2023 Dallas Stars NHL Draft Profile: Goaltender Adam Gajan

With the 2023 NHL Draft just right around the corner, the Dallas Stars are creating a short list of players that they can select with the 61st pick in the 2nd round. Without having a first-round pick this year, the Stars will most likely draft someone they can stash in college or junior hockey for a bit. However, the Stars might be forced to make an out-of-the-box pick if this player falls to them all the way at 61.

Most NHL teams don’t draft a goaltender until the late rounds of the draft. The Dallas Stars made an exception back in 2017 when they drafted a young goaltender out of Boston College by the name of Jake Oettinger.

This year might be another exception as the Stars have been linked to Chippewa Steel goaltender Adam Gajan. The 6’3 Slovakian goaltender that is committed to Minnesota Duluth this fall has turned the heads of multiple NHL Scouts. Gajan is currently projected to be drafted in the second or third round this year according to The Hockey Writers. According to Corey Pronman of The Athletic, Gajan is “the most athletic goalie in the draft and was named top goalie at the world juniors.”

Gajan has the ability to fill the crease and make it hard for shooters to get a good shot on goal. If you keep reading the prospect profile I linked in the paragraph above, He is basically a “junior version” of Jake Oettinger. His ability to get from post to post in a split second and his ability to track the puck makes him a prime candidate to be drafted by the Stars. The only issue that I saw in the report is he can get overconfident and gave up some bad rebounds.

I’m sure Dallas Stars Goaltending Coach Jeff Reese can work on fixing his bad rebounding issue. You don’t get many opportunities for a goalie of his caliber to fall right into your lap as you make your first selection in the draft. The Stars should really brake the rule of drafting a goalie late and make Gajan the 61st pick of the 2023 NHL Draft.