The Dallas Stars prospect tournament is right around the corner, and tickets are now available for free. You can go to the Dallas Stars website and scroll down this article for the ticket link. It's free and the ticket is suitable for both days. The only thing you would be paying for is parking at the Comerica Center, and that's $15. It's going to be a fun time because this is basically the beginning of training camp for the Dallas Stars, since they begin that the week after this takes place.
For those who are new to the game of hockey, the Dallas Stars aren't the only team that does this. Other teams around the league have their prospects compete against other teams. This is so the development staff can get a baseline for what to watch over the course of this upcoming season. Here is what you can expect to see when the Dallas Stars Prospects take the ice in a week and a half.
Dallas Stars Prospect Tournament: 1. Chilled game
Now, the prospects probably all know that they won't be making the Dallas Stars roster this upcoming season, so they might not play at 100%. What you are going to see is the prospects skating up and down the ice trying to set up one another to get the puck past the opposing goaltender. There's a good chance that the Stars will try to install their new offense with the prospects if they get called up from Cedar Park. However, this is more of a learning experience for the young players.
Dallas Stars Prospect Tournament: 2. Get to see a sneak preview of some prospects
The one thing I can't wait for is to get a sneak peek at prospects like Emil Hemming and Cameron Schmidt. More than likely, both players will be returning to Canada to play for their respective junior clubs this season. However, it will be one of the only times that you will probably be able to watch both players in person. That's why I'm so excited that the Stars are hosting this season. It allows the DFW Metroplex to get a sneak preview of these two high-caliber players.
Dallas Stars Prospect Tournament: 3. Learning curve
Lastly, this prospect tournament will give all the prospects participating in the event stuff to work on over the course of the season. If the players want to make the NHL, they have to be able to play from day 1. Their coaching staff is not going to hold their hands during their first NHL game. That's why these prospect tournaments give prospects valuable information on what they need to work on. It could be the difference between being sent back down and making the Opening Night Roster.