Ritzy’s run: Justin Hryckowian leaving it all on the table in hunt for NHL roster spot

The recent surgery for Stars captain Jamie Benn is an opportunity for at least one young forward to challenge for a roster spot.

And while they don’t want to look at it quite that way, Stars players know that it’s part of the business.

“Obviously, you hate to see a guy like that going down, he’s been great to me, too, so hopefully he gets back soon,” said Stars forward Justin Hryckowian before a 4-1 preseason loss to Colorado on Saturday.

That said, the 24-year-old who signed a free agent contract with Dallas in 2024, is doing everything he can to make the roster no matter who is healthy or injured. Hryckowian had a fight in his first preseason game and a goal on Thursday against Minnesota. Saturday’s game was a little more tame, but he played 20 minutes in almost every aspect of the game, and continued to impress the coaches.

“It’s a young guy having a good camp and he’s got to keep it going,” Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said. “He’s done a really good job. I’m impressed with his work.”

That has been the calling card of Hryckowian. The Quebec native played two seasons in the USHL, and then was a member of the Northeastern Huskies hockey team. There, the Stars’ recruiting staff led by assistant general manager Scott White and Director of Player Development Rich Peverley convinced Hryckowian to sign a free agent contract.

“Both of those guys played a huge part in getting me here,” Hryckowian said. “They have both been great to me since my sophomore year in college. They’ve been loyal up front, straightforward, so it was pretty easy for me to come here.”

Ironically, though, a chance meeting with Joe Pavelski might have really pushed his decision. While watching a Stars game, he was able to chat with Pavelski.

“It was important for me in picking where I wanted to go was to go to a winning team, a team that was knocking on the door,” Hryckowian said. “I was speaking with Joe Pavelski when I came out to watch a game and he was harping on that, on how important it is in the transition.”

That says a little something about Hryckowian. Last season, he joined the Texas Stars and was named the Rookie of the Year in the AHL. What’s more, he led Texas in the playoffs with 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists) in 14 games and clearly pushed his level up at the most intense time of the season.

“Ritzy is a special hockey player,” said Neil Graham, who coached Hryckowian in the AHL and now is assistant coach with the Dallas Stars this season. “His habits, his details, his preparation are very unique. I’ve been around a lot of good athletes and he takes it to another level. I think he understands the importance of what he has to do. He has to earn it, he has to fight for it.”

Ironically, Hryckowian did just that in his first game, asking for a fight and celebrating afterward to help fire up the American Airlines Center crowd.

“The way I see it is if things weren’t to go my way, and you get sent down, the last thing I would want to feel is any sense of regret or the feeling I didn’t leave everything on the table,” Hryckowian said. “So for me, I just wanted to show that this means something to me and I want to be a part of this.”

Benn was still in the hospital on Saturday after surgery to repair a collapsed lung, but Gulutzan said he expects a good recovery. That said, original reports are that he can’t fly and probably needs to be overly cautious in his rehab for at least four weeks. That means somebody is going to clinch a spot on the NHL roster.

“We can certainly community coverage that, and that’s what we’ll probably do,” Gulutzan said. “We’re still not married to lines, we’re waiting to see how things go.”

Expect Hryckowian to find a way to be a part of the conversation.

“You’re rooting for him,” said Graham.

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.