Looking at Emil Hemming and the Finnish Mafia
Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill has built a reputation for bringing in players from Finland.
Emil Hemming has already played a handful of games for the Stars AHL affiliate in the Texas Stars, and could start playing for Dallas this season.
The Mafia Will Get Another Member
Starting with Esa Lindell playing a handful of games back in 2016, he is the OG amongst the Finnish Mafia in Dallas—a regular since 2017, and for over a decade. Nill has made it a yearly habit to draft or trade for Finnish talent.
Dallas has been the best in the West at developing and acquiring Finnish talent in the NHL. The team out east that has also made the most of guys from Finland is the Florida Panthers.
Team Chemistry
When you load your team up with many guys from the same country, they’re in sync more on the ice. Whether they’re on the same line, in the locker room, or building camaraderie off the ice, it strengthens the brotherhood amongst the players.
It doesn’t mean the entire team has to be of one nationality. When Hemming starts playing games in Dallas, playing alongside Lindell, Heiskanen, Hintz, Rantanen, Hyry, and the re-signed Joel Kiviranta, he’ll gel in the lineup with more ease.
He Has a Shot
One of the most appealing attributes to Hemming’s scouting report is how good his shot is. The Stars already have Jason Robertson (hopefully for a while) and Wyatt Johnston. Stars fans and hockey fans in general can debate who’s the better shooter. Dallas is a winner no matter who has the better shot.
For Dallas and Hemming, this might be an underrated draft pick who went 29th overall back in 2024. The Stars have been criticized for a lack of playoff scoring since their current postseason streak started in 2022. Adding somebody who’s known to have a good shot to complement Robertson, Johnston, and a healthy Roppe Hintz could push Dallas over the top in the next few years.
Emil, So Far
Hemming has been an offensive force in the juniors/OHL. During his time with the Barrie Colts, Emil posted 63 points, 26 of them goals, in 46 regular-season games.
The right winger doesn’t shrink in the playoffs, scoring 28 points in 21 playoff games, including potting two goals to get his team, the Colts, into the championship series.
The Texas Stars have been state of the art in developing NHL-ready talent amongst the young players. Year after year, the AHL affiliate readies up Dallas with guys who are ready to go.
Sometimes changing the team’s momentum, and Nill making one fewer trade in or around March.
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Categorized:Stars