Lacking a first-round pick, Dallas interviewed 6-foot-7 powerhouse Brooks Rogowski, hoping his rare blend of physical intimidation and playmaking skill falls to them at 59th overall.
Ninety of the best draft-eligible players in the world converged on Buffalo on Saturday for the NHL Scouting Combine, each looking to put their best foot forward one final time before next week's draft.
For the Dallas Stars, the combine carried a different kind of significance. Without a first-round pick after trading it to the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the Mikko Rantanen deal, Dallas finds itself waiting until 59th overall to make its first selection of the draft.
That reality puts a premium on finding the right player at that spot, ideally someone who could make an immediate impact at the NHL level on a cost-effective contract and one of the players they sat down with at the combine may fit that description perfectly.
Dallas met with Brooks Rogowski, a fringe first-round talent who at six-foot-seven and 236 pounds is one of the most physically imposing players in the entire draft class. The Oshawa Generals center used that size to his advantage this past season, posting 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points in just 46 games.
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Rogowski told The Hockey News the meeting with Dallas went well, but made clear that regardless of where he lands, he will simply be grateful for the opportunity to show what he can do. When asked about his game, Rogowski pointed to his playmaking as the most underrated aspect of what he brings to the table.
Most people come in expecting the physicality and the meanness to his game, and while that is very much there, his 27 assists in 46 games deserves its own conversation and for Dallas, the fit makes a lot of sense on paper.
Rogowski could develop into a cost-effective depth center right away, using his imposing frame and underrated playmaking ability to compete for a roster spot without costing the organization anything close to what a comparable solution would run on the open market. The challenge is that Rogowski may not last until 59th overall. If the Stars are serious about landing him, they may need to consider trading up to make sure they get their man before someone else does.
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