Now that the 2020-21 Dallas Stars have officially re-signed Roope Hintz. Their roster looks ready for the 2020-21 season to start, whenever that may be. Looking up and down this line-up, the Stars are poised to make another run at Lord Stanley’s Cup. While at the same time heading into next season with so much uncertainty, the Stars still have a lot to look forward to with their young players. The Stars have a promising future ahead of them, with plenty of talent still developing in the pipeline. The real focus should be on the 2020-21 Dallas Stars young core from last season’s Stanley Cup final run.
Dallas Star’s Young Core Ready for Next Step
After a miraculous run in arguably the hardest Stanley Cup playoffs ever, the Dallas Stars took the NHL world by storm, battling their way to the Stanley Cup Finals. After a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, some positive has come from that experience. Despite losing two of their best players to injuries. The Stars have more than enough to work within their new young group.
With that being said, the whole NHL and fans know about the smooth-skating defenseman in Miro Heiskanen. A former third overall pick, Miro has exceeded expectations. The 21-year old Finnish born skater finished third on the team in points. In just 150 games played, he has recorded 68 points. Heiskanen also leads the team in the point shares last season with 7.8. While Miro is not even close to his full potential, other guys had an impact, as well.
Both Hintz and Denis Gurianov played pivotal roles during last season, as well. They both finished top ten on the team in points; Gurianov led the whole team in goals with 20. While Hintz was not far behind him, tied for second, with 19 goals. Now, Hintz did way more than just score. He was one of their most valuable players night in and night out for much of their season. With that being said, these three players combine have less than 400 NHL games played. Yet, they all finished in the top ten for point shares, proving their value in that alone.
But Wait, There’s More!
Moving down the roster, the 2020-21 Dallas Stars young core doesn’t stop there. Jason Dickinson made his presence known both on and off the ice. While battling with mental health issues, Dickinson has proven to be a depth guy moving forward. While he is not always the flashiest player, he gets the job done. Building off last season, he finished tenth on the team in points. While also ending up ninth in defensive point shares for the team.
Then there’s Joel Kiviranta. With the 2019-20 season being his first in the NHL. Kiviranta dressed for just 11 games and ended with one assist. It was not until the playoffs that he put his name on the map. In 14 games played, he scored five goals and one assist for six points. The most impressive part about this was when he scored a hat trick against the Colorado Avalanche. In comparison, his numbers don’t jump out at you. One does not simply score a hat trick in the NHL playoffs by accident. Yes, Kiviranta still has some things to prove. He looks like he has all the potential needed to be a contributing member of this team.
Talent in the Pipeline
Looking towards the future, the Stars have tons to work with within their developmental system. Future goaltender Jake Oettinger was able to see some NHL ice time in the playoffs too. Despite only filling in for a pulled Anton Khudobin, he stopped every shot he faced. Regardless if it was only eight shots, all things considered, that’s a good reference point moving forward. Now that Ben Bishop is out for at least five months, Oettinger should get more games under his belt come the 2020-21 season.
Last but certainly not least the 2020-21 Dallas Stars also have prospects that have been making waves as well. Guys like Jason Robertson, Thomas Harley, Riley Tufte, and much more. All are waiting for the chance to make a name for themselves. Overall, the Dallas Stars young core looks ready to compete for the following years.
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