Over the next six weeks or so, we’ll be counting down the Top 20 prospects in the Dallas Stars system — leading up the NHL Entry Draft.
Scott Winkler is a prospect that we haven’t talked about much but after a good Junior season at Colorado College, he has certainly jumped into the conversation as a Top 20 prospect in the Stars system.
Drafted in 2008 after scoring 92 points in 70 games in a the US junior hockey system, Winkler went to CC in 2009 and struggled to get valuable ice time and finished with just two points in 21 games. The next season, injuries held him back from every really gaining steam on the season and although he finished strong, it was certainly frustrating to see a playmaking player struggle so much to create offense.
Winkler was a stud at the international level and has represented Norway in U20 tournaments, scoring 14 points in just five games in 2010. This past season, finally earning significant playing time on a top line at Colorado, Winkler was able to finally start getting the points up on the board and became a valuable part of a successful team.
For a few months this past season, Winkler was scoring at the same rate as Reilly Smith and Austin Smith. Listed as a center, he’s primarily been playing on the right wing and has shown tremendous ability to use his size and intelligence to create chances from the boards. Winkler is a player that loves to get physical in front and isn’t afraid to use his size, yet he is disciplined enough to not let his physicality hurt his team.
Currently, Winkler projects as a third/fourth line player at best in what is typically described as a “utility” role in hockey. Scouting reports say that Winkler doesn’t have many weaknesses in his game yet nothing stands out as exceptional either; he’s a player that is well rounded yet won’t wow us with his skill set. What is most encouraging is that Winkler plays in almost all situations for his team and routinely was one of the top players on the roster as far as ice time.
While his skill may not be elite, he’s a hard-working player who has become known for his work ethic. At 22 years old, he’s relatively older for an NHL prospect and right now projects as someone who will likely become a valuable member of the Texas Stars in the near future.