Graduating two star skaters and a beginning goalie would crater most pipelines, however the Stars nonetheless have strong younger depth. That they had arguably the very best ahead in every of the three CHL leagues this season.
Key graduates: Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, Jake Oettinger
Key addition: Lian Bichsel
2021 rating: No. 11
2022 NHL Draft grade: B
Full 2022-23 NHL Pipeline Rankings
Participant Rating
1. Thomas Harley, D
20 years outdated | 6-foot-3 | 188 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 18 in 2019
Tier: Bubble high and center of the lineup participant
Skating: NHL common
Puck expertise: NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Evaluation: Harley was a go-to participant for his AHL staff this season in Texas, and received a variety of NHL video games as properly. His talent set appears like that of a transparent top-four defenseman within the NHL. When you’ve got Harley’s body together with NHL mobility and puck-moving talent it’s simple to get excited in regards to the participant. He’s higher offensively than he’s defensively given he’s not that bodily. I feel as he matures although he’ll be tremendous defensively to go together with his robust offense.
2. Wyatt Johnston, C
19 years outdated | 6-foot-1 | 178 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 23 in 2021
Tier: Bubble high and center of the lineup participant
Skating: Under NHL common
Puck expertise: NHL common
Hockey sense: Above NHL common
Compete: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Johnston had pretty much as good a season as you could possibly have hoped for as a Stars fan. He scored at practically a two-point-per-game fee as the very best participant within the OHL. Johnston is a real play-driving two-way middle. He has the dimensions and compete to play at each ends and win battles, mixed with flashy fingers and playmaking potential to create offense in bunches. Johnston can create off the perimeter and within the arduous areas of the ice. His solely flaw is an absence of true NHL pace, however even with out that, I see a possible good high two-line middle within the league.
Wyatt Johnston throughout a preseason sport in 2021. (Matthew Pearce / Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)
3. Logan Stankoven, C
19 years outdated | 5-foot-8 | 170 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 47 in 2021
Tier: Bubble high and center of the lineup participant
Skating: Above NHL common
Puck expertise: Above NHL common
Hockey sense: NHL common
Compete: Above NHL common
Shot: Excessive-end
Evaluation: Stankoven had an enormous WHL season, being the highest participant in that league and led the WHL playoffs in targets and factors. He’s a particularly expert and energetic ahead. Stankoven isn’t a blazing quick skater, however he’s fast and has such a very good motor that it appears like he’s among the many quickest gamers on the ice. He combines that with nice, fast fingers, good imaginative and prescient and a good higher shot to make him a relentless menace. Stankoven’s 5-foot-8 body will likely be a difficulty within the NHL, however I feel there’s a lot good in his sport that he’ll be a top-six ahead, probably on the wing.
4. Mavrik Bourque, C
20 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 178 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 30 in 2020
Tier: Bubble high and center of the lineup participant
Skating: NHL common
Puck expertise: NHL common
Hockey sense: Above NHL common
Compete: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Bourque put up large numbers in his QMJHL profession, and capped it off by being the playoff MVP in main Shawinigan to a title. Bourque is an exceptionally sensible playmaker who carves up defenses with the way in which he finds seams and makes inventive performs. He’s not the most important participant, and whereas he’s fast, he doesn’t have blazing pace. Bourque does work arduous although at each ends of the ice and his talent initiatives to be ok to attain within the NHL. I might see him stick down the center, however probably he’ll be at his finest as a superb top-six winger.
5. Lian Bichsel, D
18 years outdated | 6’6″ | 225 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 18 in 2022
Tier: Center of the lineup participant
Skating: NHL common
Puck expertise: NHL common
Hockey sense: Under NHL common
Compete: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Bichsel’s bodily instruments are fairly evident. He’s a 6-foot-6 defenseman who skates properly for his dimension, is bodily and has some offensive contact. He can carry and create by the impartial zone on account of his toes and expertise and reveals some creativity from the offensive blue line. He has good fingers however there isn’t a lot playmaking or poise in his puck play. Defensively he’s fairly good on account of his attain, toes and physicality. He closes gaps like a professional and may be trusted to play arduous minutes as he advances ranges. Bichsel initiatives as a top-four defenseman with the potential to play increased in a lineup if the offense interprets.
6. Ty Dellandrea, C
21 years outdated | 6 toes | 184 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 13 in 2018
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: NHL common
Puck expertise: NHL common
Hockey sense: Under NHL common
Compete: Above NHL common
Shot: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Dellandrea had a productive second professional season with the Texas Stars, taking part in on each particular groups. He has a transparent professional toolkit on account of his pace and a decent-sized body. He performs quick and competes properly at each ends of the rink. The controversy on Dellandrea has all the time been about how a lot offense he has. I feel he has good fingers and might shoot it, however I’m undecided he’s a real driver/playmaker within the NHL, thus I see him as a bottom-six middle.
7. Matej Blümel, LW
22 years outdated | 6 toes | 198 kilos | Shoots left
Signed to ELC
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: NHL common
Puck expertise: NHL common
Hockey sense: Under NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Shot: Above NHL common
Evaluation: Blumel was a productive professional in Czechia and did properly on the world championships, resulting in a second NHL alternative after the Oilers handed on his rights. Blumel is a fast winger with robust puck expertise who can play at an NHL tempo. I don’t view him as a very offensive participant who makes many performs, although. He works arduous sufficient off the puck, so I can see him getting some video games. I’m not offered he’s an on a regular basis NHLer but however he’s trending up.
8. Riley Damiani, RW
22 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 161 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 137 in 2018
Tier: Projected to play NHL video games
Skating: NHL common
Puck expertise: Under NHL common
Hockey sense: Above NHL common
Compete: NHL common
Evaluation: Damiani didn’t repeat the scoring numbers of his first professional season, however he was nonetheless a strong professional and received a pair NHL video games. He’s a really sensible ahead who could make performs and works arduous sufficient off the puck. He’s not that massive and he’s extra fast than he’s quick. I feel he is usually a helpful depth piece for a staff, however I’m not offered he’s an on a regular basis NHLer.
Has an opportunity to play (listed alphabetically)
Francesco Arcuri, F
19 years outdated | 6-foot-2 | 201 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 175 in 2021
Evaluation: Arcuri has a really excessive talent degree, can shoot the puck and has strong offensive IQ. Whether or not he can skate at an NHL degree is the primary query in his sport.
Jack Bar, D
19 years outdated | 6-foot-2 | 193 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 138 in 2021
Evaluation: Bar is an enormous right-shot defenseman who performs arduous. Whether or not he has sufficient of a pure puck-moving sport or sufficient NHL mobility is up for debate, even when I’ve seen it in flashes.
Artem Grushnikov, D
19 years outdated | 6-foot-1 | 198 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 48 in 2021
Evaluation: Grushnikov’s dimension, mobility and physicality are fairly attention-grabbing from a professional projection standpoint, as he appears like a defenseman who will make a variety of stops. His pure talent and hockey IQ are the debates on his sport although.
Christian Kyrou, D
18 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 172 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 50 in 2022
Evaluation: Kyrou is a really expert defenseman with a very good level shot. He could make performs by opponents routinely and reveals nice creativity as a handler and passer. He’s, total, a menace on the person benefit. He initiatives to offer offense as a professional, however whether or not he can present all-around worth is the query. Not like his brother Jordan who’s an explosive skater, Christian’s skating is simply tremendous. For a 5-foot-10 defenseman although, it’s not the form of mobility you’d like for the NHL.
Daniel Ljungman, C
20 years outdated | 6 toes | 168 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 154 in 2020
Evaluation: Ljungman isn’t the flashiest middle, however he’s a wise, aggressive two-way participant. If he positive aspects an additional step in his skating he has an actual shot to play video games.
Ayrton Martino, LW
19 years outdated | 5-foot-11 | 160 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 73 in 2021
Evaluation: Martino has nice particular person talent and playmaking potential, however isn’t the most important or quickest ahead.
Maxim Mayorov, G
18 years outdated | 6-foot-5 | 176 kilos | Catches left
Drafted: No. 147 in 2022
Evaluation: Mayorov is an intriguing prospect on account of his huge 6-foot-5 body and powerful numbers in junior. He is a brilliant goalie, however his approach wants work and he has a heavy decrease half.
Conner Roulette, LW
19 years outdated | 5-foot-11 | 180 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 111 in 2021
Evaluation: Roulette is a highly-skilled puckhandler who can generate offense however isn’t the quickest ahead and may be inconsistent.
Matthew Seminoff, RW
18 years outdated | 5-foot-11 | 180 kilos | Shoots proper
Drafted: No. 179 in 2022
Evaluation: Seminoff is a proficient winger who could make performs. He’s not essentially the most dynamic undersized participant you’ll ever see by way of pace or talent, however he performs arduous. Seminoff can create off the frenzy and across the web. The general package deal will not be sufficient to have a protracted profession, however as a result of he works arduous, I feel he performs some video games.
Antonio Stranges, LW
20 years outdated | 5-foot-10 | 168 kilos | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 123 in 2020
Evaluation: Stranges’ pure talent and creativity are NHL high quality. He’s a robust, but awkward skater who performs quite a bit on the perimeter.
Participant Eligibility: All skaters who’re 22 years outdated or youthful as of Sept. 15, 2022, no matter what number of NHL video games they’ve performed, are eligible. Participant heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Instrument grades: Instrument grades are based mostly on a scale with six separate ranges, with a watch towards how this attribute would grade within the NHL (poor, below-average, common, above-average, high-end and elite). “Common” on this scale means the software initiatives as NHL common, which is supposed as a constructive, not a criticism. Skating, puck expertise, hockey sense and compete for each projected NHL participant are graded. Shot grades are solely included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier Definitions: Tiers are supposed to present roughly the place in a median NHL lineup a participant initiatives to fit in.
(Illustration: Wes McCabe / The Athletic; picture of Thomas Harley: Glenn James / NHLI through Getty Photos)
