With the recent call-up of Thomas Harley, now seemed like a perfect time to do a deep dive into the prospects within the Dallas Stars organization. Overall, Dallas has not been forced to use a lot of prospects at the NHL level as they have had a relatively healthy lineup throughout much of the season.
Of the top prospects, one is currently in the NHL, five are playing in the American Hockey League, and one is playing in each of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Western Hockey League.
Thomas Harley (Texas Stars – AHL)
Harley remains the Stars’ top prospect and has proven it by playing the most NHL games on this list this season. He has played in 10 games across four months, with his most recent two coming in the past week.
It has been an unproductive time in the NHL for Harley, who has not recorded a point and has an overall minus-1 rating so far. However, he has played well overall and shown his development to the Stars coaching staff.
“There comes a point where he’s got to stay in the lineup,” Bowness said. “We’re to that point where if he plays well, he’s making us make that decision. ‘OK, he’s ready.’ So he has improved in the areas that we need him to improve in. He’s got a tremendous amount of confidence in his puck skills. You saw that the other night, which we love.”
Harley has had more success in the AHL this season, posting 11 assists in 27 games but seems to still have another level to get to. With the possible departure of John Klingberg, it is a great opportunity for him to find his place at the NHL level.
“They have been preaching defensive consistency and intensity since I was 18 and freshly drafted,” Harley said. “I think that’s something I have really taken huge strides in the past year. If you look at where I was last year in the NHL versus where I was this past weekend, I think it’s a huge step. I’m ending plays a lot quicker, boxing out in front of the net is real easy, and I get to play more offense because of it so I think that is huge for me.”
Mavrik Bourque (Shawinigan Cataractes – QMJHL)
In his fourth season playing for Shawinigan in the QMJHL, Bourque has been dominant once again. He has scored eight goals and 27 points in only 14 games and was selected to represent Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship.
Although the tournament was cut short due to COVID, Bourque recorded one goal and two assists in two games for Canada. He is projected to score over 90 points this season, the most of his young career.
Ty Dellandrea (Texas Stars – AHL)
It has been a much quieter season for Ty Dellandrea than most expected. The youngster has only played in one NHL game, finishing with a minus-1 rating against the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 14. Dellandrea recorded six points in 26 games last season while Dallas dealt with a plethora of injuries during the shortened season.
Related: Dallas Stars Bold Second Half Predictions
In the AHL, Dellandrea has been productive, sitting fifth on the team with nine goals and 22 points in 36 games for Texas. After a hot start to the season, he has been on a bit of a cold streak lately, with only one point in the last eight games.
Riley Damiani (Texas Stars – AHL)
The NHL career started with a bang for Damiani, who scored a goal in his first game against the Blues in December. After that, he was held to only one assist in his other six NHL games before being sent back down to the AHL.
For Texas, Damiani has tallied 21 points (7G, 14A) in 37 games. For the AHL rookie of the year last season, this is below expectations. The small and feisty forward is known as a goal scorer and although he had success early in the NHL, he has not been productive enough across both leagues in 2021-22.
Riley Tufte (Texas Stars – AHL)
Tufte made his NHL debut in November against the Philadelphia Flyers. He was held off the scoresheet for all five NHL games this season but did show glimpses of potential with his physicality and speed.
Tufte has not been a highly skilled player in the AHL either, posting only 15 points through 34 games. At 5-foot-6, 230 pounds, he has all of the tools to be an effective NHL player but still has some time ahead of him to develop.
Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires – OHL)
Now in his third year in the OHL, Johnston has had a tremendous year for the Windsor Spitfires. In 40 games, he has recorded 76 points (44G, 85A), averaging nearly two points per game.
The 2021 first-round pick has plenty of development ahead of him but he has taken his first steps with great success so far.
Rhett Gardner (Texas Stars – AHL)
Rhett Gardner is a bit of a different prospect as he focuses his game mostly on the defensive end, especially when called up to the NHL. He has played in four games for Dallas this season, recording a minus-1 rating in very low minutes.
When playing for Texas, Gardner has recorded six points but also holds a minus-4 rating overall. He has added 38 penalty minutes over his 33 games played in the AHL.
Logan Stankoven (Kamploops Blazers – WHL)
In the WHL, Stankoven has drastically increased his production from his previous two seasons. In 37 games, he has recorded 28 goals and 68 points. He is projected to reach over 100 points for the first time since 2018 when he played for the Thomson Blazers U-18 AAA club.
Stankoven was also among the players to represent Canada at the World Junior Championship in 2021. He recorded one goal in one game before the tournament was canceled.
Oskar Back (Texas Stars – AHL)
The third-round pick of the Stars in 2018 has yet to make his NHL debut but has steadily grown over his time in the AHL. Back has played in all 39 games for Texas this season and has recorded a decent 16 points over that time. Keep in mind, he is among the players like Jacob Peterson that has had to adjust to playing on the smaller rinks of North America this season.
While not many Stars prospects have been used in the NHL this season, they have remained busy throughout their other leagues. A poor season for the Texas Stars has led to up and down performances from Harley, Damiani, Dellandrea, Tufte, Gardner, and Back while Stankoven, Johnston, and Bourque have dominated their respective leagues.
