A tight salary cap and potential injuries open the door for elite young talent to crack the lineup as training camp battles reach a fever pitch.
The Dallas Stars get a lot of flak for having one of the weaker farm systems in the league, even after having several youngsters already on their current roster like Wyatt Johnston, Lian Bichsel, Justin Hryckowian and Thomas Harley, all playing regular roles for the Stars while each of them is 25 years old or younger.
Despite that reputation, Dallas does have some interesting names developing in their pipeline who could get a shot at making the main roster very soon. Here's a trio of prospects who all could have a runway entering training camp when it comes to earning a spot.
Emil Hemming
The most notable name in the Stars pipeline is the former first round pick from 2024. Since then, the 20 year old Finnish import has been a standout at each level he's played, but when he made the jump to the Texas Stars this past season, he was finally stumped, finishing with no points through his first five pro games.
That short stint at the end of the season gave Hemming a chance to find his footing at the pro level and identify areas he needs to work on. Going into this season, Hemming will be making the full time jump to the pros, whether that's with the NHL or AHL club remains to be seen.
If Hemming is able to adjust quickly to the pace of the pro game, there's a possibility he could impress the Stars and make a quick rise to the main roster, or he could follow a path similar to Justin Hryckowian, getting a full season of AHL experience before making the NHL jump the following year.
If Hemming does impress and injuries start to pile up on the main roster, he could be among the first names called up, if he isn't already on the roster to begin with.
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Tristan Bertucci
Dallas is hard pressed against the cap, as everyone knows, and if injuries start to arise on the back end, the former second round pick from 2023 may be called upon, if not already on the roster, as the seventh defenseman.
The Stars' back end is tough to crack, but if the organization views the 21 year old as a legitimate depth option going into this season, he could make the main roster or get the call later in the year. Bertucci is coming off his first full season at the pro level, recording 24 points and a plus seven rating in 63 games with AHL Texas this past season.
If he can continue to be solid defensively while also contributing timely offense, Bertucci could be a strong option for the Stars' back end at a very friendly price point, with high upside if he develops into a true early round talent.
Rémi Poirier
While Casey DeSmith is entering a contract year and has every reason to play his best hockey this season, he's 35 years old, and if an injury arises, Poirier could take over the backup job. Poirier is also in a contract year, and the 24 year old former fourth round pick is finally looking to make his NHL debut after a solid fourth season in the organization.
The Farnham, Quebec native is coming off a strong season, finishing with a 27-19-8 record, a 2.61 goals against average and a .912 save percentage in 52 games while serving as the workhorse for the team. If Poirier can build on that standout campaign, there's a good chance he could catch the eye of Stars management and show them they don't need to look elsewhere for their next backup behind DeSmith, because they already have it in house.
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