2024 NHL Draft Profile: Why the Dallas Stars must draft Teddy Stiga

What if Dallas' real need is a left winger?

If you’re not a draft nerd, well, you should be. When it comes to prospects, some make the cut but many don’t. Regardless, every journey, whether it’s Julius Honka or Logan Stankoven, can help make you a more informed hockey watcher.

The general consensus is that Dallas needs a right-handed defensemen. Charlie Elick is one of them. But what if a blue-chip left winger falls right into Dallas’ lap? Enter, one, Teddy Stiga.

The Bio

• Date of Birth: Apr. 5, 2006

• Age: 18

• Height: 5′10

• Weight: 174lbs

• Position: LW

• Shoots: Left

• Team: U.S National U18 Team (NTDP)

What the pros are saying

Below I’ve highlighted a few choice quotes from the most familiar, and most respected public outlets.

Quick plug: EPRinkside’s 2024 Draft Guide is out. If you’re a draft nerd, or simply a draft amateur, this is an absolute must-read. Not only does every draft writer have their own take discussing specific games, but they also have a page compiling a lot of really juicy quotes from NHL scouts about each player. I was gonna include some quotes in my previews because they’re so good, but really — you just need to read for yourself. And for ethical reasons, I only want to crib so much.

From EPRinkside (ranking him at #23):

• Stiga moves on the ice like he got the game’s script ahead of time. When his teammates turn to pass, he’s right there, fully open in a spot. And he already knows his next play before the puck touches his stick. His prescient read of the game enables him to create beautiful give-and-go and tic-tac-toe plays.

From Scott Wheeler (ranking him at #31):

• He always seems to be in the mix of the play offensively on his line and producing and making plays when they’re there to be made. He’s got a great feel for the game and on-ice awareness. He’s consistently noticeable. He’s competitive and engaged and will let opposing players know both of those things when challenged. His shifts always seem to be spent in the offensive zone. He’s a plus-level skater who keeps his feet moving on and off the puck.

From Corey Pronman (ranking him at #65):

• He buzzes around the ice, winning a lot of races to pucks. He is quite skilled and creates a lot of controlled entries. Stiga sees the ice well, and while he can create at the net, he has perimeter playmaking ability, too. Stiga's only real issue is his frame at barely 5-foot-10. I don't know if he's dynamic enough at that size, but it's a debate, and he has a puncher's chance to carve out a bottom-six role in the NHL because of his talent and consistency.

Unimaginative, misleading comparables

• Teuvo Teravainen

• Carter Verhaeghe

• Zach Benson

• Jason Zucker

• Bryan Rust

• Jaden Schwartz

The numbers

Stiga had 79 points in 61 games. The underlying numbers were even better, as his total offense rated higher than 96 percent of his draft peers.

Not sure what this chart means and need a quick and dirty explainer? I’ve got you covered! Click here to learn more from a man who knows less.

You might be wondering how a point-per-game player projects to potentially fall to Dallas. The two main reasons are that he played with Cole Eiserman (89 points and expected to go in the top 10; although I’m probably less bullish on him than most) and James Hagens (who had 102). If you don’t know who Hagens, you will. He’s not draft eligible yet which is what makes his production so absurd, and also why he’s probably 2025’s top pick. So yea, it’s easy to see why Stiga might be “overlooked.”

The tape

Personal observations

I can’t think of a single critical thing to say about Stiga. Well, I will. But broadly speaking, there’s everything to like. In that way he’s a lot like Dallas’ recently-drafted forwards: high AQ and high skill. He can’t jailbreak a play with raw talent per se, but he has a lot of talents he’s able to leverage at all times to achieve a similar effect — a player who is more sum than parts. He can shoot, can shoot from distance, has the skating to threaten out in the open, and his playmaking ranges from economic to obscene. Granted, his shot is not what will make him a legit NHL forward. He’s a playmaker by trade, and a very good one, but he’s also well-rounded forward in general which makes him a player with a relatively high floor, and a very high ceiling.

The big thing is being able to separate his production from his teammates. Hagens broke a 13-year record for most points in the IIHF U18 World Championship, so even though Stiga’s skills and acumen stand out very clearly, it’s easy to see why he’s probably a late-ish first rounder.

How he improves Dallas

The “played with great teammates” thing is always funny to me for its circular logic. That’s not to say it doesn’t exist. Alex Turcotte is a great example. But the rest of his 2019 USHL team is also a great counterexample, with Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield, and Matthew Boldy all turning into superstars away from Jack Hughes. (Not to mention, your NHL team should probably have good players that young players can connect with.) As far as I’m concerned, Stiga is the real deal. Again, he’s everything the Stars have been drafting in recent years.

If there’s an actual criticism, it’s that the Stars have “too many” high-skilled forwards. At some point the organization may want bigger forwards to replace the Mason Marchments and Jamie Benns of the world. I don’t find that terribly convincing given how good Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven were in the playoffs. And I also hate the idea of blowing a pick on a forward who has a low ceiling just because he might be able to muck it up in the postseason. Where this argument has merit is in the quality big men that will be available in this draft around where Dallas is picking. Between Michael Hage (unlikely, granted), Dean Latourneau, Emil Hemming, and Cole Beaudoin — this draft is loaded with projects as much as it’s loaded with blue chip talent in the first.

Personally, Stiga would be at or near the top of my list. I imagine his playmaking ability next to Johnston or Hintz, and that’s just a ton of smarts on the ice. In addition, Benn is not gonna be around forever. Lest fans forget, Benn’s contract is up after next season. I’d expect Dallas to keep him around on a lesser deal, but I don’t expect him to get a “team friendly” contract. He’s the captain, and may even outlast Tyler Seguin when all is said and done. However, even ignoring all the cap stuff, it’s highly unlikely Benn has one or two more great years left in him. Even if you don’t believe in Benn’s regression, the fact that the Stars will have nothing long term behind Jason Robertson is kind of alarming. And no, no one in Texas is even remotely ready to play a top nine role. Just saying: Dallas needs a left winger, and bad.

I don’t necessarily expect Dallas to draft a forward, but there’s a reason I’m only previewing three forwards and five defensemen as potential picks, and that’s because out of those forwards, assuming they’re available, will provide exactly what Dallas has been drafting in recent years — lots of smarts, and the will to leverage them. That’s Stiga in a nutshell.