First Shift 🏒

The Stars have leaned on their AHL affiliate a lot this year.

A franchise that has been relatively healthy the previous two seasons has three key forwards out of the lineup in Seguin (hip surgery), Mason Marchment (facial surgery) and Roope Hintz (upper body). As a result, recalls have been made for Matěj Blümel, Arttu Hyry and Justin Hryckowian, and those players have had to take on key minutes at an important time of the year.

“Every organization, you get to this point of the season and your depth gets tested,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer. “So those guys have to come up and contribute. We have a good American League team and the guys we have called up have done a good job. The list is long and we’ve gotten a lot of contributions from that group of guys.”

Blümel is the most recent call-up and maybe one of the most interesting. A fourth-round draft pick by Edmonton in 2019, he is in his third year in the Stars organization. He played six NHL games in the 2022-23 season and has logged five games this year. The 24-year-old forward said he feels more confident every time he gets called up.

“It feels different because I feel I’m a better player overall,” Blümel said. “I got better at playing a 200-foot game. I’m happy to get this opportunity to show how hard I’ve been working in the AHL.”

Blümel this season has 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) in 32 games with the Texas Stars. Hyry has 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) and Hryckowian has 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists). The fact they are older and have “been around,” so to speak, makes it easier for DeBoer to use them.

“The nice thing is it’s the second or third time around for a lot of them,” DeBoer said. “Once you get through that first recall, the nerves disappear. I’m comfortable that we’re past that with these guys now.”

That said, the challenge to play a different style is real. At the AHL level, these forwards play top minutes in all situations. They are expected to score goals and they probably take more risks. In the NHL, the key is to play smart and not make mistakes.

“It’s harder here, for sure,” Blümel said. “Down there, you have extra time for everything. But with every shift I’m feeling more comfortable.”

DeBoer said his only real hope is to get players who can help the team win.

“I don’t think it’s tricky, but it’s a different responsibility than what he does in the American League,” DeBoer said. “He has to be sure that we can trust him out there. I’m not even talking produce. I’m talking, let me play you for 10, 12, 14 minutes and let me feel good about it. That’s where we have to start with those guys.”

But he does need that trust.

“It’s not training camp,” DeBoer said. “We’re in the middle of the season and there are critical points on the line every night. That’s the challenge.”

Mix in the fact that these teammates are battling each other to satisfy their NHL dream, all the while knowing that Seguin, Marchment and Hintz are coming back and that the Stars might trade for more forwards, and the competition can get tough. But Blümel said they actually rely upon one another for support.

“It’s great because we have a really good group of guys down there and we’re all friends, so it’s fun to see those guys get called up,” Blümel said.