2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool Overview: Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars continue to find and develop potential high-impact players for their prospect pool. Tony Ferrari takes a close look at their strengths, weaknesses and more.

The Dallas Stars are next up as Tony Ferrari continues to analyze each team’s prospect pool during the NHL off-season.

In this series, Tony Ferrari digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises unless mentioned otherwise.

The Dallas Stars have done a good job of identifying talent in the draft over the last few years. Whether it was this year’s surprising rookie stud Wyatt Johnston or 2021 second-rounder Logan Stankoven, the Stars have quietly loaded up their pipeline with potential impact talent all over the draft board.

Stankoven can jump into the Stars lineup if he earns his spot in training camp. He is a cerebral forward who attacks with skill and pace. Stankoven is relentless in pursuit of the puck, and when he has it, he isn’t shy about forcing his way to the high-danger areas and creating scoring chances. His one weakness is that he is undersized at 5-foot-7, but he could be a sneaky impact player in the NHL next year if he makes it.

He'll be competing with Mavrik Bourque for a roster spot. A 2020 first-round pick, Bourque is a flashy skilled playmaker who can open up passing lanes and space with his hands before feathering a pass across the ice. He already proved he can tear up the AHL, something Stankoven hasn't had the chance to do yet, so he could have the upper hand on an NHL gig out of camp.

Then there's Ayrton Martino, who's shown marked improvement at Clarkson University for the past two years. Once a toolsy winger who can attack with speed without much change of pace, Martino's now an intelligent attacker who can alter his path and hit the breaks or accelerate to a higher gear when needed. He is a playmaker at heart, but he isn’t a poor goal-scorer. That could be the next step in college this season as he looks to move up the pipeline.

The Stars have a blend of skill sets in their prospect pool beyond their top guys. Matthew Seminoff is an excellent off-puck threat who lurks in the shadows until needed. He has a good shot and can make some nifty one-touch passes. Antonio Stranges is no sure thing, but the puck skill and passing ability he's shown are enticing. His pre-game routine is better than some players' in-game highlight reels. He needs a ton of refinement, but the upside could be worth the wait.

The defensive pipeline for Dallas may not have a high-end name, but they have a solid group. Lian Bichsel is a human wrecking ball. He plays stout defensively, never letting the game come to him. Bichsel will step up and eliminate opposing attackers from the play with thunderous hits when needed. He's expected to play in AHL Texas next year to see how his game translates to North America.

Tristan Bertucci is more of a two-way defender who can transition the puck up ice and shut down a cycle when asked to do so. He developed more confidence over the second half of the year and became far more involved offensively, carrying the puck a bit more and acting as a playmaker rather than a facilitator from the blueline.

Christian Kyrou and Jack Bar are interesting bets on tools while ignoring some obvious flaws. Kyrou is a bit undersized, and his skating is average at best, but his creativity and offensive skill are impressive. Bar had a very quiet sophomore season at Harvard, but his physical tools and flashes are so impressive and make you wonder why he doesn’t produce more. That said, if he can round some things out and become an effective transition defender who is good in his own end, that’s a massive win for the Stars.

Round 2, 61st overall - Tristan Bertucci, LD, Flint (OHL)

Round 3, 79th overall - Brad Gardiner, C, Ottawa (OHL)

Round 4, 125th overall - Aram Minnetian, RD, U.S. NTDP (USHL)

Round 5, 157th overall - Arno Tiefensee, G, Mannheim (DEL)

Round 6, 189th overall - Angus MacDonell, C, Mississauga (OHL)

Round 7, 221st overall - Sebastian Bradshaw, LW, Elite Hockey Acadamy (U-18 AAA)

With no pick in the first round after acquiring Nils Lundqvist, the Stars looked to add talent on Day 2 of the draft. With their first pick, they selected Tristan Bertucci, a defender who was a second-half riser. Bertucci is a defensive rearguard at his base, but as the year progressed, he showed he could be an offensive contributor when needed. He likely winds up as a defense-first player at the next level, but he’s shown the requisite puckhandling and passing that should allow him to play in the NHL.

Brad Gardiner was a player who teams liked more than the public sphere because of his 200-foot, pro-style game. He is a versatile player who can play up and down the lineup at the junior level. Many felt that made him a projectable bottom-six player who can fill in when a team needs someone in just about any situation.

Aram Minnetian was a do-it-all force for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program this year. He was a puck-mover, offensive creator, defensive presence and transition machine. He isn’t necessarily elite in any specific area, but he can do just about anything asked of him. Developing over the next few years at Boston College will be perfect for him. Check out his Game Tape interview with The Hockey News here.

In the fifth round, Dallas swung on a netminder, snagging Arno Tiefensee. At 6-foot-4, Tiefensee posted excellent results playing primarily in the German men’s league, recording a .910 save percentage and having stretches of dominant play. He posted very consistent results throughout the year, giving Mannheim a chance to win every time he was between the pipes.

Angus MacDonell outworks his deficiencies. He may not be the fastest or most skilled player, but as they say, he’s got that dawg in him. MacDonell rarely gets outworked and could profile as a very useful bottom-of-the-lineup player, but he has a long road ahead.

Sebastian Bradshaw was an interesting pick in that he played U-18 AAA hockey last year and is heading to the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL this upcoming season. He has a big frame and scored at a decent clip, but he didn’t blow the doors off. The Stars must have seen something worthy of taking the swing on him late in the draft, even if it was right at the end of the seventh round.

The strength of the Stars pipeline is the depth of varied talents of their forward group. At both wing and center, they have excellent complementary players and play-drivers. They have shooters, passers, transition wizards, and guys who can create havoc once in the offensive zone. They have high-flying skill players, and they have high-motor energy guys who can play lower in the lineup with success. They’ve done a good job of taking swings on players like Martino, Stranges, and MacDonald, as well as finding the hardest workers in the room with players like Gardiner and Stankoven. Dallas will find a few NHLers in its group.

The Stars lack a goaltender in the system that can come in over the next few years and make an impact. Maybe Tiefensee or Remi Poirier could get to the level of NHL backup, but thankfully, the Stars have one of the best young goalies in the NHL with Jake Oettinger. The Stars could use some depth up front, particularly down the middle, but with Wyatt Johnston at the NHL level and Bourque coming, it’s a similar situation. The Stars' biggest weakness may be that they have a few good young NHLers that detract from the players eligible for this exercise.

This is truly a tough debate for the Stars. The expectations that Wyatt Johnston set last year already have fans and media asking, “Who is this year’s ‘Wyatt Johnston’ for the Dallas Stars?” That’s not a realistic expectation. Both players, who many have deemed ready for that step, are very different from Johnston.

Bourque is a high-skill playmaker who can dazzle with his passing ability and puck skill. Stankoven is a bull in a china shop, not letting his size play a role in how he plays the game. He has shooting talent and passing ability that could make him a top-line player in the NHL if everything works out. Bourque is a bit older and could have the edge going into camp, but Stankoven may have the higher ultimate upside. In three years, this might all be for naught as the two could be playing on a line together, but until then, we will be paying attention in training camp to see which one – if either – breaks camp with the NHL club.

LW: Antonio Stranges, Ayrton Martino, Conner Roulette

C: Mavrik Bourque, Francesco Arcuri, Brad Gardiner, Chase Wheatcroft

RW: Logan Stankoven, Matthew Seminoff, Albert Sjoberg, Kyle McDonald

LD: Lian Bichsel, Tristan Bertucci

RD: Jack Bar, Christian Kyrou, Aram Minnetian

G: Adam Scheel, Maxim Mayorov, Remi Poirier, Arno Tiefensee

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited and Future Watch print editions of The Hockey News.