Arttu Hyry shines as Stars open preseason play with win over Blues

Arttu Hyry is in a good place.

Now, to be realistic, he could start the season with the Texas Stars in the AHL – and that’s after playing in four playoff games with Dallas last season. So… perhaps not as good as it could be.

But if you look at the big picture for this upcoming season, there’s a good chance the 25-year-old Finn will spend a great deal of time with the Stars in the NHL.

“I really like him,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “He’s such a solid two-way player. He’s got an NHL body, he’s a big guy, and he’s got a hockey IQ, which you like.”

Hyry made a mark quickly in preseason, scoring 16 seconds into a 2-1 win at St. Louis on Saturday to kick off the Stars’ four-game preseason slate. It was a bang-bang play on a nice pass from Cameron Hughes. Hyry played 18:51, took a team-leading six shots on goal and went 11-6 in the faceoff circle, so you could argue he was the team’s most impactful player.

“He does so many things well,” Gulutzan said.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Finland in 2024, Hyry jumped into the AHL and made a significant impact. He had 49 points (24 goals, 25 assists) in 67 games and showed attention to detail in all aspects of the game. Last season, he split time between the AHL and NHL, getting 19 points (9 goals, 10 assists) in 27 games with Texas and had 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in 20 NHL games.

In the step up to the NHL, Hyry looked very comfortable. He averaged 11:47 in time on ice per game, including 2:04 on the penalty kill. That was among the Stars forward leaders in the games where he played. He also was second on the team in faceoff winning percent at 57.9 percent, and that is a big part of his game.

Hyry slotted in as a top line player on Saturday, and that is different from his normal role, but he said he tries to look at every game the same.

“I play my own game,” he said. “I just focus on the draws and keep my feet moving and skate hard and work. That’s my game no matter if I play 11 or 17 minutes.”

That same attitude could be key if he does have to start in the AHL. Dallas has a tight salary cap this year, and that could mean Hyry will have to show some patience. Then again, if a player gets hurt, he will likely be one of the first call-ups.

“I go day by day and try to do my best and I’ll see where it takes me,” he said.

That’s kind of how he got here.

“He’s just very consistent,” Gulutzan said. “I think that’s the key. He plays hard and he plays smart, and he’s just very consistent.”

Notebook: Dallas had a 28-24 advantage in shots on goal against the Blues…Rémi Poirier started the game and stopped 11 of 12 shots to get the win. Brandon Halverson played the third period and stopped all 12 shots he faced…Hyry and Jack Becker scored the goals. Becker, 29, is in his fifth season in the Stars organization. He had 40 points (14 goals, 26 assists) in 71 games with the Texas Stars last season…Dallas will have Sunday off and return with a preseason game Monday at home against Minnesota.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.