The Dallas Stars have made some headlines this past week.
The Stars bought out the final year of Ryan Suter’s contract. The Stars’ decision will save $1.4 million with the buyout of Suter’s contract.
The Stars signed Texas Stars forward Oskar Back to a one-year, two-way contract starting in the 2024-25 NHL season. Back, 24, recorded 36 points (7 goals and 29 assists) in 59 regular season games and five points (2 goals and 3 assists) in seven Calder Cup Playoff games with Texas.
The Stars also signed Texas forward Alexander Petrovic to a two-year, two-way contract starting in 2024-25. Petrovic, 32, recorded two shots on goal in one regular season game with Dallas. Petrovic also recorded four shots on goal in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games with Dallas in 2024.
But the biggest headlines the past week were the Stars’ draft picks at the 2024 NHL Draft, which was held at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. Let’s take a closer look at the Stars’ draft picks.
Friday, June 28
The Stars had the 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Dallas selected Emil Hemming out of the SM-Liiga’s HC TPS. Hemming, 18, will be part of the Stars’ Finnish Mafia as he’s a right wing and a Vaasa, Finland native. The Finnish forward represented his native Finland at the 2024 World Junior Championships, where he recorded two assists and averaged eight minutes and 45 seconds through seven games. Finland finished in fourth place.
Hemming started the 2023-24 season in the juniors, recorded 11 goals and 18 points in 13 games, and received a promotion to the SM-Liiga. Hemming’s debut consisted of one goal against Oulun Karpat on September 20, 2023. As a fourth-line checker, Hemming finished 2023-24 with seven goals and four assists in 40 games.
Hemming’s arguably a strong, two-way player with a quality release. Hemming can shoot off both legs, off balance, and in several catch-and-release positions. He’s an arguable threat to score from a distance, gets pucks through defenders, and can score when he drives the net. He knows how to use contact to his advantage, win puck battles, and locate excellent spots off the puck. He could earn a bottom-six role. He might want to elevate his skating for an extra boost though.
Saturday, June 29
The Stars had the 158th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Dallas selected Niilopekka Muhonen out of the Finnish Liiga’s KalPa. Muhonen is a Finnish defenseman from Kuopio, Finland, and could be part of the Stars’ Finnish Mafia.
Muhonen joined fellow Finnish native, Emil Hemming, whom the Stars selected in the first round of this year’s draft. Muhonen’s pre-draft ranks were most, if not all, high, but his skating ability as a defensive defenseman might not translate well in the NHL. Well, at least not right away. But we’ll see what happens.
Lastly, Dallas had the 222nd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Draft. The Stars selected William Samuelsson out of Sodertalje Jr. Samuelsson is a Swedish center who’s a playmaker and a two-way player, respectively.
As a result, Dallas traded the rights of Chris Tanev to the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Max Ellis and a 2026 NHL Draft seventh round selection.
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