One of the biggest surprises for the Dallas Stars over the past few years has been the development of Justin Hryckowian. After signing him to an amateur tryout contract back at the beginning of the 2024-25 season, he quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the best young players in their system. He was so impressive in the minors that it earned him a cup of coffee in the NHL this past season.
Although he only played five games last season, he has a real chance to make the roster this season. If he has a strong training camp and preseason, he could easily find himself in Winnipeg for opening night. But what has Hryckowian done to earn this spot, and why should he become an everyday player for the Stars?
Why Justin Hryckowian can become a key piece to the Stars lineup
All the hype surrounding Hryckowian has to do with how dominant he was in his rookie season with the Texas Stars. After appearing in 19 games during the 2023-24 season, Hryckowian put in one of the best performances out of all the rookies in the AHL. In 67 regular-season games, he racked up 22 goals and 38 assists for 60 points. The highest point total among all AHL rookies. He also tallied nine goals and nine assists in 18 playoff games. This performance was enough to earn him the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award and a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team.
With how dominant he was in the AHL, he deserves a chance to become an everyday starter at the NHL level. It's clear that he's good enough to compete at the pro levels, and sending him straight back to Cedar Park could be seen as spinning the tires. What more does he have to prove down there? It's smarter to give him a real shot at a roster spot and have him be a solid contributor.
Now it's unfair to expect him to have the same level of success as he did in the AHL. However, just because he won't be a 60-point player in the NHL doesn't mean he won't make an impact. He's a two-way forward with a great hockey sense. This has allowed him to make an impact on both the offensive and defensive sides of the game. He's also played both winger and center during his career, allowing roster flexibility. This flexibility will enable Glen Gulutzan to be creative when it comes to lineup combinations.
Hryckowian also excelled on special teams. He was on both the power-play one and the penalty kill one in his rookie season. That's a lot of responsibility for a young player, and he handled it very well. He was able to notch 18 points on the power-play while helping Texas kill 82.5% of penalties. Now, Hyrckowian won't be on the top special teams units for the Stars; however, he could become a solid piece of the second unit. It could turn the Stars' power-play unit into a top ten unit in the NHL.
While the path for Hryckowian to make the roster will not be easy, he could be the piece this team is missing. He could be the player who gets the Stars over the top and back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2020.