I'm sure all of you are excited that the Dallas Stars training camp starts next week. To kick things off, the Stars will be hosting the Detroit Red Wings in town for a prospect exhibition on Saturday and Sunday night. It will allow both teams to see what their prospects need to work on, as well as determine if any of them are ready to be promoted to the next level of minor league hockey. It will be fun to see all the Stars' prospects participating in the events at the Comerica Center.
While I'm sure the fans who attend the games this weekend will be enjoying the games from the seats, the coaching staff for both the Stars and the Red Wings will be focused on other things. They will be watching with eagle eyes to see if any of their prospects need to improve their game in any way. I know Glen Gulutzan will be watching to see which prospects he wants to keep an eye on, in case they are ready for the NHL next season. Here are some things that the coaching staff will be watching for this weekend.
Things to Watch Out For: 1. Physicality
One of the things I know the Stars' coaching staff will be watching out for this weekend is prospects who will bring the physicality. That's one thing I know the new coaching staff is looking out for since they know it's the reason the Stars were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. They know the Florida Panthers are the best all-around team that can score and hit people. That's something that the Stars are looking to see which prospects can do that while maintaining being a scoring threat.
Things to Watch Out For: 2. Take over games
Another thing they will be watching for is if the prospects can take over a game like Mikko Rantanen did against the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. We all learned that playoff games aren't over until the buzzer at the end of the third period. The Stars could use a couple more Rantanen-like players on the roster who can hit as well. It's just another thing that I know the new coaching staff will be watching out for on the ice this weekend.
Things to Watch Out For: 3. Ability to be coached
I know this is something that doesn't pertain to what the players bring to the ice, but it's an important thing that coaches look for. The Stars aren't going to waste their time developing a prospect that won't listen to the Texas Stars Coaching Staff. Being able to add to your game and add something extra is what most teams are looking for in the next wave of NHL players. The Stars will be keeping an eye on which players show the ability to listen to critiques and their willingness to adapt to become NHL players.