Editor’s note: This is the fifth part of a series previewing individual players projected to make the Dallas Stars roster heading into the 2017-18 season.
The 2016-17 season gave us a rare glimpse into the mind of NHL general managers.
Thanks to a looming expansion draft player values had to be publicly assigned at the end of the season, and general managers had to use this past season to evaluate and decide which players were truly part of the future of their franchise.
Essentially the entire NHL was in the middle of a “prove it” season, and Antoine Roussel made the most of those opportunities.
Throughout the season the Stars brass met multiple times for mock expansion drafts. Including a trio of larger meetings where the Stars had each of their scouts submit a mock expansion list for all 30 teams, allowing Jim Nill and his staff to play with multiple scenarios.
Before the season started the Stars expected to leave Roussel unprotected. It was a numbers game and while he brought value as a pesky bottom-six winger, his role could easily be replicated by another hungry young player from the minors.
As the season progressed Roussel’s value was on the rise. Other teams saw it too.
When the Stars were in the midst of a fire sale at the trade deadline several teams inquired about Roussel and according to a source, one Eastern Conference playoff-bound team made a hard push for the French forward.
Roussel was one of the few Stars that actually made his teammates better on a consistent basis. When Roussel was on the ice the Stars were difficult to play against and not just in the traditional annoyance, he was driving possession and creating chances — as a team the Stars roster on a whole put up better numbers when Roussel was on the ice.
Unfortunately Roussel’s season came to an end early due to injury after registering 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 60 games. He would have been able to play if the Stars had made the playoffs, and at the IIHF World Championships in France — a rare chance to play in his home country — he got a chance to re-do the end of his season and had eight points in seven games.
The 27-year-old could be even better this coming season.
Roussel has always been a highly emotional player who has thrived on proving other’s wrong. Early in his career he was trying to prove an undrafted player from France could make the NHL. The past couple seasons have been about proving he’s more than a pest, and he’s passed that challenge admirably.
This season he’s entering a contract year, and there could be a large financial reward — from Dallas of elsewhere — next July if Roussel continues on his current path.
“He’s a player I’d keep an eye on,” one Western Conference scout said. “You watch what he’s done over the past three, four seasons and he’s got a complete game now. He used to be annoying to play against but would eventually hurt you with a bad penalty. He’s learned how to toe the line better and has taken away many of the minuses in his game.”
Depending on his role, Roussel could primed for a career year offensively. Either way he’ll be playing with a center that fits his game — Martin Hanzal or Radek Faksa — and Roussel can be the hard driving winger that goes to the dirty areas with some skill. He also has a chance to earn some power play time, possibly as a net-front presence, and fits the ideal mold of a prototypical Ken Hitchcock player
Short-term it’s great news for Dallas. Long-term the Stars may have to make a tough decision on Roussel next summer when he’s looking for a hefty raise after a productive season.
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