Insider debate: How is the 2021 NHL Draft shaping up for the Stars?

With the 2021 NHL Draft upon us, DallasStars.com Senior Staff Writer Mike Heika and Stars radio analyst Bruce LeVine give the lowdown on what to expect when the Stars make their picks. As it stands, the Stars hold eight selections in the draft, including the 15th overall pick and two in the third round.

[RELATED: Stars 2021 NHL Draft Central]
1. Each draft has its own unique distinctions, and 2021 is no exception. Do you expect any surprises by the time the Stars pick at 15?
Bruce LeVine, Dallas Stars Radio Analyst: The best way to describe the preceding 12 months leading up to this draft can best be summed up in a line from the original Ghostbusters, emoted by the great Bill Murray, "Human Sacrifice, Dogs and Cats living together…MASS HYSTERIA!"
While the 2021 NHL Draft isn't as scary as possible end of civilization, it'll be as wild and unpredictable as the return of Gozer the Destructor. There was no Hlinka Gretzky Cup, no Memorial Cup, and junior hockey schedules across North America were decimated. Scouts were generally prohibited from travelling overseas and there was no NHL Scouting Combine.
NHL teams hope to select their future stars based on limited performances and past history while trying to gauge career trajectory. Mistakes will be made. In a few years we'll wonder why some players were selected in the first round while others dropped to later round status.
Owen Power, the star defenseman from the University of Michigan is considered a lock to be the first pick overall. After that, nothing is certain. Here are a couple of things to ponder that could greatly affect who is available when the Stars make their pick in the first round:
Another player who might shake things up by charging up the charts is WHL Kamloops center Logan Stankoven. We'll discuss him a little later.

With COVID protocols meaning limited viewings, limited contact and limited access, teams are going to rely on the opinions of scouts based on less information than ever. These opinions will be internally debated by all teams and will result in surprise selections.
Mike Heika, DallasStars.com Senior Staff Writer: I'm with Bruce in that this is a very strange year. In addition to Arizona getting its pick taken away (in essence, moving the Stars from 15th to 14th), the COVID restrictions made scouting extremely difficult. That's going to create a situation where different teams are going to read players very differently. That means every pick ahead of you is a chance for a surprise, and you must be able to adjust.
As simple as it sounds, I think the Stars will assemble their board and stick to it. This is a very tight scouting group, and they enjoy a good debate, so my guess is the preparation was very fierce, and then the first-round picks will just fall into place. I really don't think there is a positional need to fill, so they'll look at best player available in the first round. Only four of their past 17 picks have been defensemen (including none last year), so there's a chance they might lean in that direction. I think you might see them collecting defensemen later if a great forward is available at 15.
I don't think they'll go with a goalie in the first round, but if one of the two is available and they have him on the list in that spot, I think they would have to consider that pick. I just think with where they are, they have some flexibility. That's always the case, but it seems even more so this year.
The other interesting thing about this draft is the Stars have eight picks after acquiring Vancouver's third-round selection (73rd overall) in a trade for Jason Dickinson. The Stars had five picks last year and four the year before, so scouts have to be ecstatic.
2. In doing your draft preparation, what has stood out to you with this year's group of draft-eligible players?
LeVine: In one word, perseverance. It wasn't easy to play hockey in 2021. Some draft-eligible players went overseas to improve their game and selection chances. OHL Barrie defenseman Brandt Clarke went to play in Slovakia and OHL Peterborough center Mason MacTavish played in Switzerland, while players in the U.S. had to live with strict protocols and constant testing to earn the right to play. Seasons were suspended then restarted and then, in some cases, suspended completely. Players didn't have the typical run up to the draft, yet the effort and mental toughness to continue showed. This class will be drafted and move forward under conditions never seen before and hopefully never to be experienced again. It should make this draft class mentally tougher than those that came before.
Heika: The fact these players had to fight through all of the restrictions does offer some insight into their ability to deal with adversity. I know scouts have been looking closely at that. Can you make the best of a bad situation? Do you have the calm to not let distractions bother you?
Bruce mentioned Clarke, and I really like his story. When the Ontario Hockey League shut down, Clarke went over to Slovakia. Reports are he looked good. Add that to getting seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games at the U18 World Championships, and it seems like he really optimized his season.

There will be several players like that, and I think it's interesting that the Stars really put those intangibles high on their list. As difficult as it is to define character or work ethic, the Stars very much try to find players who fit into a certain mold, and this year allows you a better opportunity to assess those qualities.
3. With the philosophy of taking the best player available, who do you have your eyes on for pick 15?
LeVine: Please keep in mind these players will be expected to contribute in 2-4 years at the NHL level. Looking down the road at that time frame, Miro Heiskanen is locked in for eight years and Thomas Harley should be a fixture on the Stars' blueline. Dallas will need to find a new core of high-end offensive talent. I expect to see the Stars focus on forwards with skill and finishing ability. Let's go around the globe for some possibilities
In Canada, we have Brennan Othmann -- a strong, physical forward who has a solid two-way game. The six-foot, 175-pound left wing went to play in the Swiss league when the OHL shut down and was one of the best players on the ice for the U18 gold medal game vs Russia.
Here in the United States, there's Matthew Coronato -- a 5-foot-10, 183-pound right wing from USHL Chicago. All Coronato did was lead the league with 48 goals, 19 power-play goals and eight game-winning goals, and finished tied for first with four shorthanded markers. He also finished second with 85 points in 51 regular-season games, and was named the 2021 USHL Forward of the Year. A top scorer in the USHL playoffs, Coronato will attend Harvard in the fall.
Fabian Lysell is another slick skating, yet smallish forward from Sweden. The 5-foot-10, 172-pound winger has great mobility and creativity. He was impressive at the U18 tournament with nine points (three goals and six assists), emerging as a top offensive threat for the bronze medal winning team.

Just in case none of these forwards are available, keep defenseman Corson Ceulemans as a possibility. He's heading to the University of Wisconsin and will be a force in the Big 10 this season.
Heika: I'm actually leaning in a different direction than Bruce. Like I said earlier, the Stars drafted only four defensemen in their past 17 picks over the previous three seasons, so I think they'd be open to one at 15. As much as Heiskanen and Harley can be great, these picks really are "assets" and you need to get the best asset you can.
As such, I think they go best player available, and the mocks have you thinking there could be several different options. Fans of skill are looking at the possibility of Lysell from Lulea. He's a right-handed winger who played in the Swedish Elite League and tallied nine points in seven games at the U18s. Some mocks have him above Cole Sillinger and Chaz Lucius and some below. Again, much will depend on the Stars' board and what gets taken before they pick.
Bruce mentioned Coronato, who's drawing comparisons to Chicago's Alex DeBrincat. He's one of the wildcards who could really throw a curve to many teams. He's all over the mock drafts, and there are many who are trying to figure out if he's too small or if he's the perfect player for the "new" NHL game.
As for defensemen who might be available, there seems to be a large gap between the top four and the next group, and that gap seems to hover over the teens in this draft. Could the Stars be tempted to take Ceulemans, the 6-foot-2, right-shot defenseman who played for Canada at the U18s? Also potentially available is defensemanCarson Lambos, whose stock has been fluctuating.
And then there's the question of goalies. Many believe Wallstedt and Cossa will be gone before the Stars pick, but what if either are there? Yes, Jake Oettinger looks great, but if you have a chance to nab the best player available, don't you take it?
4. The Stars have a history of finding talent in the later rounds of the draft. With eight selections total, including two in the third round, what crop of players could the Stars come away with this year?
LeVine:With all the uncertainty surrounding this draft, rounds 2-7 could be a huge haul for the team that selects correctly. It would be hard for the Stars to surpass the success of 2017 (Heiskanen, Oettinger, Jason Robertson) but 2021 is loaded with opportunities.
For some reason (probably size), NHL Central Scouting didn't rate Stankoven very high compared to other top-end forwards, but I love the way this kid plays. Stankoven plays much bigger than 5-foot-8 and is fearless in the corners or in front of the net. He played on the power play and penalty kill, and was an assistant captain on Canada's U18 gold medal team. Stankoven's leadership earned him a spot with younger future superstars as he lined up potential first-overall picks Shane Wright (2022) and Connor Bedard (2023). Logan's motor is always running in fifth gear. The Stars should be very familiar with him as he plays in Kamloops of the WHL.
[Disclaimer -- I don't expect Stankoven to last until round two, but if he does, jump quickly. In fact, if he's still available in the first round, look for a trading partner to get him]
Does the name Robidas ring a bell? Time to feel old, as Justin Robidas is the son of former Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas. Justin has Texas ties, being born in Plano and even winning a Mite Championship in the Stars Metroplex Hockey League in 2010. This is a case of a player who could've showed so much more with a normal season. Robidas was a point-a-game player with the Val d'Or Foreurs in the shortened QMJHL season and should be available in the second or third rounds.

Think of Mattias Janmark for a comparison for William Stromgren, a solid skating, good two-way player with some size at 6-foot-3. He rarely gets caught on the wrong side of the puck. He might be around with the Stars' second pick in the third round.
Now let's go deep in the draft.
Belarus has worked hard to create a national hockey program at all levels with a system that feeds upwards. Their U18 team was a big surprise in the tournament, advancing to the elimination round and playing well against such power houses as Sweden, Canada and Russia. If you're looking for later-round talent try Danila Klimovich or Dmitri Kuzmin.
Klimovich was the surprise of the U18 regulation play with six goals. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Klimovich is a good skater and not afraid to play physical. Yes, he scored six goals in the tournament, but they were all on the power play. He can finish, but can he create opportunities at even strength? It's a gamble worth finding out if available with a fourth or fifth-round pick.
If you've heard of Kuzmin before, it's probably because he scored a "Michigan" goal at the U18s.

The mobile blueliner has very good offensive upside, quarterbacks the power play, makes good decisions and isn't afraid to shoot the puck. Limited size (5-foot-10) and needing work on the defensive end are two of his limitations. He was slated to play in the OHL last season, so Kuzmin can be a later-round pick nurtured and followed in close proximity. He's worth a look, but not earlier than the fifth round.
Heika:After taking four forwards and a goalie last season, I think the Stars will find a way to add defensemen. I like a name like Kuzmin, but there are so many defensemen past the first round that I really don't have any I would target. I leave that to the scouts.
From a storytelling standpoint, getting someone like Robidas would be great, but I didn't do the homework the way that Bruce did (working the IIHF tournament), so I'll trust his insight on the later rounds.
5. Could you picture the Stars trading up in the first round? Conversely, could you see them trading down and grabbing an asset and perhaps another second-round pick?
LeVine: Under Jim Nill, the Stars have traded up in the first round only once, in 2017, for Oettinger. I don't see Dallas abandoning its course of taking the best player available with its first-round slot. Nill has mentioned several times that the team needs to restock the prospect system. With this draft being so wide open, I could see the Stars making some deals in later rounds to add more picks, but not in the first round. With uncertainties unlike any other draft, having several extra picks might be the best way to find the next Jamie Benn or John Klingberg -- middle-round selections that turn out to become elite players for the Stars.
Heika: Nill has the draft pick currency this season to make a move, so I definitely could see the possibility there. The move to get Oettinger was smart and is paying off now, so I think if a scout in the room has targeted a player, and the Stars are a few picks back, they could definitely make a move.
This will be a fun draft. One, Dallas has eight picks. Two, there really is an air of uncertainty where a scout gets to flex his muscles and say he truly believes in a player. This group hasn't had that luxury for the past two seasons, so it should be a lively room for the Stars this weekend.
You can catch Round 1 of the 2021 NHL Draft on Friday beginning at 7 p.m. CT (ESPN2, KTCK The Ticket) and Rounds 2-7 on Saturday at 10 a.m. CT (NHL Network).
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This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.
Bruce LeVineis a contributor for DallasStars.com and the analyst of Dallas Stars radio broadcasts on Sportsradio 1310-AM and 96.7-FM The Ticket. Follow him on Twitter @BruceLeVinePuck.
Main photo (from left to right): Brandt Clarke, Chaz Lucius, Logan Stankoven, Sebastian CossaLucius photo credit: Rena Laverty