STAR GAZING: SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
1) The Dallas Stars' prospects finished fifth among the eight participating teams at the 2015 Traverse City Prospects Tournament, defeating the Minnesota Wild prospects by a 7-2 count in their final game. A blown 4-2 lead in the third period of the Stars' game against the Detroit Red Wings prospects -- ultimately a 5-4 loss for Dallas -- cost the Stars a berth in the championship game against the Columbus Blue Jackets prospects.
2) Twenty-two year old center Mattias Janmark led all of the Dallas prospects in scoring in Traverse City, recording six points (two goals, four assists) in the four games he played. Originally a third-round pick by Detroit (79th overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft, the Stars acquired the Swedish prospect last season in the deal that sent veteran Erik Cole to the Red Wings.
3) NHL.com selected Stars 2014 first-round pick Julius Honka as one of its 11 standout performers at Traverse City. The 19-year-old defenseman was a plus-four in the tournament and and chipped in three points (one goal, two assists) in the four games. Honk played last season with the AHL's Texas Stars due to a loophole in the CHL-AHL player age-in eligibility agreement. He was technically exempt from the because, although he spent the 2013-14 season with the WHL's Swift Current Broncos he did so on loan from Finnish team JYP Jyvà¤skylà¤. Players affiliated with European teams at the time they are drafted are not subject to the requirement of being 20 years old before playing in the American Hockey League.
4) Stars beat writer Mike Heika wrote a good profile article looking at Rich Peverley's decision to retire and accept a hockey operations position with the Stars organization. He also has a brief overview of the impending NHL roster battle between Jamie Oleksiak and Jyrki Jokipakka for playing time in coach Lindy Ruff's lineup. As mentioned in last week's HockeyBuzz blog on former first-round pick Oleksiak, he is no longer waiver exempt if the Stars want to send him to the AHL's Texas Stars.
5) The Stars recently released their 2015-16 broadcast schedule. Click here for the schedule in PDF format. There will be a change in the booth this season, as veteran hockey broadcaster Dave Strader will replace iconic Stars play-by-play man Ralph Strangis. Strangis will be paired with longtime color analyst Darryl "Razor" Reaugh, who enters his 20th season of broadcasting with the Stars. Although Strader is a smooth and polished professional in his own right, the long-running chemistry between the "Ralph and Razor" team will be hard to replace.