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With 10 points in 18 games, Colton Sceviour has provided secondary scoring the Stars desired for months. The seven goals emphasize his goal scoring in a way that distracts from his overall ability. In his quarter of a season of NHL games, he has shown himself to be a crafty two-way forward worthy of an NHL roster spot.
His ultimate upside is limited due to his age. The results are real. Demonstrated nightly is his ability to get pucks on net. Fiftty shots have left his stick and hit the net in those 18 games. A reasonable 14 percent of those shots have found their way into the net.
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin lead the Stars in goals per 60 minutes at even strength. Sceviour is third. Sceviour is tied for 10th on the club in goals. Whether this says more about Sceviour or the needs of the NHL roster is a topic for debate. I would suggest you take a little bit from Column A and a little bit from Column B.
These samples are obviously small. A few data points make them appear more impressive still. Sceviour's 958 PDO suggests he has been on the unlucky side, particularly when it comes to goals against. A mere .875 save percentage is what the Stars have mustered with him on the ice. He could look even better.
Lindy Ruff has been trusting him to play in his own end over his time in the NHL. Forty five percent of Sceviour's zone starts have been in the offensive zone. Antoine Roussel, Ryan Garbutt, and Vernon Fiddler are the only three forwards on the roster with a lower percentage. He still has a relatively low quality of competition. The trust hasn't reached top levels as of yet. However, Ruff's willingness to throw Sceviour consistently into his own end signifies a certain concrete level of trust.
If he continues to play this well the questions will creep back up as to why he was in the minors in the first place. The need for secondary scoring has been documented thoroughly. Could the Stars have used him sooner?
Answering that question isn't an obvious yes or no. On the one hand they needed the scoring. Losing Rich Peverley further amplified that need. Conserving assets and not risking the loss of potentially useful assets to waivers was the motivation for keeping Sceviour in Austin. There was no guarantee that Sceviour would perform right out of the gate. With healthy bodies available in the NHL risking Sceviour could be defended as unnecessary.
Sceviour has eight more games to seal his roster spot for 2015. With a two year contract extension in hand, he should be feeling more secure everyday. Realistically he fits in as a bottom six option, but it isn't unheard of for players to continue developing once they reach the NHL.
If the Stars are unable to acquire the second line scoring options they need to get to the next level, Sceviour could conceivably get a shot as a top six option next year. While this wouldn't be the primary option, it might not be a terrible one. Sceviour has surprised before. If he continues what he has started he is going to play himself into top six minutes come hell or high water.
So far he has done nothing to suggest he can't handle it.