Mavrik Bourque, Lian Bichsel and Alex Petrovic will join the parent club for the playoffs.
The Dallas Stars are adding some depth to their roster as they prepare for Game 5 of their Stanley Cup Second Round series against the Colorado Avalanche.
Forward Mavrik Bourque, along with defensemen Lian Bichsel and Alex Petrovic, have been recalled from the Texas Stars, Dallas' AHL development affiliate, after the conclusion of their season.
Bourque, 22, was the AHL's Most Valuable Player and leading scorer this season. In 71 games with Texas, he recorded 77 points (26-51-77), and became the first AHL scoring leader to also earn MVP honors since Chicago's Kenny Agostino in 2016-17.
Bourque, who has 129 points (47-82-129) in 147 appearances with Texas over three seasons, added 11 points (3-8-11) in seven post-season games, leading all AHL skaters through the first two rounds of the Calder Cup playoffs.
The 5-foot-10, 191-pound Bourque, selected by Dallas as the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft, made his debut with Dallas April 6 against the Chicago Blackhawks, logging 10:56 of TOI and getting two shots on goal. He was also recalled before Game 3 in Vegas following injuries to Mason Marchment and Radek Faksa, but was a healthy scratch.
Bichsel, whom Dallas selected as the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft, started the 2023-24 season with Texas, posting seven points (1-6-7) in 16 games. Reassigned to Rögle BK in the Swedish Hockey League December 4, 2023, the 19-year-old defenseman recorded four points (2-2-4) in 29 regular-season games. He added six points (1-5-6) in 15 playoff contests before returning to Texas for the Calder Cup Playoffs. He posted one assist in five post-season games with the Stars, who were eliminated in five games by the Milwaukee Admirals in the second round.
The 32-year-old Petrovic has scored five goals and 17 assists for 22 points in 70 regular-season games with Texas in 2023-24. He had one goal in the playoffs, opening the scoring for Texas in Game 2 against Milwaukee. Petrovic played in one game for Dallas this season against the Boston Bruins February 19, posting two shots and two hits in 12:52 of ice time.
The 6-foot-five, 208-pound Petrovic was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the second round (36th overall) of the 2010 NHL draft and signed with Dallas as a free agent in July 2021.
The three players join defenseman Derrick Pouliot and goaltender Matt Murray, who were recalled from Texas prior to the start of the playoffs. They are part of what's known as the 'Black Aces', players who are recalled from the minors to join the parent club during the post-season.
Barring multiple injuries, the AHL players will likely not see action during the playoffs. They will, however, practice with the team and get a firsthand look at what it takes to prepare for the NHL's biggest stage.
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