October is the month of spooky skeletons, colder temperatures, and Dallas Stars hockey. The Stars begin their season in less than 10 days as they take on the St. Louis Blues on Opening Night. Preseason hockey is in full swing with surprising points leaders. Some players are stepping up besides the big three of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Joe Pavelski. These depth players are the cornerstone to a good hockey team. It’s the non-top-line players that account for a large majority of the ice time on a team. Some of these sleeper picks have a chance to wow on the ice this year.
Logan Stankoven
Logan Stankoven is already impressive in the preseason circuit. His 5 points in 4 games along with +/- of +5 means he may get a roster spot at the end of preseason. He hasn’t played a game in the NHL yet but that may soon change. The 2nd Round pick in the 2021 Draft hasn’t played for the AHL’s Texas Stars yet. He may have a spot there but don’t be surprised to see him in the NHL this season.
Evgenii Dadonov
Evgenii Dadonov recorded 15 points in the 23 games he played last season. So far in his long career, he has 298 points in 486 games. The 34-year-old veteran scored 10 points in last year’s playoffs. Dadonov is looking for his first Stanley Cup along with several other players on the team. Dadonov brings his long career worth of experience to the bottom lines adding to his sleeper-pick nature.
Matt Duchene
Matt Duchene is also one of those players looking for their first Stanley Cup. Duchene will play in his 1,000 NHL game this season. He scored 744 points in those 976 games. The Stars pounced on the opportunity when the Predators bought his contract out. This low-risk, high-reward acquisition has a chance to become the best depth forward the Stars have.
Lethal is best used to describe the potential of the Stars this season. The immaculate talent on this team will pay dividends throughout the year. October hockey is finally here on a highly anticipated season. Jason Robertson will likely lead the way but it’s the depth forwards that will also get the job done. Hockey season is quickly approaching with lots of Stars fans ready for it.
Photo Credit: Dallas Stars X
