Dallas Stars Elite standouts Jack Arnold and Ethan Zhang made history as opening-round picks, signaling a rising tide of elite hockey talent emerging from the Lone Star State.
The Lone Star State is producing NHL-caliber talent, and the Western Hockey League is taking notice. On Wednesday, the WHL draft delivered a milestone moment for hockey's growth in Texas as two Dallas-area forwards were selected in the first round.
Jack Arnold, a 14-year-old from North Richland Hills, went 16th overall to the Spokane Chiefs, and Ethan Zhang, a Plano native, followed three picks later to the Tri-City Americans.
Make Sure You Bookmark THN's Dallas Stars Site For The Latest News, Exclusive Interviews, Breakdowns, And So Much More.
Both players developed with the Dallas Stars Elite 14U program, making their selections a landmark moment for the organization and for the state. Just months earlier, the Dallas Stars made history of their own at the trade deadline by acquiring Tyler Myers, a Houston native who became the first Texas-born player to suit up for the franchise.
The hope in Dallas is that Myers is the first of many, and Wednesday's draft suggests that pipeline may already be forming. The numbers Arnold and Zhang put up this past season were anything but ordinary. Arnold recorded 50 points on 25 goals and 25 assists in 44 games, while Zhang was even more prolific, finishing with 71 points on 33 goals and 38 assists in the same number of games.
Both are 2011-born and will now look to carry that production into one of the top developmental leagues in all of hockey. The WHL is a long way from Texas but if Arnold and Zhang develop the way their draft slots suggest, the journey may eventually bring them back home.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.