Class in session: Stars development camp kicks off in Frisco

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused all sorts of stops and starts with the NHL, but the decision to move development camp back to September might be a good one for the Dallas Stars.
The Stars will host 24 players for a development camp in Frisco this weekend and then send a team of prospects off to Traverse City, Michigan next week for four games against other team's prospects. That will lead directly into NHL training camp for Dallas, and the process should be a good thing, general manager Jim Nill said.

"We have to adjust, but it can definitely be a good thing," Nill said. "We're able to get to know each other this week and then move right into Traverse City, and that should be a great reset for everybody. We get to know the players and they get to know us. It's like a mini training camp where they can become more of a team before we start playing games."
The camp will be closed to the public because of the pandemic but getting everyone together is a big step forward for the Stars.
The organization typically holds development camp in the summer and sends younger players to offseason training with some assignments. This year, they've been communicating from a distance and will bring everyone together now in person for the first time. That's an interesting twist, especially when you consider that the Texas Stars coaching staff will run the camp, and head coach Neil Graham is welcoming new assistant coaches in Maxime Fortunus and Ryan Daniels.
"There's a lot that we're looking forward to," said Stars assistant general manager Scott White, who also serves as general manager of the Texas Stars. "The Texas Stars staff is pretty young and new, so it'll be good for all of us to get to know each other, and for the staff and the players to get to know each other. I think we should have a good team on paper, but you still have to do it on the ice, and this is a great start for them."
In addition to all the coaches and support crew getting to mix with the Dallas Stars players and coaches, this also will be a great chance for the Stars to get to know some of the European players who will be coming over. Among those who could make an impact are Oskar Back, Jacob Peterson and Fredrik Karlstrom, who have been percolating overseas and are expected to be significant members of the Texas Stars.
"Back, Peterson, Karlstrom, they've all played well, so we're excited to see them and see how they adjust to North America," White said. "We've seen players take some time, and we've seen others jump right in, so we'll see. I know they're good players, but there also is a period of adjustment."

They'll be in the mix with better known forwards Riley Damiani and Ty Dellandrea. Damiani was the AHL Rookie of the Year with 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 36 games last season. Dellandrea was the 13th overall pick in 2018 and played 26 games with the Dallas Stars last season (tallying three goals and two assists). Like 2019 first-round pick Thomas Harley, they'll receive a good share of the eyeballs in camp and in Traverse City.
Both White and Nill said that while the roster has a lot of veterans, there is always room for a younger player to change some minds.
"You do need to force the decision-makers within the organization to make decisions, and so their play will dictate where they go," White said. "This is a great chance for all of them to get off to a great start. If they're ready to play, it's up to us to figure out a way to keep them here."
While Nill added, "There are some very good players and they have a chance to make decisions very hard on us, and that's exactly what I want."
While recent draft picks like Wyatt Johnston (23rd overall in 2021) or Mavrik Bourque (30th overall in 2020) are expected to return to their junior teams after camp, just being with the NHL group can be a huge step for them.
"I think when a young player gets to meet a Jamie Benn, that's a big deal, so all of this is important to moving our group forward," White said. "There are a lot of positive things we can accomplish. They get to meet the NHL coaches, the trainers, the players, and that's a good thing. It can be overwhelming at times, but I think it's good to take it all in and then go out on the ice and just play."
And while navigating the pandemic has been challenging, that's the key to everything going forward - just going out and playing the game of hockey.
"I tell it to them all of the time," White said. "There's a lot going on here, but the key is just focusing on the ice and playing your game."
Below is a list of players attending the Stars 2021 development camp:
Forwards
48 Yauheni Aksiantsiuk
54 Francesco Arcuri
37 Oskar Back
45 Mavrik Bourque
13 Riley Damiani
10 Ty Dellandrea
43 Tye Felhaber
53 Wyatt Johnston
41 Fredrik Karlstrom
42 Jordan Kawaguchi
40 Jacob Peterson
52 Conner Roulette
57 Logan Stankoven
71 Antonio Stranges
27 Riley Tufte
Defensemen
65 Dawson Barteaux
59 Artem Grushnikov
55 Thomas Harley
60 Jacob Holmes
51 Max Martin
58 Luka Profaca
46 Ryan Shea
Goaltenders
50 Remi Poirier
31 Adam Scheel
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This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.