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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Get to Know New Defenseman Chris Martenet

While there haven’t been any fresh faces to get to know since free agency started, we still have five shiny new draft picks to learn more about. To help us out with that, Mark Stepneski checked in with defenseman Chris Martenet, the Stars’ fourth-round selection.

Joe McDonnell, the team’s Director of Amateur Scouting, and Martenet himself had this to say about what he brings to the table.

“His whole year was on an upward swing. He’s an athlete,” said Joe McDonnell, Stars Director of Amateur Scouting. “He’s going to be a simple, first-pass guy with that long range, long mobility. For his size, he’s a very good skater.”

Said Martenet: “I am a defensive defenseman. I will jump in the play from time to time. I try to make a good first pass, make sure I try to bear down in the D-zone. I am a good skater I like to think, move well. That’s pretty much what I bring to the table. I’ll block shots, and I’ll do whatever is necessary to win.”

On draft day, Martenet was listed as being 6-foot-7, 198 pounds, but he tells Stepneski that he’s added weight to his frame since that measurement was taken at the beginning of the season.

NHL Central Scouting listed Martenet at 198 pounds, something the young defenseman corrected at last month’s draft.

“That [weight] was the beginning of the season. I am 210 now,” Martenet said. “I’d like to get up to 230 before I get a shot at playing in the NHL.”

Martenet will return to play for the London Knights in the CHL for the 2015-16 season, where he recorded 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) in 64 games last year. Hopefully the 18-year-old’s “upward swing” trend will continue in his next campaign. [Stars]

Dallas Stars Development Camp continues today, so if you’ve got free time on your hands, head over to the Dr Pepper StarCenter in Frisco at 11am. Mark Stepneski caught some of yesterday’s action on Periscope, which you can check out here. [Periscope]

As we saw yesterday, Jamie Benn also made a welcome appearance on the ice, and now we have video that both hips appear to be in full working order.

Sean Shapiro offered plenty of thoughts about the development camp happenings over on Twitter, including that Radek Faksa’s shoulder feels fine and Julius Honka continues to impress with his work ethic.

The Texas Stars have added defenseman (and Tyler Seguin BFF) Jesse Blacker and forward Cory Kane. [100 Degree Hockey]

It’s been a pretty quiet free agency so far—no crazy contracts or groan-inducing signings. Does that mean teams are getting smarter? [CBS Sports]

Vladimir Tarasenko got an eight-year, $60 million deal, and the St. Loius Blues got a steal. [PuckDaddy]

Arizona winger Mikkel Boedker avoided arbitration and signed a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the Coyotes. [AZ Central]

There was plenty of talk that Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf would be finding a new home ahead of the 2015-16 season. Now, don’t be surprised if he sticks around in Toronto. [TheScore]

ESPN has decided that Chris Osgood is a Hall of Famer. Agree? Disagree? Let’s hear it. [ESPN]

As the NHL expansion process gets underway, Allan Muir takes a look at which cities are in and which are out. [Sports Illustrated]

Fans thinking that Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid are the saviors their teams have been waiting for might want to hold their horses. The two budding superstars are going to need a little time to make a real change. [The Hockey News]

On the other hand, while that patience is probably important, McDavid is still really, really good. Here are his five goals from the Oilers‘ orientation camp on Monday. [NHL]

Don Cherry dishes on everything from his trademark thumbs up to P.K. Subban. It’s pretty much what we’ve come to expect from the colorful “Grapes.” [National Post]

In Central Division coaching news, the Colorado Avalanche have brought former NHL defenseman Dave Fisher on board as one of their new assistant coaches. [Denver Post]

And finally, if you missed the latest episode of Stars Sunday, it’s now online for your listening pleasure.

Talking Points