Draft wrap: Stars find valuable skill prospects in second day of NHL Draft

With the Stars missing their first two picks in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, they decided to swing for the fences in the third round, and hope they hit a home run with undersized winger Cameron Schmidt.

Listed at 5-8, 160, the Vancouver Giants product had 78 points (40 goals, 38 assists) in 61 games in the Western Hockey League and has some of the best reviews in this year’s draft.

“We think we got first-round talent with him, so we were excited,” said Joe McDonnell, the Stars’ director of amateur scouting. “You wish he was bigger, but we kind of see a Logan Stankoven kind of guy.”

Stankoven is listed at 5-8 and after the Stars drafted him, he dominated junior hockey, scoring 104 points (45 goals, 59 assists) in 59 games played, and then was among the top scorers in the AHL with 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) in 47 games. He was then the key piece in the trade that brought Mikko Rantanen to Dallas, and he helped the Carolina Hurricanes to the Third Round of the playoffs this season.

Schmidt seems to be on a similar tangent of strong production. The right-handed right winger already has a highlight reel of huge goals at age 18 and probably will add to it when he returns to the Giants.

“You need skill, and this kid has oodles of it,” McDonnell said. “Speed, scoring, compete, he has it all. The problem is he’s 5-7, but so is Logan. They play bigger.”

The Stars traded their first-round pick to San Jose in a deal that netted Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci. They moved their second-round pick to Chicago back in 2023 in the Max Domi trade. That made the task a little tougher, but McDonnell said the team has been leaning toward skill players anyway.

“You want to get as much skill as you can, because that’s where the value is,” McDonnell said. “You look at stay-at-home defensemen or third- or fourth-line players, and you can get those in free agency. They don’t have the value that the skill players have. So if we have a chance to get a big name, you have to do it. Even if it’s a swing and a miss, you have to at least try.”

Nill said he believes the team received great value with the 94th pick.

“We’re picking late third round, almost fourth round, but we think we got some good value,” Nill said. “Time will tell.”

The Stars took the best player available in each round, McDonnell said, and that netted a variety of prospects.

Dallas took Brandon Gorzynski in the fourth round (126th overall). The left wing from the Calgary Hitmen tallied 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) last season. Listed at 6-2, 185, Gorzynski is a high-energy, physical player, McDonnell said.

“He had a good second half of the season,” McDonnell said. “He had a slow start, but second half he took off and the Western guys were pounding the table for him.”

The Stars had just three picks last season, so the scouting staff was excited about the opportunity to put their research to work this year, McDonnell said. He said scout Shane Turner pushed hard for the choice of Dawson Sharkey in the sixth round (190th overall). Sharkey had 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 54 games for Acadie-Bathurst in the QMJHL. The fact that Turner was so enthusiastic is an important part of the scouting process.

“You need picks,” McDonnell said.

Dallas also grabbed another Finn in the fifth round. The Stars have one of the largest contingents of Finnish players in the NHL, so this wasn’t unexpected. Atte Joki is a center who tallied 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 40 games last season for Lukko.

“He’s hard working, with compete off the charts, that’s what he is,” McDonnell said.

The Stars then added a goalie in the fifth round with Swede Måns Goos. Listed at 6-5, he went 11-12-0 with a 3.17 GAA with Farjestad. He played with Sweden at the U18 World Championships.

“Måns Goos is a 6-foot-5 goalie,” McDonnell said. “He’s what you’re looking for. NHL goalies are huge, and he moves well.”

Dallas ended the day, taking an overage player in the seventh round (220 overall). Charlie Paquette is 19 years old. He’s listed at 6-2, 207 and had 37 goals among 70 points for Guelph in the OHL. He also wore an alternate captain’s “A” this season.

“He’s going to Guelph, he’s going to be the leader there,” McDonnell said. “He’s older, but it’s going to work out for him.”

The players will report to Frisco this week as the Stars start their summer development camp session on Monday.

“You talk about the process,” Nill said. “It’s not only the drafting, but what happens next. We’ve got players flying in here to start development camp, and now the process starts. We’ve got a great staff that works on the development part. We’ve got results from it, so we’re comfortable with it.”

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.