Heading in the right direction

You can't read a lot into what you see on the ice at Dallas Stars development camp. Players aren't there to be evaluated but to get acclimated to the organization, work on some skills, learn how to train and soak in what it takes to be a pro hockey player. But it was hard not to notice forward Riley Tufte at this year's camp.
Tufte, who is listed at 6-6, 210 pounds, was one of the biggest guys on the ice. And he stood out in drills with his skating, his ability to control the puck and being able to dominate along the boards with his size and strength. If you had seen him one year ago at camp, the growth in his development was evident.
And growth is what the Stars saw from Tufte, the team's first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, over the course of his freshman season at the University of Minnesota Duluth. After a slow start due to missing time with a wrist injury, the big left wing finished the season with 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 37 games.
"Big step for him," said Stars GM Jim Nill. "What really excited us is the last half of the season is he really took off. He was a dominant force in the playoffs. We are looking for great things from him this season back in Duluth."

Tufte missed the first four games of the season due to the injury, which he suffered during the offseason, but finished strong, registering all 16 points in his final 23 games.
"I went the first 14 games.**