Dallas Stars Take Oleksiak with their 14th pick

"This year, I think the theme was size, we went big" said Joe Nieuwendyk after he and the Stars organization finished picking in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Going into the draft many Stars fans didn't have high expectations with our 14th overall selection. In fact almost every Stars fan including myself was expecting a disappointing choice with our 14th overall pick considering the past two first one selections for the Stars didn't go as expected, it was an automatic I guess you can say. 195 picks later, those expectations were gone.


After the Calgary Flames picked Swiss star Sven Bartschi 13th overall, the Stars were up next. The players I had in my top three from my Draft Preview were all still there. McNeil, Oleksiak and Klefbom. Other notables available were Beaulieu, Armia and Miller.


"The Dallas Stars are pleased to select, from Northeastern University Jamie Oleksiak " said GM Joe Nieuwendyk . Many Stars fans took a sigh of relief  (while I jumped off the couch and yelled YES) after hearing those words from their GM, since most of us expected Stars to make a bad pick for the third straight year in a row. Jamie Oleksiak with his monster size at 6'7 (still growing) was the tallest player in the draft. Jamie Oleksiak played for the Northeastern University, he played 38 games and had 13 points. Jamie moves very well for his size, he's got great agility and athleticism, Jamie could also deliver big hits at any time of the game. Jamie is also known for his great hands, he handles the puck well with great puck control and his able to move the puck up ice smoothly. Oleksiak is also a good reliable player, good shut down defensemen, will drop the gloves to stand up for a teammate and knows how to use his size. Although Jamie does need to work on his hockey sense, his offensive skills and add some muscle.

Jamie Oleksiak was selected 14th overall by the Dallas Stars

"He moves well for a big man. We’ve seen the impact over the years that big men can have on the game, and it goes back with us with Derian Hatcher and the success that he had. He has Chara-type size and he skates well and moves the puck. The offense is probably not overwhelming, but he plays an all-around game, and the important thing is he’s a guy that size who skates that well, he’s hard to play against.” (Stars.nhl.com) That was said about Oleksiak by Nieuwendyk after making his pick. 


Oleksiak has already expressed that he tries to model his game after players like Zedno Chara and Tyler Myers.
“Obviously, I try and take away as much as possible from a lot of players in the NHL, but if I had to narrow it down to one player, I’d probably say Zdeno Chara,” Oleksiak said. “He’s a guy I really look up to and someone I really enjoy his style of play and try and model my game after. I think he’s had great success and that’s something I want to do." Oleksiak definitely  has the size to model is game after Chara, but he needs to work on his offensive ability to play more of Chara's style. Oleksiak could also have a similar playing style as Hal Gil, a big, shut down defense who plays the body and uses his size to clear the net and make the big hits.

“I think it’s a good fit for me,” Oleksiak said of being chosen by Dallas. “I’m really looking forward to it and it’s a real honor to be selected by the Stars and it’s a great experience.”

Personally, I really like this choice, he was one of the two players I wanted the Stars to draft all along, like i mentioned on my 2011 NHL Draft Preview article. He was one of the best fits for the Stars organization, he is the defensemen the Stars were looking for, big, good two way defensemen, physical, can lay massive hits to change the momentum of the game, reliable shut down guy, good hands and puck handling abilities along with agility and athleticism. Overall one of my favorite picks the Stars have made in the first round in a long time and i'm really excited to see him make an impact on our future.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it! Go Stars Go!!

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011 

MB

Dallas Stars 2011 NHL Draft Preview

With the 2011 NHL Entry Draft around the corner, the Dallas Stars are looking at their options of who to pick with their 14th overall pick this year in Minnesota. Players that come to mind that will fit the Stars needs and their organization would be players like Mark McNeil, Jamie Oleksiak, Joel Armia, Mark Scheifele, Duncan Siemens and Oscar Klefbom. When the Stars go up to make their pick on June 24th, chances are most of these players will be available. The only question will be, which one will they pick?


 If you ask any Stars fan, the past two first round picks GM Joe Nieuwendyk and the Dallas Stars management have made have been real head scratchers. In the 2009 NHL Entry Draft the Dallas Stars had the 8th overall pick in the draft. When the Stars staff including new GM at the time Nieuwendyk went up to make their pick, Magnus Paajarvi and Jared Cowen surprisingly were still available. Stars fans were hoping for either one, little did they know we would be in for a surprise. "The Dallas Stars select from the Canadian hockey league, Brandon Wheat Kings, Scott Glennie." Those were the exact words that came out of Tim Berhhardt mouth. That's when Stars fans were confused and frustrated after being sure they would see Paajarvi or Cowen putting on a Stars jersey instead of Glennie. 

Dallas Stars select Scott Glennie 8th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft

A year later the Stars had the 11th pick in the 2010 NHL draft and once again two big names dropped, Cam Fowler and Brandon Gormley. Both were available when the Stars went up to make their pick, and every Stars fan watching was excited because they knew that one of the two players would be a great fit to the Stars organization and would help their future. But once again the Stars staff made another head scratching move by picking Jack Campbell 11th overall passing the opportunity of drafting Fowler or Gormley when it was clear that either one would have made more sense to draft considering they had just signed goaltender Kari Lehtonen last month to a four year deal.

Dallas Stars select Jack Campbell 11th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft

Don't get me wrong here, both Glennie and Campbell are both very talented prospects and will be a big part of our future in Dallas if not, in another organization. Although as a Stars fan Paajarvi and Cowen would have been the better choice over Glennie, while the same could be said about the Campbell situation and how Fowler and Gormley would have been the better choice over Campbell. But that's just speaking in the present, it could change in the future. You never know with prospects. Just hope that the Dallas staff and management see something in Glennie and Campbell that we don't and they'll turn out to be something special for the Stars.

With all that behind us, we look ahead at the upcoming draft. Stars fans are hoping the management won't make another head scratching pick and if a big name player drops on the draft board when were up on the stage ready to announce our pick that this time we pick him. Wouldn't be surprise seeing Murphy dropping down, Siemens is another name that comes to mind. Both those players could help the Stars significantly in the future if they do fall in the draft.

If that doesn't happen Stars could really use a good stay at home defensemen, know's how to play physical and could kill a penalty.  First name that would come to mind is Jamie Oleksiak, a huge 6'7 defensemen who has terrific strength, moves well for his size and has great agility and athleticism. He knows how to deliver huge hits and could turn into a solid two-way defensemen. Oscar Klefbom is another potential pick for the Dallas Stars. Klefbom could become a physical defensemen, has great strength and his able to win battles. He's very calm when he has the puck on his stick, makes good decision and could move the puck up the ice well.

Besides defense, Dallas could really use a good center who knows how to play physical, not afraid to go to the net, and is able to play in key moments of a game. Mark McNeil is the guy for the Stars. He fits the Stars needs perfectly. McNeil is a right handed center who you can relay on in key moments of the game to get goals, kill penalties, win a faceoff and play against certain players on the opposing team. McNeil with his size and agility is hard to stop when he's driving to the net. He could win battles infront of the net and in the corner, know's how to use his size and isn't afraid to drop the gloves.

Center Mark McNeil is projected to go somewhere in the middle of the 1st round

Those are the top three players I feel would fit the Stars needs and could help the Stars get better in the future. McNeil the center the Stars are looking for, Oleksiak a good two-way defensemen and Klefbom another solid defensemen, who knows how to play physical and can win battles. Some honorable mentions would be Joel Armia, Mark Scheifele and Jonas Brodin. 


NHL Entry Draft 2011 will start on June 24th and will finish June 25th. Really looking forward for it, and can't wait to see who the Stars will draft this year with all the talent!


Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it! Go Stars Go!!!


Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

MB