First Shift 🏒
Maybe the best thing about the Stars and their AHL affiliate is that Glen Gulutzan has coached the coaches.
That’s right, when Gulutzan was working his way up through the ranks, he was head coach of the Texas Stars from 2009-11. On those rosters were Travis Morin and Max Fortunus, who are now assistant coaches for the Texas Stars. A year later, Gulutzan moved up to the Dallas Stars and coached Toby Petersen, who is now the head coach of the AHL affiliate in Cedar Park.
It’s been a great connection for the organization and is paying dividends for games like Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Islanders, when Dallas had to call up Matthew Seminoff and Dylan Hryckowian from the minors.
“You’ve got to be connected, and I think Petey, Mo and Forty do a great job down there,” Gulutzan said. “We’re playing the identical systems this year. I’ve watched (the coaches) work, and they’re detailed, so when the kids come up, they’re in the right spots.”
Seminoff played 8:53 and had two shots on goal and one hit. Hryckowian played 10:03 and had one shot on goal and was plus-1. Those were important contributions in a 6-3 win for a team that was missing Matt Duchene, Sam Steel, Oskar Bäck, Radek Faksa and Esa Lindell.
“It’s special having two guys come up and make their debut,” said forward Robertson, who scored two goals. “I think our farm system in Texas, even back when I was there, they do a great job preparing guys for moments like this. Since I have been here, guys have come in and they know what to do. It’s a top-notch organization below us and it helps us at moments like this.”
Seminoff, 22, was a sixth-round pick of the Stars in 2022. He is in his fourth season with the Texas Stars and has 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 7 games. Hryckowian, 22, is a free agent out of Northeastern University and has 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 8 games with Texas.
Hryckowian is the younger brother of Stars forward Justin Hryckowian, so it was a big night for the duo from Quebec. Gulutzan started them both on a line with Benn, and that made for a special moment.
“There’s so much respect for the organization and the coaching staff to do that,” Justin said. “They didn’t have to do that and putting us out there with Jamie, who played with his brother, that was special. We’ll remember that forever.”
And there could be more memories to come. None of the injured players practiced on Monday, and recently signed free agent David Perron likely isn’t ready to play yet, Gulutzan said. That means the two rookies could be back in the lineup Tuesday against New Jersey.
If that happens, they’ll be ready.
“The staff there does a great job,” said Hryckowian, who had 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) in 67 games in 2024-25 in the AHL and was named Rookie of the Year. “I think it’s pretty easy, because the systems are pretty similar if not exactly the same, so it makes the transition a little easier. There’s less thinking and you can just show up and play. I loved my time down there and it grew me into an NHL player.”
