The Dallas Stars have finished the 2024 NHL Draft, and the front office will return to the DFW Metroplex shortly. Last night, the Stars stunned everyone by drafting Emil Hemming with the 29th pick in the first round. He's a playmaker who can snipe the puck, but fans were surprised the Stars didn't take the top defenseman on the board. However, the Stars made up for it on Day two by selecting a defenseman in the fifth round earlier today.
The Stars continued the Finland route by drafting 6'5 defenseman Niilopekka Muhonen. The 18-year-old defenseman could potentially be Lian Bichsel's linemate down the road and would make a great defensive pairing. I'm sure the Stars will let him develop for a couple of seasons. He played 27 games with Kalpa Jr this past season and registered four goals and seven assists. He's got some development to do in Finland before making his way to Cedar Park.
The Stars would wrap up the draft by drafting Swedish center William Samuelsson. He recorded 18 goals and 26 assists with Södertälje Jr last season. He was second on the team in points. He's got an offensive mindset, but it wouldn't hurt for him to work on the defensive game for a couple of seasons in Sweden. Solid value for a seventh-round pick if you ask me.
Before we wrap up the draft series, we have to talk about the trade that went down at the end of the Draft. The Dallas Stars traded Chris Tanev's rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a seventh-round pick in 2026 and Max Ellis. I'm guessing from the trade that the Stars and Tanev were far apart on a new deal, and Tanev told the Stars Toronto had the money. Stars' fans wish Chris Tanev all the best, as he will probably reach an agreement with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) June 29, 2024
We have traded the rights to Chris Tanev to @MapleLeafs for Max Ellis and a 2026 #NHLDraft 7th Round Selection.
Welcome to #TexasHockey, Max! pic.twitter.com/ibLzLNRIXC
Overall, I thought the Stars did well on the final day of the NHL draft. They picked up two solid prospects that could find their way to Dallas shortly. I thought last night's selection was okay, but they should have drafted defenseman EJ Emery. However, I'm not an NHL Draft Scout for the Stars, so I'll sit back and watch these three prospects develop over the next few seasons. That's it for this year's NHL Draft coverage at Blackout Dallas. We will be back on Monday as we shift to free agency coverage. Enjoy your Sunday, and always remember to wish upon a shooting star if you see one.