Welcome to the monthly prospect insider. For those who read Wrong Side of the Red Line this will look familiar. For those who haven’t, this is a monthly guide keeping tabs on every prospect in the Stars system.

These news and notes come from a compilation of talking to players, coaches, scouts, and making my own observations.

For this project I define a prospect as a player that still has a potential NHL future and has yet to graduate to full-time NHL duty. That’s why names like Remi Elie and Gemel Smith aren’t on this list. In my opinion they are now NHL players and no longer considered prospects.

Prospect rankings

Prospect rankings are based on long-term potential, not how close they are to NHL at this moment. Players that have already graduated to full-time NHL duty (for example Julius Honka) were not considered. Rankings are update every other month, the next update will be in January. 

1. Miro Heiskanen 
2. Roope Hintz
3. Denis Gurianov
4. Valeri Nichushkin
5. Riley Tufte
6. Jake Oettinger
7. Jason Dickinson
8. Nicholas Caamano 
9. Jason Robertson
10. Colton Point

Honorable mentions: John Nyberg, Joseph Cecconi, Niklas Hansson, Dillon Heatherington, Fredrik Karlstrom, Gavin Bayreuther

Prospect October Update

Note: As a general rule of thumb, prospects are defined as players that still have an NHL future and have yet to graduate to full-time NHL duty.

Forwards

Nicholas Caamano

(6-foot-2,195 pounds)
Acquired: Fifth round (146th overall) in 2016
2017-18 Team: Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
Projection: Scoring forward
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2018-19 season

Caamano was traded from the Flint Firebirds, a last-place team, to the contending Hamilton Bulldogs last week. It’s a move that should benefit the high-scoring forward that had 21 points (12 goals, 9 assist) in 23 games at the time of the trade. Instead of being asked to carry a sub-par Flint team, Caamano has a chance to make a deep playoff run with Hamilton and has escaped what was as times a toxic situation with the Firebirds.

“He’s really turned into a strong prospect, he just gets it and is becoming a complete player,” Stars director of player development Rich Peverley said. “He’s not just a goal scorer and he’s not a skinny kid anymore. He’s worked hard off the ice and it’s noticeable in his game.”

Brett Davis

(6-foot-1, 178 pounds)
Acquired: Sixth round (163rd overall) in 2017
2017-18 Team: Kootenay Ice (WHL)
Projection: Depth forward
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2022-23 season

Davis is still a project pick, but he’s done a nice job this season taking steps forward. He’s a better player away from the puck, both offensively and defensively, and he isn’t getting caught in as many bad situations. Davis is never lacking for effort, and he’s been getting smarter with experience.

Jason Dickinson

(6-foot-2, 205 pounds)
Acquired: First round (29th overall) in 2013
Projection: Top-9 NHL center
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2017-18 season

Dickinson is close to full-time NHL duty, and if given the opportunity in Dallas he could develop the confidence as a top-six forward rather soon. In the AHL Dickinson is one of the Texas Stars best players and he’s reached “overripe” status — there really isn’t much more you can ask of him.

“He’s ready,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “He’s a player that I look at with Texas and hope he doesn’t get complacent in the AHL, because that’s a danger with a first-round pick being so close and not getting that NHL shot. As long as he avoids that type of lull, they should be in a good spot with him.”

Rhett Gardner

(6-foot-3, 220 pounds)
Acquired: Fourth round (116th overall) in 2016
2017-18 team: North Dakota (NCAA)
Projection: NHL depth forward
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2020-21 season

Gardner is on pace for a career year offensively, which is rounding out a pretty complete game for the forward. He plays in all situations and looks like a player that should play in the NHL at some point, the only question is whether his speed will hold him back at the top level.

“When I saw him play he was kind quiet in the first game, not bad, but just quiet. The next night he was much more noticeable and impacted the game in a couple different ways,” an amateur scout based in Minnesota said. “I think he could be an NHL penalty killer some day, and I think he’ll have to do that to be a real NHL option.”

Denis Gurianov

(6-foot-3, 200 pounds)
Acquired: First round (12th overall) in 2015
2017-18 team: Texas Stars (AHL)
Projection: Top-six skilled winger
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2017-18 season

Gurianov has had a disappointing season so far. He’s done a bit of a disappearing act for most of the AHL season, which is a bit frustrating after a strong rookie season. The good news is that Gurianov still has the raw tools and has shown recent signs of getting off his slide. He’s an elite level skater and with his speed he has potential to take over the game. Essentially it’s a case of finding consistency and showing a willingness to take over the game.

“Denis is getting there,” Texas Stars coach Derek Laxdal said. “He’s working hard and he’s still trying to find his game. That’s a good thing, there isn’t an effort or attitude issue or anything like that. He works hard in practice and he’s good in practice, we just need him to translate that to games.”

“He’s tough to judge because I wanted to see so much more from his this season,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “There are times he just checks out from the game, but he can quickly make up for it with a great shift. I sometimes forget that he’s only in his second year here (in North America) so it’s hard to remember to be patient.”

Liam Hawel

(6-foot-4, 175 pounds)
Acquired: Fourth round (101st overall) in 2017
2017-18 team: Guelph Storm (OHL)
Projection: Depth forward
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2022-23 season

Hawel had a slow start to the season because of injuries and it took him roughly a dozen games to hit full stride. Hawel isn’t overly noticeable in his game, but he’s also not a hinderance to his team. Stars drafted him for his size and he skates well. There are also moments where he can beat a defender one-on-one, even though that isn’t a common occurrence in his game.

Roope Hintz

(6-foot-3, 205 pounds)
Acquired: Second round (49th overall) in 2015
2017-18 team: Texas Stars (AHL)
Projection: Playmaking top-six forward
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2018-19 season

Hintz game continues to get deservedly good reviews. He really doesn’t look like a player in his first season in North America. He’s learning the game, understanding situations better, and more recently has started adapting to the physicality of the AHL. He can both finish and create for his teammates, and he’s looking like a player that could be ready for the NHL full-time next season.

“He’s one of my favorite prospects they have,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “He’s picking up the game really well over here, and every time I see Texas play I end up writing a positive report about him.”

“I like what he does away from the puck,” a Western Conference scout said. “That’s how I like to judge players coming over from Europe in their first season, how are they reading the game on the smaller ice? He’s doing the right things, he’s in the right spots.”

Fredrik Karlstrom

(6-foot-2, 185 pounds)
Acquired: Third round (90th overall) in 2016
2017-18 team: Linkoping HC (SHL)
Projection: Top-six forward
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2021-22

Karlstrom’s numbers aren’t a good indication of his play this season. As a 19-year-old playing in the SHL it’s a difficult adjustment, and he’s not playing big minutes with Linkoping. That being said, several scouts are looking forward to seeing Karlstrom at the World Junior Championships, where he’s expected to shine against his own peer group.

“I saw him a couple weeks ago,” a European based scout said. “I like where he’s going, he may have been a more dominant player in the second division, but as long as he’s learning the game in the SHL I wouldn’t be too worried.”

Valeri Nichushkin

(6-foot-3, 205 pounds)
Acquired: First round (10th overall) in 2013
2017-18 team: CSKA Moscow (KHL)
Projection: Top-six NHL winger
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2018-19 season

A couple members of the Stars management and scouting group watched Nichushkin play for Russia at recent international tournament. Time was limited, but they also met with the Russian after one of the games and one of the messages conveyed was “I want to come back to Dallas” for next season. According to multiple people Nichushkin is a much more mature and polished player than he was when he left for the KHL. He’s also finding his offensive stroke (17 points in 30 games) and is looking forward to an Olympic opportunity.

Jacob Peterson

(6-foot, 165 pounds)
Acquired: Fifth round (132nd overall) in 2017
2017-18 team: Frolunda U20 (SuperElit)
Projection: Depth scorer
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2022-22 season

Peterson is doing everything you could ask of him against peers with Frolunda’s under-20 team. He has 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 22 games and when he’s been called up to the SHL he’s acquitted himself well. His skating could be adjusted slightly, but he’s deceptively quick and understands where to be in the offensive zone. It’s hard to judge his defensive zone work with his usage in both the SHL and junior play.

Jason Robertson

(6-foot-2, 192 pounds)
Acquired: Second round (39th overall) in 2017
2017-18 team: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Projection: Top-six scoring winger
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2020-21

His skating is improving and that’s only going to make him a more dangerous goal scorer. He has 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) in 27 games with Kingston, and both his instincts and shot provide a skill set that can’t be taught around the net. Looks like a first-round pick whenever he plays, and Stars may have a nice steal with Robertson.

“I love watching him play,” a scout in the OHL said. “You know he’s got a chance to do something each night, and I like how he’s able to perform even when the other team knows that he’s going to be a focal point.”

Riley Tufte

(6-foot-6, 210 pounds)
Acquired: First round (25th overall) in 2016
2017-18 team: Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)
Projection: Top-six power forward
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2022-23 season

Tufte is starting to take full advantage of his size and is dominating games in college with Minnesota-Duluth. The flaw for Tufte, and this is common with young players, is getting over a slump. He recently broke a six-game pointless streak (which in college can last a month with the two-games-per-week schedule) and with that monkey off his back he seemingly took his game to another level that game.

Cole Ully

(6-foot-0, 170 pounds)
Acquired: Fifth round (131st overall) in 2013
2017-18 team: Texas Stars (AHL)
Projection: Depth scorer
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2019-20 season

Ully was one of the more surprising prospects to me in October and it looked like he might play his way into being more involved in the NHL conversation. He has since regressed, only has three points this season, and is often a healthy scratch for the Texas Stars.

Defensemen

Gavin Bayreuther

(6-foot-1, 195 pounds)
Acquired: College free agent
2017-18 team: Texas Stars (AHL)
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2018-19 season
Projection: Middle-pairing defender, power play specialist

Bayreuther has had a bit of an up-and-down season and has fallen into a rotation of scratches for the Texas Stars. He’s learning the game well and making improvements offensively, but still has to make improvement and get a bit more consistent in his defensive end. Ideally he hammers out his game and takes a further step as the calendar turns to 2018.

“For him it’s about finding what works here and at the next level,” Texas Stars coach Derek Laxdal said. “He was a good player in college, and he knew what worked there. Now he needs to find what works for him here so he can be a consistently good player for us.”

Joseph Cecconi

(6-foot-2, 205 pounds)
Acquired: Fifth round (133rd overall) in 2015
2017-18 team: Michigan (NCAA)
Projection: Stay-at-home defenseman
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2020-21 season

Cecconi hasn’t been noticeable this season, and that’s actually a good thing. He plays in tough situations for the University of Michigan, and often gets the job done. One scout said the defender is a player he really liked one night, but didn’t the next. The base is there for him to be a solid NHL player and anchor for an offensive-minded blue liner.

Niklas Hansson

(6-foot-1, 181 pounds)
Acquired: Third round (68th overall) in 2013
2017-18 season: Texas Stars (AHL)
Projection: Top-four defenseman
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2020-21 season

Hansson hasn’t been bad this season, but he also hasn’t been very good. Whenever watching him play there are certain qualities that stand out right away — his skating and his puck skills — but they’ve yet to translate into anything beyond third-pairing minutes in the AHL. I still think it’s best to judge Hansson after he’s played at least 40 games in the AHL (he’s at 22 as of this writing).

Dillon Heatherington

(6-foot-2, 220 pounds)
Acquired: Trade with Columbus in 2016
2017-18 team: Texas Stars (AHL)
Projection: Middle-pairing defenseman
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2019-20

A reliable, unflashy defender that gets the job done in his own zone and surprisingly puts up points. He’s also a hitter and consistently comes up with big, clean checks. Becoming a sneaky candidate to be the future third-pairing defenseman in Dallas, maybe even next season.

“You don’t think about him having points, but he keeps picking up an assist here and there,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “He’s always in the right spot, and that translates to him getting those points. If he can make his game work in the NHL like that, he’ll be in really good shape.”

Miro Heiskanen

(6-foot-1, 172 pounds)
Acquired: First round (third overall) in 2017
2017-18 team: HIFK (Liiga)
Projection: Top-pairing defender
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2019-20 season

It’s hard to find a flaw in the Stars top prospect and multiple scouts have raved about Heiskanen. Perhaps the most impressive part of Heiskanen’s game is that his biggest area of improvement is actually his offense — and he has 13 points in 17 games. Jere Lehtinen, who had his No. 26 retired by the Stars last month, said he sees a future star in the Finnish defenseman.

Chris Martenet

(6-foot-7, 215 pounds)
Acquired: Fourth round (103rd overall) in 2015
2017-18 team: Idaho Steelheads (ECHL)
Projection: Stay-at-home defenseman
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2021-22

Martenet’s season gets looked at with an asterisk since he missed training camp and never had a chance to win an AHL job after a bout with mono. So far in the ECHL the defender is still adjusting to life as a pro, and he still hasn’t grasped the speed of the game with the Idaho Steelheads.

John Nyberg

(6-foot-2, 203 pounds)
Acquired: Sixth round (165th overall) in 2014
2017-18 team: Frolunda (SHL)
Projection: Two-way defenseman
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2021-22

The assistant captain for Frolunda, Nyberg has had a nice season with eight points (2 goals, 6 assists) in 24 games and he’s been rather effective in his own zone. Skating used to be a problem for Nyberg, but now it’s a relative strength — and that’s an encouraging sign. Stars will have to make a decision at some point in 2018 about when they’d like to bring Nyberg over to the AHL.

Michael Prapavessis

(6-foot-2, 187 pounds)
Acquired: Fourth round (105th overall) in 2014
2017-18 team: RPI (NCAA)
Projection: Depth defensemen with some offensive upside
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2021-22

Still a Stars prospect because he went the college route, but likely won’t be signed when he finishes career at RPI.

Jakob Stenqvist

(6-foot-2, 170 pounds)
Acquired: Sixth round (176th overall) in 2016
2017-18 team: IF Bjorkloven (Allsvenskan)
Projection: Two-way defenseman
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2022-23

Lots of raw talent and he’s cashed in with 13 points in 23 games with Bjorkloven this season as he’s playing a larger role. Could be a candidate for the Swedish team at World Junior, which would give us a better sample size of his abilities.

Ondrej Vala

(6-foot-4, 210 pounds)
Acquired: Signed as a free agent (undrafted)
2017-18 season: Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
Projection: Physical, stay-at-home defenseman
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2022-23

Vala’s offensive confidence has continued to grow. He has 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) in 26 games, and he plays a big role with big minutes for Kamloops. Plays a physical game and bad things rarely happen when he is on the ice for the Blazers. No-risk signing that could pay off after Vala went undrafted.

“I like him more each time I watch him play,” a WHL scout said. “His gap control is better than last season, his shot is more accurate, and you can have him play against the other team’s top players.”

Goalies

Landon Bow

(6-foot-5, 208 pounds)
Acquired: Signed as free agent (undrafted)
2017-18 team: Texas Stars (AHL)
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2018-19 season

Bow has gone from AHL back-up to a reliable option for the Texas Stars. Goalie has played more confidently, composed, and has turned rebound control from a relative weakness into an area that can help settle his team. His quickness is slightly lacking, but he makes up for that with positioning. Could also be a better stick handler, but overall he may be the best option to back up Ben Bishop next season.

Philippe Desrosiers

(6-foot-2, 200 pounds)
Acquired: Second round (54th overall) in 2013
2017-18 team: Idaho Steelheads (ECHL)
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2018-19 season

Steelheads coach Neil Graham said the goalie has really matured as both a player and a goalie, and he’s embracing the chance to be a full-time starter. He’s been good, but not great for the Steelheads.

Jake Oettinger

(6-foot-4, 218 pounds)
Acquired: First round (26th overall) in 2017
2017-18 team: Boston University (NCAA)
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2021-22

Hasn’t had the season he might have hoped, but he’s still one of the top goalie prospects in hockey. He’s a favorite to start for Team USA a the World Junior Championships.

Colton Point

(6-foot-4, 220 pounds)
Acquired: Fifth round (128th overall) in 2016
2017-18 team: Colgate (NCAA)
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2021-22

When you take expectations into account Colton Point has had the best year of any Stars prospect. He’s arguably the best goalie in college hockey after two months, is being considered as a World Junior option for both the Canadians and Americans (he has duel citizenship) and has helped turn an average Colgate team into a conference contender. Point is the calming force for his team, doesn’t waste any actions, and can also make the dramatic and acrobatic save when needed.

Markus Ruusu

(6-foot-2, 174 pounds)
Acquired: Sixth round (163rd overall) in 2015
2017-18 team: Ilves (Liiga)
Potential full-time NHL duty: 2022-23

Still looking for success this season and has now been assigned to his third team in Finland. Athletic goalie that needs more poise in his game.