Dallas Stars 2018 Draft Profile: Center Barrett Hayton

With the 2018 NHL Draft rapidly approaching, it’s a good time to look at draft prospects. And with the Dallas Stars picking at no. 13, there is a substantial number of available talent. Today’s potential candidate is Barrett Hayton.

The 2018 NHL Entry is six days away from kicking off in Dallas, Texas. Between now and then, each NHL team has plenty of work to do and decisions to make. That includes the Dallas Stars.

The 2018 Draft will give the Stars a unique opportunity. And no, this opportunity doesn’t necessarily have to do with having home arena advantage. What the draft offers Dallas this year is a chance to take a first step in righting their wrongs. These wrongs are the ones associated with poor drafting in the first round over the past ten years or so.

But let’s focus solely on the Jim Nill era. Since taking over as GM in 2013, Nill has been responsible for seven first-round draft picks. He’s drafted three wingers, one center, two defensemen, and one goaltender.

It may seem pretty balanced, but when you take a deeper look, you can quickly see problems.

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Of those seven picks, only one has played in more than 60 games at the NHL level. That was Valeri Nichushkin, who spent the past two seasons in Russia and hasn’t played in an NHL game since May 11, 2016.

A first round pick is supposed to either be an immediate or “knocking on the door” prospect that is ready to take on the NHL. It doesn’t matter whether they are no. 1 or no. 31. The first round is supposed to contain surefire picks that are ready to play professional hockey sooner rather than later.

So, this year’s first pick must be a surefire candidate. The Dallas Stars will pick 13th (barring any trades or movement) in the first round.

But who should they select to make sure they maximize the potential of the pick? Well, let’s take a look at a few candidates.

A few days ago, we looked at the possibility of selecting Joe Veleno. Today, we will take a look at Barrett Hayton.

Barrett Hayton, Center

Height: 6’1

Weight: 190 lbs.

Current team: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

We made it clear in the Veleno profile piece, but we’ll make it clear again: the Dallas Stars need depth at the center position. The production they received from the center position was weak at the NHL level this past year and their center prospects aren’t the most promising.

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What they need from this draft is a game changer at the center spot that can prove to be a top-six option for the future. They need at least that much.

Enter Barrett Hayton. The left-handed center just turned 18 last week and is considered to be one of the top 10 centers in the draft class. He is also ranked as the no. 12 prospect by ISS Hockey and no. 9 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

The Ontario native might be the best choice for the Dallas Stars (assuming he is still on the board at no. 13).

First off, he’s got good size for a center. At 6’1 and 190 lbs., he can square up with the majority of centers in the league. On top of that, he knows how to use that size to his advantage in the offensive and defensive zone.

Hayton also has solid skating abilities, which is essential for any center. He knows how to break through with a powerful stride and has both impressive balance and an ability to change direction quickly. Whether he has the puck or not, he’s always moving and getting past the opposition with his speed.

When it comes to shooting, his skills are just as impressive. His biggest strength is that he can beat the defense in any number of ways when scoring. Sometimes, he’ll use his powerful shot on a wrister from a little ways out. But other times, he will defer the puck to a winger and crash the net in search of a rebound using his skating and frame to create space near the crease. He’s very unpredictable.

He also knows how to make the smart pass and make it in time. Hayton can move the puck around or take the shot, depending on the situation he sees on the ice. Overall, his accurate shooting combined with his vision and ability to create a play using his speed and passing ability make him a dangerous, dynamic forward.

On defense, he loves to use his size to his advantage. Hayton forechecks well in the defensive zone and can knock opponents off of the puck using his frame. This forechecking power also makes him a valuable asset to the penalty kill, where he can continually harass an opponent in an attempt to create a turnover.

Hayton spent the 2016-17 season adjusting to OHL play, scoring nine goals and tallying 27 points in 63 games. But in 2017-18, he broke out of his shell. He finished the year with 21 goals and 60 points in 63 games along with an outstanding +24 rating. Hayton followed that up with eight goals and 21 points in 24 postseason contests.

He was drafted ninth overall by the Greyhounds in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection and has spent the past two seasons with Sault Ste. Marie.

One area where Hayton can improve, however, is in the face-off dot. After winning 51.4 percent of his draws during his first season in the OHL, that number dropped to 49.9 in 2017-18. While that isn’t a bad number overall, it’s something to keep an eye on considering how important face-off skill is when talking about a center.

Skating has improved since his rookie year and he really has no holes in his game, Hayton has good size, hands, smarts and skill. He may lack any elite level attributes, but he is above average across the board and projects as a surefire NHL player with top six upside and a fantasy relevant floor. -Peter Harling (via Dobber Prospects)

But even so, Hayton shows plenty of potential and the promise to be a future top-six center in the NHL. As his skills continue to develop, he could very well find himself getting an NHL opportunity sooner rather than later.

The question is: will the Dallas Stars take him? In a recent mailbag, Sean Shapiro of The Athletic pointed out that though Hayton is a solid player, there still might be better and more promising talent left on the board. And considering the Stars’ lack of drafting that “best player available” talent over the last few drafts, this could be an important factor when considering Hayton as the potential pick.

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If a higher-ranked player with as much or more skill and a higher ceiling is available (regardless of position), do the Stars take him instead of Hayton? It’s a question that can only be answered after the first 12 selections go down (assuming the Stars are still in place at no. 13).

Will Hayton be the lucky 13th pick and the newest member of the Dallas Stars organization? Only time will tell.