Wyatt Johnston was probably not out collecting candy last night, but he was still in for a treat — Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill told reporters yesterday that the 19 year old rookie forward will not be sent back to the OHL and will instead remain in Dallas for the foreseeable future:
“I want to say he’s here,” Nill said. “Now, if we get into December 20th and he’s really struggling, he has the option to go back to World Juniors. Right now, he’s in our lineup. He’s one of the 12 guys in our lineup every night and that’s the attitude that we’re taking with him.”
Johnston has appeared in all nine games for Dallas this season, scoring three goals and an assist will ranking seventh among forwards in average time on ice (14:19). He hasn’t looked out of place once this season, skating with the NHL’s best right where he belongs:
“He deserves to be here,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “He’s a big part of our group. He makes our team better. He’s shown that every night he’s been in the lineup. I’m excited about him. My excitement lies in that I think he’s just scratching the surface.”
There’s more from Matthew DeFranks here:
Stars Stories
Here are the Stars’ Halloween costumes from this year. Everyone focused on the Finnish Mafia, but I especially like how Joe and Sarah Pavelski went as caddies for Johnston:
The best #TexasHockey Halloween costume goes to:
______________ pic.twitter.com/MMcpC6SRq4
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) October 30, 2022
In less fun news, Jake Oettinger is out with injury for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time:
Per Jim Nill: Jake Oettinger will be reevaluated in about a week. He pulled himself out in the second period on Saturday with a lower body injury. Nill said it’s unlikely that Oettinger goes on this upcoming road trip. Will stay back in Frisco and rehab.
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) October 31, 2022
Since Anton Khudobin will carry too much of a cap hit, the Stars have signed Texas Stars goaltender Matt Murray (no not the Toronto Maple Leafs one) to an ELC:
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We have signed goaltender Matt Murray to a one-year entry-level contract.
MORE 👇#TexasHockey
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) October 31, 2022
Around the League
Is 2023 the new 2015? Scott Wheeler ranks the stacked 2023 NHL Draft class:
The class of 2023 is shaping up to be a special one.@scottcwheeler‘s preliminary ranking of the top 64 prospects eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft.
◻️ 10,000 words
◻️ Quotes from sources
◻️ Player tiersEnjoy!https://t.co/Ko1bflJUkL
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) November 1, 2022
In case you thought things might get better for the Anaheim Ducks, spoiler alert: they won’t.
INJURY NEWS: Jamie Drysdale suffered a torn labrum (left shoulder) during last Friday’s game at Vegas and will be out of the lineup approximately 4-6 months.https://t.co/aZf05SMbkJ
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) October 31, 2022
Speaking of terrible California teams, was Brett Burns the first of many San Jose Sharks casualties?
Keep an eye on the San Jose Sharks.
(🦈 👀)@SpectorsHockey’s Rumour Roundup: https://t.co/EWhi1Qj5ub— The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) November 1, 2022
Finally, the latest in the Hockey Canada scandal:
Hockey Canada had $143 million in what is termed “net funding reserves,” or what would be considered profit in a for-profit entity, in 2021, up from about $21 million in 2003, according to a Globe and Mail report on Tuesday. https://t.co/A6LpH3t6XR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 1, 2022