AHL Stars Out to Mixed Start, Dallas Top Prospect Struggling in First Pro Season

While the Dallas Stars have dominated most of the headlines early this season, their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, has garnered attention as exciting young talents in the organization get their first looks at the pro level.

Texas opened its season with a 4-3 shootout win over the Iowa Wild before dropping a 4-3 shootout decision the next night. In their second series, the Stars were swept by a Hershey Bears team that barely made the playoffs last year but has looked far better this season, losing 2-1 and then 6-1 this past weekend.

The offense has been ice cold, scoring just eight goals in regulation through four games, an average of two per game. Leading the way has been forward Mike Sgarbossa, who is in his first season back in North America after a year in Switzerland with two goals and two assists for four points in as many games.

In goal, Texas had a strength last season in Remi Poirier, but the standout AHL netminder was claimed on waivers by the New Jersey Devils after anchoring the crease. 

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Newcomer Brandon Halverson, brought in from the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, has stepped up with a 1-1-0 record, a 2.98 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in three appearances. 

Backup Arno Tiefensee, a fifth-round pick by the Stars in 2023, has played just one season with Texas and has not looked great at the AHL level yet with losses in both of his starts this season with six goals allowed and 36 saves on 42 shots. 

One of the surprising bright spots has been college free agent signee Jack Anderson. The 23-year-old defenseman has two goals in four games after finishing with three points in 12 games last season, when he joined the Stars following a college career at Michigan Tech and Lindenwood.

Much of the attention in Texas has been on Stars top prospect Emil Hemming, who is off to a slow start with no points through four games. He also had no points in five games last season, making it nine straight without a point at the pro level.

Another prospect to watch is Aram Minnetian, who joined the club last season after a solid college career at Boston College and had three assists in eight games and an assist in three playoff games. The 2023 fourth-round pick has quietly emerged as one to look out for, and this season he has an assist and a minus-two rating through four games.

Tristan Bertucci, a 2023 second-round pick, was fairly solid last season with 24 points in 63 games. This season he has an assist and a minus-one rating through three games.

It has been a mixed bag for the Stars to start the season, but they will look to get back on track this Friday and Sunday in a road series against the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

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