Stars glitter as hosts of 2018 NHL Draft

DALLAS --The Dallas Stars came away from the 2018 NHL Draft not only pleased with their eight roster additions, but also with how they hosted the event for the first time.
"I'm very proud of our organization and the city," general manager Jim Nill said Saturday. "I was talking to some people who said 25 years ago if they talked about hosting a draft in Dallas, some people would say, 'You're crazy.' And here we are. We're on the map, and I think the city did a great job of hosting everybody. The organization did a great job of planning this event. It's very good for Dallas, Texas."

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After drafting center Ty Dellandrea from Flint of the Ontario Hockey League with the No. 13 pick Friday, the Stars continue to focus on forward prospects. They chose forward Albin Eriksson of Skelleftea of the Swedish Hockey League in the second round (No. 44) and center Oskar Back of Farjestad of the SHL in the third round (No. 75).
Dallas' next three selections came from the OHL; forward Adam Mascherin of Kitchener (no. 100) and center Curtis Douglas of Windsor (No. 106) in the fourth round and center Riley Damiani of Kitchener in the fifth round (No. 137).
Their final two picks were from the Western Hockey League; defenseman Dawson Barteaux in the sixth round (No. 168) and forward Jermaine Loewen in the seventh round (No. 199).
Loewen is the first Jamaica-born player to be selected in the NHL Draft.
"I think if you talk to every team, everyone's going to say it was a good draft, but time will tell," Nill said. "It starts the process now. They're going to come to development camps, go back and play in their leagues, and let's see how they improve.
The Stars development camp, which takes place Tuesday through Friday, will be the first time on the ice for coach Jim Montgomery, who was hired May 4. He replaced Ken Hitchcock, who retired April 13.
"I can't wait for the next day to start doing more," Montgomery told the Stars website Friday. "We're going to know all the pieces of the puzzle and putting them in place and creating chemistry and synergy among staff, players and all that. That's what gets you excited."

Dellandrea, 17, had 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 67 games for Flint of the OHL, and five points (two goals, three assists) for gold medalist Canada in the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Eriksson, 17, had 40 points (22 goals, 18 assists) in 38 games in the Swedish juniors and had one assist in 17 games with Skelleftea.
"Couldn't be better to be picked by Dallas in Dallas," Eriksson said. "Just amazing."
Back, 18, had no points in played 14 games for Farjestad of the SHL. He had 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 38 games with Farjestad's junior team.