Ones to watch: Stars prospects face tough competition in Traverse City

The Dallas Stars open training camp Sept. 14 in Idaho, but the team's top prospects will get a head start on things when they hit the ice beginning Friday at the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.
"It's a good tournament, high-intensity, playoff-like games," said Stars general manager Jim Nill. "They play against similar players, similar age, similar status in their careers. You get a feel for who they are and where they fit in, how they've progressed and developed."

RELATED: [Click here for complete coverage of the 2018 Traverse City Prospect Tournament]
The Stars will take 24 players to Traverse City, including five of the team's top 10 prospects according to the latest rankings by The Hockey News. That group includes highly-touted defenseman Miro Heiskanen, the third overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, who is expected to play in the NHL this season, forward Ty Dellandrea, the 13th overall pick in 2018, forwardRoope Hintz (second round/2015), who will compete for NHL time this season, goaltender Colton Point(fifth round/2016), who is turning pro after an outstanding season at Colgate University, and forward Jason Robertson (second round/2017), who should be one of the top goal scorers for a third straight season in the Ontario Hockey League.

Other notable prospects are forwards Nick Caamano (fifth round/2016) and Adam Mascherin (fourth round/2018) who both are coming off strong junior careers and will turn pro this season.
The Stars are taking a deeper roster to the tournament than the past couple years. The 2018 edition features 16 draft picks and three players signed by the Stars as free agents. Last season, for example, the team took only nine draft picks and three of its signed free agents to the tournament.
"Over the last three or four years, I think we have added to our depth well, and now we are starting to see that," Nill said. "It's a good group of players, so we are excited to see them play."

The tournament will provide Stars management, coaches, and scouts an opportunity to see how that good group of players stacks up against some top prospects from other NHL teams and it gives the prospects a chance to get noticed headed into main training camp. Three years ago, a strong showing in Traverse City helped pave the way for Mattias Janmark making the Dallas roster for the 2015-16 season.
The tournament, which runs Friday through Tuesday, features prospect teams from Detroit, Minnesota, New York Rangers, Carolina, Columbus, Chicago, and St. Louis.
Here's a look at the rosters the other teams are bringing:

New York Rangers

The Rangers, who are the Stars' first opponent at the tournament, are bringing 13 NHL draft picks to Traverse City, including nine of their own selections.
The roster features two first-round picks in forwards Lias Andersson (2017-7th overall) and Filip Chytil (2017-21st overall), both of whom saw some NHL action last season and should be regulars this season. There is also Brett Howden, the 27th overall pick by Tampa Bay in 2016, whom the Rangers acquired in a deal at last season's trade deadline.
Five players on the roster are among the Rangers' top 10 prospects according to The Hockey News.
The Rangers, who are undergoing a rebuild, have restocked their prospect pool the past couple years and Andersson, Chytil, and Howden give them a good base at forward in Traverse City, and their defense has some depth with six NHL draft picks. Their top goaltending prospects aren't available for the tournament, so they'll rely on free agent tryouts, and one is Jeremy Brodeur, who is under contract with the Allen Americans and played for the Stars at last year's tournament.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings will be the second opponent for the Stars.
They are bringing 16 NHL draft picks to the tournament including four first-round picks: forwards Filip Zadina (2018-6th overall), Michael Rasmussen (2017-9th overall), andJoe Veleno (2018-30th overall) and defensemanDennis Cholowski (2016-20th overall). Six players on the Detroit roster are among the team's top ten prospects according to The Hockey News.
Among the players suiting up for the Red Wings is 2016 second-round pick Givani Smith, younger brother of Stars forward Gemel Smith .
The Red Wings are in a rebuilding phase, and their tournament roster has talent up front with Zadina, Rasmussen, and Veleno and a defense that features Cholowski, five other draft picks, and two players under contract to Grand Rapids of the AHL.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild will be the third and final opponent for the Stars in divisional play at the tournament.
They are bringing 15 NHL draft picks to Traverse City, including 13 of their own selections. There are no first-rounders, but there is Jordan Greenway, a second-round pick in 2015 who joined the Wild out of college late last season and played six regular-season games and five in the playoffs. DefensemanLouie Belpedio also joined the Wild out of college last season, played in one game and tallied two assists. Five of The Hockey News' top ten Wild prospects are on the roster.
Minnesota's top two prospects -- forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Luke Kunin-- won't play in Traverse City, but the Wild still have Greenway, who is expected to be an NHL player this season, and another good forward in Ivan Lodnia, who spent a little time in the AHL last spring after his season in juniors ended.
The Stars will play one of Carolina, Columbus, Chicago, or St. Louis in the crossover playoff round once divisional play concludes. Here's a look at those teams.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have 13 draft picks on their roster, including four first-round selections.
The big name for Carolina is forward Andrei Svechnikov, the second overall pick in the 2018 Draft, who should be one of the top rookies in the NHL. Other first-rounders include forwardsMartin Necas (2017-12th overall), who is expected to be another top rookie in the league, and Julien Gauthier(2018-21st overall), and defenseman Jake Bean (2016-13th overall). Forward Janne Kuokkanen, a second-round pick in 2016, played four NHL games with the Hurricanes last season.
Seven of the team's top 10 prospects, as ranked by The Hockey News, are on the roster. The Hurricanes have one of the top prospect pools in the league, and with Svechnikov and Necas along with Gauthier and Kuokkanen, they have some serious talent up front.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets' roster is heavy on free-agent tryouts, and light on draft picks.
Their roster has seven NHL draft picks, just five of their own, including one first-rounder, forwardLiam Foudy (2018-18th overall). They're also suiting up five free agents signed to entry-level contracts. Four of the team's top 10 prospects, as ranked by The Hockey News, are expected to be in Traverse City.
Among the free agent tryouts is former Dallas defense prospect Michael Prapavessis, a fourth-round pick in 2014 whom the Stars opted not to sign to a contract. The slick-skating Foudy will be a player to watch for the Blue Jackets up front, andRyan Collins (second round/2014) is the lone draft on a defense that features seven free agent tryouts.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks are bringing 13 NHL draft picks to Traverse City including three first-round picks: defensemen Adam Boqvist(2018-8th overall), Nicolas Beaudin (2018-27th overall), and Henri Jokiharju (2017-29th overall).
ForwardVictor Ejdsell, a free agent signed by Nashville and then acquired by the Blackhawks, played six games in the NHL last season, forwardDylan Sikura (sixth round/2014) played five NHL games, and defenseman Blake Hillman(sixth round/2016) has played four NHL games.
Four of Chicago's top 10 prospects, as ranked by The Hockey News, are on the roster.
Among the free agent tryouts is Shaw Boomhower, who played for the Stars at Traverse City last year. The Blackhawks, who won the tournament last year, have a strong defense with first-rounders Boqvist, Beaudin, and Jokiharju and five other blueliners that are all NHL draft picks, and the forward group has some pro experience, including at the NHL level.

St. Louis Blues

The Blues are bringing a deep roster that features 18 NHL draft picks, including 17 of their own selections.
Forward Robert Thomas(first round 2017-20th overall) is one of the NHL's top prospects and forward Jordan Kyrou (second round/2016) is another high-end prospect. Forwards Klim Kostin (2017-31st overall) and Dominik Bokk (2018-25th overall) are two other first-round picks on the St. Louis roster. Defenseman Mitch Reinke, a free-agent signing out of Michigan Tech, played one NHL game last season.
The Hockey News'top five St. Louis prospects all are on the roster for Traverse City and goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick, who helped Acadie-Bathurst win the QMJHL championship and Memorial Cup last season, is expected to turn pro this season.
The Blues have one of the top prospect pools in the NHL, and they have a strong group in Traverse City highlighted by Thomas, Kyrou, Kostin, and others.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mark Stepneski has covered the Stars for DallasStars.com since 2012. Follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.