One To Watch: Boston Bruins

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The good news is you've been drafted by an original six team with legendary alumni, a ton of history and recent success as well. The bad news is that you somehow have to crack the roster of a club that has been to the Stanley Cup finals twice in the last three years. 

It's not impossible for a young player to do just that; Tyler Seguin, Brad Marchand and Dougie Hamilton are three examples of players that managed to do it but only undrafted Torey Krug managed to do it out of camp this year and he had last year's playoff performance to help his cause. 

Guys like Carter Camper, Ryan Spooner and Matt Bartkowski have seen spot duty with the Bruins but arguably would have played more had they been in another organization. It's a good problem to have though. 

2012 Choice: Carter Camper - The college standout appeared in 3 games for the Bruins the year previous and I wondered if he'd force his way into more NHL action last year. That didn't happen; he played 57 games in Providence instead, compiling nearly a point per game in that time. Camper is undersized but his numbers at Miami are pretty impressive with 183 points in 156 games. It just might be a case of a guy needing a better opportunity with a thinner organization. 

My selection as One To Watch for the Bruins comes after the jump. 

One To Watch: Dallas Stars

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The new-look Stars have a couple of rookies on their roster who the club can expect a decent amount of production from this year. Both Alex Chiasson and Valeri Nichushkin made the opening night roster and although the Russian has yet to hit the score sheet, the former Boston University Terrier has two goals in as many games. 

Nichushkin is the first Dallas 1st round pick to step right onto the roster since 1983 when Brian Lawton went from high school in Rhode Island to the Minnesota North Stars the next year. Pretty amazing when you think about it. 

2012 Choice: Reilly Smith - The Ohio RedHawk split the shortened year between the NHL and AHL because of the lockout. He got into 37 games with Dallas and managed a modest 9 points as a rookie. This past summer he was packaged with Loui Eriksson, Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow and sent to Boston in the deal that landed Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley and prospect Ryan Button. 

My selection as One To Watch for Dallas in 2013-14 comes up after the jump.

One To Watch: Dallas Stars

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It's not as much the Big 'R' in Big 'D' as the Dallas Stars are reloading as opposed to rebuilding. I guess those both star with 'R' but the point is that while the organization is welcoming an influx of youth it's also adding some veterans to the mix too. 

Netminder Jack Campbell will begin his rookie season as a professional although I expect, and I could be wrong, that he's probably destined for the Texas Stars for the year.

Newly acquired Cody Eakin is a personal favourite and a guy i think will become a crowd pleaser because of his tenacious style. He and former Edmonton Oil King Tomas Vincour should be full time NHLers this season. 

It's a big year for power forward and 2009 8th overall pick Scott Glennie and also for defenceman Brendan Dillon. Both were rookies last year in the AHL and will look to see some NHL action. 

My choice for this series came down to three collegians. Austin Smith was a Hobey Baker nominee in his fourth and final season at Colgate. The Texas native has the local-boy-made-good story behind him but with 36 goals and 57 points in 39 games, I'm very curious to see how he fits in as a pro. 

Alex Chiasson at 6'4 and 190 lbs has NHL size. He racked up 80 points in 73 games at Boston University over the past two seasons so the offence is also there. In 9 games on the farm he chipped in 5 points, just wetting the appetite of fans for next year. 

A lot of worthy candidates above and several others that I didn't mention but in the end I went with the other big name rookie from college. 

Rookie Watch: Dallas Stars

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Each Day until September 15th TPS will take a look at one team from the East and one team from the West and spotlight a few rookies to watch for this season. Today in the West it’s the Dallas Stars.

Former Oil Kings Forward Recalled to NHL

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He was arguably the highest profile member of the Edmonton Oil Kings during his two and a half season tenure with the club. Now, Tomas Vincour is making history as the first player from the franchise's modern era to make it to the NHL. The former 1st overall selection in the 2007 CHL Import Draft has joined Dallas and may make his NHL debut as soon as Wednesday when the Stars host the Phoenix Coyotes.

Willie Headed for Star-dom?

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The off-season coaching carousel is always worth paying attention to as bench bosses move from one team to another, from one league to the next. We are seeing more coaches with NHL backgrounds ending up in the CHL and the natural progression of CHL coaches to the AHL and on to the NHL, sometimes without that stop in between.

The latter scenario might be about to unfold again as The Pipeline Show has learned that Medicine Hat Tigers General Manager and Head Coach Willie Desjardins is a leading candidate to join the Dallas Stars organization.

11th - Dallas Stars Draft Preview

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I get it. A constellation of a bull ties in both celestial stars as well as the State's cattle industry and it makes perfect sense... in theory . Unfortunately, on paper, it's a constellation of the female reproductive system. The simple Texas State outline shoulder patch the team currently uses is much more appealing.

Stars Prospect Snap Shot

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The Stars haven’t drafted a super star since taking Jarome Iginla 11th overall in 1995, and while he never helped them directly, Iginla did net them current G.M. Joe Nieuwendyk as a player who played a large role in Dallas winning the 1999 Stanley Cup. The franchise – going back to Minnesota – still has a first overall pick in the line up with Mike Modano, and guys like Brenden Morrow, James Neal and Jamie Benn are making the stars scouting staff look good.

Here’s who else Dallas scouts are counting on in the future.