Lucky 13? Five players Stars could take in first round

Drafting 13th overall is a challenge. It's certainly better than drafting 20th, but you still have to wait for a lot of stuff to shake out before you get your guy.
That's especially true this year, as the order of many mock drafts are changing daily and players who were predicted to go after 13th in earlier mocks now are going before -- some significantly before. That means the Stars have to be prepared.

COMPLETE DRAFT COVERAGE: [Who does DallasStars.com's Mike Heika have going No. 1 in his mock draft?]
Mix in the fact GM Jim Nill said he certainly will consider moving up or down, depending on the price and the opportunity, and you have a lot of players that Stars fans are asking about.

We'll give you five here that could fall in the range of 13th.
Front office personnel for the Stars stand by the "best player available" mantra, but they acknowledge that center is an area of need after Dallas took defenseman Miro Heiskanen and goalie Jake Oettinger in the first round last season. On the good side, it looks like the Stars will be selecting during a run of forwards, so they should be able to get the best player available and also maybe fill an area of need, as well.
Here are a few names to know:

Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, USA Hockey NTDP

Height: 6-foot-1
Weight:205 pounds
Shoots:Right
Born: June 13, 2000
There are three forwards who are getting a lot of buzz that are expected to be picked before 13th. Both Brady Tkachuk and Jesperi Kotkaniemi are moving up into top-six territory, but Wahlstrom seems to be hanging around 10-12. It's probably unlikely Wahlstrom would fall to the Stars -- and there is a chance that he actually gets taken much higher -- but if Dallas wanted to move up and didn't want to pay an exorbitant price, it might be able to nab Wahlstrom.
The big winger from Maine has great hands, and he has one of the best shots in the draft. He had 94 points (48 goals, 46 assists) in 62 games playing for USA's Under-18 team. He is scheduled to attend Boston College, so he will have more time to develop.
If Dallas walks out of Day 1 with Wahlstrom, Stars fans will be ecstatic.

Joseph Veleno, C, Drummondville

Height:6-foot-1
Weight:195 pounds
Shoots:Left
Born: Jan.13, 2000
Veleno is a versatile player who reads the game well and adjusts accordingly. He is smart and seems to be in the right place at the right time. That's one of the reasons he was able to pile up 79 points (22 goals, 57 assists) in 64 games while splitting time between Saint John's and Drummondville last season.
The only real criticism is his shot can be inconsistent, but he's more of a play-maker who gets the most out of his linemates. One of the great assets to Veleno's game is he is aggressive and relentless and often gets under the skin of the opposition. That would fit perfectly in Jim Montgomery's system.
The Islanders have two picks in front of the Stars, and the guess is if Veleno makes it that far, New York will take him.

Barrett Hayton, C, Sault Ste. Marie

Height:6-foot-1
Weight: 185 pounds
Shoots:Left
Born: June 9, 2000
Hayton fits the Jim Nill mold of "hockey sense" and is good at just about everything. He plays against the other team's best players and finished plus-24 last season. The Ontario native might be able to jump to the NHL after one season, and that timing could be great for a Stars team still seeking a No. 2 center. Yes, Roope Hintz and Jason Dickinson have a head start on Hayton, but it would be easy to see the development line of the young center if the Stars take him at 13th.
Some believe Hayton will go ahead of Veleno, and the order of picks will have a lot to do with who the Stars end up with.

Joel Farabee, LW, USA Hockey NTDP

Height:6-feet
Weight:168 pounds
Shoots: Left
Born: Feb. 25, 2000
Farabee is a hard player to define. He does not ooze the natural talent you would like to see at this level, but he just is a really good hockey player. The captain for Team USA, Farabee had eight points (four goals, four assists) in seven games at the World Junior Championship. The New York-born winger also had 76 points (33 goals, 43 assists) in 62 regular season games for the NTDP Under 18 team.
While he is dinged for his size, Farabee is seen as a good skater who knows how to get to the right place. The draft boards have him as high as five and as low as 27, so it's anybody's guess where he might go.

Rasmus Kupari, C, Karpat

Height: 6-foot-1
Weight:188 pounds
Shoots:Right
Born:March 15, 2000
Kupari is also a tough read because he struggled at times in the Finnish Elite League, was dynamic at the Ivan Hlinka Under 18 tournament, but was held scoreless in the World Juniors. The skilled center is compared to Carolina's Sebastien Aho, and that's a very encouraging comparison.
Kupari started the year with seven points (two goals, five assists) in four games at the Ivan Hlinka tournament, and then tallied 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 39 games for Karpat. He looked over his head at times playing against men, but is expected to catch up quickly. He will probably need at least one more season in Finland, so a team drafting him will know that.

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Lucky 13?

Here's who has been taken 13th overall in the NHL Draft over the past 10 years:
2017:Nick Suzuki, Vegas
2016: Jake Bean, Carolina
2015:Jakub Zboril, Boston
2014:Jakub Vrana, Washington
2013:Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg

2012:Radek Faksa, Dallas
2011: Sven Baertschi, Calgary
2010: Brandon Gormley, Arizona
2009:Zack Kassian, Buffalo
2008:Colton Teubert, Los Angeles
The center of the hockey universe will be in Texas on Friday and Saturday as the Stars host the 2018 NHL Draft™ presented by adidas for the first time ever at American Airlines Center. For complete Draft coverage, including the latest stories, videos and event information, click here.
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 Twitter @MikeHeika.
Read more: 2018 NHL Draft, Jim Nill, Dallas Stars