Oscar’s surging draft stock and dominant international performance have propelled him into the top fifteen, shattering dreams of a Central Division brother act in Dallas.
On Saturday, the NHL Scouting Combine descended on Buffalo as 90 of the top draft-eligible prospects in the world gathered to put their athleticism and skill sets under the microscope ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, giving teams one final in-person look before they lock in their draft boards.
For the Dallas Stars, the Combine represented an opportunity to identify value later in the draft, as the organization does not hold a pick until 59th overall in the second round. With that limited draft capital, Dallas will be focused on finding solid contributors towards the back half of the draft rather than chasing top-end talent.
One player the Stars had been loosely connected to heading into the Combine was Oscar Hemming, the younger brother of Dallas prospect Emil Hemming, whom the Stars selected 29th overall. A reunion of the brothers in Dallas made for an intriguing storyline, but it quickly became clear that Oscar's rising stock had made that scenario all but impossible.
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Oscar Hemming is projected to go within the first 15 picks of the draft according to most scouting outlets, a range that puts him well out of reach for a Stars team that won't be on the clock until pick 59.
The 18-year-old made the jump to the NCAA this past season, recording a goal and seven assists for eight points in 19 games, and was particularly impressive on the international stage with Finland's U18 national team, where he put up five goals and two assists for seven points across just six games.
Given where Hemming is expected to land on draft night, he did not sit down with the Stars management team in Buffalo, though he did hold meetings with teams picking in his projected range, including the Winnipeg Jets, who he spoke about at length with The Hockey News.
The chances of Hemming landing in Winnipeg at eighth overall adds a fascinating layer to an already compelling draft storyline. Should the Jets select Oscar while Emil remains in the Dallas system, it would set the stage for a brotherly rivalry in the Central Division that could play out for the better part of the next decade.
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