Dallas Stars Prospect Update: Cody Payne, Gemel Smith Have Big Weeks In The OHL

The majority of Dallas Stars prospects started action this week with the rest of the CHL starting their respective seasons. Some of the Stars more experienced prospects, Gemel Smith and Cody Payne, had excellent starts to their seasons. John Klingberg also returned to action for Frolunda after beginning reassigned.

OHL

The Ontario Hockey League restarted this week and has seen all the Stars prospects in the OHL play, apart from Faksa. Radek Faksa was at the Stars' training camp and was only reassigned on Saturday. He has yet to suit up for a game.

The Stars second first round pick from 2013, Jason Dickinson, had a solid start with a goal and an assist in the first game of the season for the Guelph Storm. He assisted on their OT winner against the Erie Otters.

Remi Elie has yet to register a point for the stacked London Knights. Despite having a number of players at various training camps they were still able to put on the ice a team with nearly double digits worth of drafted prospects. How Elie develops on such a stacked team will have to be carefully watched as the season progresses.

Nick Paul has yet to register a point for the North Bay Battalion. He has played in all three of their games this week. However playing on their top six Paul should have the chance to produce and develop his offensive game.

Matej Paulovic, despite his highly productive pre season, has yet to register a point in his first two regular season OHL games. Its reasonably impressive that he is only a -1 considering that the Petes first game resulted in a 11-4 shellacking at the hands of the Kingston Frontenacs.

The Saginaw Spirit have lost both of their games this week, though through no fault of Cody Payne. He has scored four of their six goals this season. If the Spirit want to get somewhere this season they are going to have to get more than just three players scoring for them.

Gemel Smith registered a hat trick in his first game of the season for Owen Sound. It came during their 5-3 victory over the Mississauga Steelheads. In his second game of the week, against Paulovic's Petes, he registered a single goal. He is also wearing one of the 'A's for Owen Sound this season.

WHL

The Western Hockey League began as well this week with all four of the Stars prospects being in action. Winther has been the most impressive of these groups of prospects.

Dmitry Sinitsyn has registered the first point of his WHL career. It was, as expected, an assist on a powerplay goal for the Pats. He appears to be filling the role as a classic powerplay quarterback for the Pats. The Pats lost both of their games against the Swift Current Broncos. He also received praise from Corey Pronman (Of Hockey Prospectus and ESPN)

Through one for SC-REG very impressive period for WSH's Stephenson. Also liked Burroughs (NYI) and Sinitsyn (DAL).

— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) September 22, 2013

Branden Troock played his first game of the regular season for the Seattle Thunderbirds. He finished a -1 in their 4-3 win over WHL Champions, Portland Winterhawks. Its good to see him back in action considering his injury past. Hopefully he will stay healthy for the majority of the season to help him get his development back on track.

Cole Ully has scored a single goal in the Kamloop Blazers back to back games against the Kelowna Rockets. The Blazers lost both of the games in a score of 5-2. He was the Third Star in their friday game.

Mike Winther has had the best week of the WHL prospects scoring a goal and having two assists in the Raiders back to back games with the Saskatoon Blades. All those came in the first game, a 6-1 win, in which Winther finished with a +5 rating. His effort earned him the First Star of the game. In the second game he went pointless and had an even +/- rating in their 6-5 loss to Saskatoon. He wasn't on the ice for any of the even strength goals scored by either side.

QMJHL

Troy Vance had a goal and an assist in Charlottetown Islanders 5-4 victory against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Despite this he was on the ice for several of the Cape Breton goals and it was mistakes by him that led directly to those goals. He finished his second game with no points and a -1 rating.

Maxime Lagace saved 32 of 37 shots against his former team. He played all but 37 seconds of the game and finished with a .864SVS%.

Phillippe Desrosiers played his first game of the season, 26 shots of 28. He finished with a .928SVS%. He let both of the goals in during the last 6 minutes of the third period. Rimouski Oceanic would lose that game 2-1. However he would be pulled during Rimouski Oceanic's 6-2 loss to the Quebec Remparts. He let in 4 goals on 17 shots in the first half an hour and was replaced.

Sweden

John Klingberg returned to Sweden on Monday, after playing in Dallas on Sunday, and was in the lineup for Frolunda on Tuesday. In his first game back and played just over 18 minutes. It is quite impressive considering he was likely jetlagged from the journey. He got his first goal, a 5-3 powerplay goal, against Farjestad on Tuesday. He went pointless in their third game of the season.

Ludwig Bystrom has played two games on Farjestad's third defensive pairing. He went pointless through those two games and played less than 14 minutes in each of those two games. He helped set up one of the goals that put Farjestad's lead out of reach of Klingberg's Frolunda.

Highlights of this game can be found here. Klingberg is 15 in red, Bystrom 6 in white.

Niklas Hansson continues to play on Rogle's third defensive pairing. He has let to register a point so far this season for Rogle.

Emil Molin missed Brynas' first game of the week due to illness. He suited up for their second game of the week and played a gargantuan 34 seconds. He went pointless.

Finland

Henri Kiviaho has suited up several times as the backup for KalPa. He has yet to see action in a game however. KalPa are currently last in the SM-Liiga.

I haven't been able to find any updated statistics for either Esa Lindell or Aleksi Makela.

*The SHL website counts Molin as having 'played' games even if he did not touch the ice. Despite having only touched the ice in one game he therefore is still listed as having 'played' three.