Texas Stars Stuff: It's Still the Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque, and Lian Bichsel Show

Dallas' top prospects are the reason Texas is the top Central team.

The Texas Stars have been one of the better teams in the Central but their position is still somewhat tenuous. The Central is pretty week, with only two teams in the division above five hundred (Texas and Rockford). By win percentage, the Stars are 14th in the league, and 7th in the Western Conference. So it’s not all rainbows and gumdrop smiles.

However, the big story is Dallas' big three: Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque, and Lian Bichsel. Going by NHL-readiness, that list does not necessarily go in that order. On any given night, one will look better than the rest. Stankoven gets the most heat because he has the most points. But Bourque being the senior of the group often looks like it, and Bichsel being the biggest of the group often plays like it (literally and figuratively). They're a triple threat, and the only reason Texas is having any success so far.

As an aside, I've been talking about doing general AHL coverage for awhile. Every time I want to, I end up putting Texas Stars content behind a paywall, as I did with the Bichsel video analysis. That's not my intention, and never was. The biggest problem is this whack ass NHL schedule. Of course, that's on me, but still. However, I want to be real with you too: it's not lost on me that the paid subscribers seem to suddenly show up for the prospect goods. As is, I don't think one paid post for paid subscribers is a whole hell of a lot, so I can't get too busted up. I appreciate you all, but just saying: give me time to figure this out. In the meantime, refer a friend!

I'm gonna group my general impressions into alphabet format, and attach the odd video clip. These tiers are not entirely performance-based. They're also projection-based. In other words, I'll be happy to note how good Oskar Back is playing but he's not going into the A tier just because he's been playing well. For the most part, these tiers will be fixed.  

A Tier

Stankoven-Bourque

I've written so much about them, surely I can't add anything. Sure I can! Well, not really -- which is why I'm gonna let video do the talking.

The pressure, effort, and dog is always there. Another thing I'd add to the discussion is that while their chemistry is very real, these aren't two players who are merely the products of each other. That's a tempting conclusion to make given Bourque's first year, but it's not the case. Both have an even blend of playmaking, shooting (people don't talk about Bourque's shot but they should), and vision.

A Digression: Who's First Call Up?

Stephen Meserve made the case for Bourque as the first call up on Stargazing. You know where I stand on Bourque: I love hearing that, and yet...Stankoven deserves it. Stephen's not wrong. In fact, I still stand by the vague argument that with the right linemates, Bourque has a potentially higher ceiling.

But Stankoven just has more translatable skills. While he doesn't have the full two-way profile that Bourque does (for those that don't know, Bourque isn't just responsible, he's also a staple on the PK), the NHL is too fast for perfection. You have to jailbreak routes, and sprint to cover mistakes. Stankoven's physicality gives him the edge. While it'll never happen, I'm confident in going overboard and saying that Stankoven would give you top six production in a top six role right out the gate.    

Bichsel

The dude is pro-ready. End of story. Just not the end of this parapraph. Except for losing his temper, I struggle to list anything wrong with his overall play. Again; overall. He's not just strong defensively in a way that reminds me of Chris Tanev. He also has vision and poise in the neutral.

And he defends the two-on-one better than most NHLers.

It's kind of fascianting. For a player more than willing to live life on the edge, he's prudent with the puck, and rarely makes mistakes. I'm convinced. 

Matt Murray

As annoying as I find evaluating goalies, thankfully Murray's numbers make it easy to assess. He's been impenetrable through the six games he's played, rocking a .938 save percentage, and 1.80 (!) goals against average. If one of Dallas' goalies go down to injury, and Nill has made cap for it, Murray is looking like an NLH-backup. 

B Tier

Remi Poirier
If not for the 6-5 Manitoba loss, Poirier’s .913 save percentage would look even better. He wasn't even bad in that game on first viewing. That was just a bonkers game, and Texas gave up a lot. He’s everything you’d want in an AHL backup and then some.  

Matej Blumel
Blumel has been relatively quiet. It's probably not a coincidence that it's all happened with him off the top of line in place of Curtis McKenzie. To be honest, I'm not super comfortable with Blumel in the B tier. I've been lower on him than most in part because he plays too much a single-lane game for a wing. However, he's a good player for the AHL who gives you exactly what you need.  

Christian Kyrou
If you're reading this you probably know me. Yea, I'll whine and moan about hindsight like Dallas passing on Lane Hutson but I always accept Dallas prospects for who they are. I loved Honka; doesn't mean I wanted him over Larkin. I loved Gurianov; doesn't mean I wanted him over Barzal. So when I lean into Kyrou, it's not because he's not Lane Hutson, but because he's not Christian Kyrou. All the things that make him an intriguing prospect are the things holding him back. His passing has been bad. His shooting has been non-existent. His vision is nowhere to be found, and defensively, it’s his offensive skills that keep working against him.

It's not a coincidence that Bichsel keeps taking second unit shifts over a player like Kyrou. Over the last couple of games, his icetime has appeared to wane more than wax. There are no two ways about it: Kyrou has been a complete non-factor. Don't be surprised if Gavin White starts getting more regular shifts next to Pouliot at some point.  

C Tier 

Oskar Back
Two things I wish Back had: puck handling, and a quick first-step. If he had those, he'd be a Faksa clone, but with offense. I'm not terribly fond of defensive forwards with zero offense. They're like defensemen with zero offense: you don't deserve to be called a two way player just because you specialize in habits that aren't traditionally attached to your position. Back is just a defensemen in forward's clothing. But a good defenseman. Do with that interpretation what you will.    

Riley Damiani
Damiani is never gonna be an NHL option. His rookie year made it seem so, but his NHL watch has ended. However, that's not to say he can't be a crucial part of the Texas Stars. I've liked his game so far. After a slow start, he's gotten more comfortable relying on his dogged forecheck, and straight lane speed.  

Ayrtom Grushnikov
I've always liked Grushnikov. I didn't like where he was picked. A second rounder for a depth stay-at-home defender is just too rich for my blood. But he is a specialist as a blueline rush defender. There's a place for that. Unfortunately how much value that amoutns to is hard to assess. Grushnikov is played on the bottom pair, where his partners rotate between Gavin White and Michael Karow.    

Kyle MacDonald
He's been all you could ask for in an AHL power forward. Like Matej Stransky before him, McDonald plays a strong, puck protection game who ocassionally flashes some silk in his mitts. I could see him catching the eyes of Dallas pro scouts if the Stars ever feel in desperate need of size. Still, he'll never be an NHL option. He's had shifts on the top power play unit where he looked woefully out of place, and couldn't catch a Stankoven/Bourque pass to save his life.  

Chase Wheatcroft
Wheatcroft was noticeable after the first few games, but has since disappeared. He makes the odd play to maintain possession, but he doesn't look like anything like an impact player at the NHL level.