lappeenranta, Finland, Kiviaho has good size at 6-3, 183 pounds and has represented Finland in various under-16 and under-17 tournaments the last two seasons.

Dmitry Sinitsyn D- Dmitry Sinitsyn was a bit of a surprise to many Stars fans watching the draft. The Stars haven't drafted a Russian born player since Sergei Korostin in 2007. It was clear that the Stars were very interested with him when they traded up in the seventh round, something in itself reasonably unusual. So what made the Stars decide that Dmitry Sinitsyn was worth getting over 4 years of avoiding Russian players and to move up in the seventh round to pick him? Well it's quite a tale...

Dmitry Sinitsyn had played for the Dallas Stars U16 between 2009-2011 scoring in his first season 52 points (24 goals, 28 assists) in 57 games and in his second season 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 37 games. He played for the them during his time at High School in Dallas. He was meant to play in the USHL fo the 2011-2012 season for the Green Bay Gamblers however he was caught up in a problem involving the Gamblers having too many imports in their team and an attempt to trade him to a team which could take him fell through after his student visa expired. He returned to Russia and played a few games in the Russian juniors before returning to America after being offered the opportunity to play for the RiverHawks of UMass-Lowell. He became the youngest ever player to be on a NCAA I roster but was eventually Redshirted. He is considered one of their top prospects for the future. To read more about his unusual story you can find more here and here.

Despite being a Russian Sinitsyn has clearly spent a lot of time in the USA and the Russian factor will probably be non existent. He appears to be an incredible intelligent and articulate person, especially considering he was taking lessons in college at the age of 17. Not only this he is also trilingual... Needless to say Dimtry Sinitsyn is definitely one Stars fans should keep an eye on as he progresses through the NCAA.

Overall I think the Stars have done a pretty good job this draft. I have a feeling that Stars fans could look back on this draft as the day the Stars managed to develop a strong pool of prospects. I might not have originally been 100% behind every pick but I think now that all the selections made are good choices. With the addition of 9 players in one draft they have nearly equaled the number of players drafted in the past two drafts. This will have gone a long way to help build a solid prospect base that will hopefully let us build through the draft to become a true Stanley Cup Contender. However it will take years to be able to properly analyse and see whether this draft was a success. For now though Stars fans should be happy that the future is filled with plenty of potential.