Prospect Report: Riley Tufte off to strong start in NCAA

Stars forward prospect Riley Tufte is off to a strong start with the University of Minnesota Duluth this season. Tufte, the Stars' first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft, has five points (three goals, two assists) in six games with the Bulldogs.
Tufte notched his third goal of the season Friday against Merrimack, forcing the goaltender into a turnover behind the net and then scoring on a wrap-around. He also had two assists in the game, including one on the game-tying goal as Minnesota Duluth and Merrimack battled to a 5-5 tie.

The 19-year-old left wing, a sophomore, is way ahead of last season's pace when he missed the start of his freshman season due to injury and then failed to register a point in his first 14 games. He did finish strong last season, tallying 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in his final 23 games.
So far this season, Tufte is tied for the team lead in goals, ranks third in points and is second in shots on goal with 22.
Tufte Stats: Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) | 6 GP | 3 G | 2 A | 5 PTS | +1 | 8 PIM
Here's a look at how other Dallas prospects playing in Europe, college and juniors are faring so far this season.

Europe

D Miro Heiskanen (1st round/2017) recorded two assists and a season-high nine shots on goal in HIFK's 4-3 loss to KooKoo on Saturday, giving him five points (two goals, three assists) in five games this season. Heiskanen, who missed the first eleven games of the season due to a concussion, has 27 shots on goal (5.4 per game) and is averaging 23:21 of ice time per game.
Heiskanen Stats: HIFK (Liiga) | 5 GP | 2 G | 3 A | 5 PTS | +3 | 4 PIM
LW Valeri Nichushkin (1st round/2013) continues to produce in the KHL. He scored two goals in three games for CSKA, giving him 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in 20 games. He ranks second on his team in goals and is tied for 14th in the league.
Nichushkin Stats: CSKA (KHL) | 20 GP | 9 G | 4 A | 13 PTS | +6 | 6 PIM
D John Nyberg (6th round/2014) scored his first goal of the season in the Swedish Hockey League, tallying at even strength in Frolunda's 3-2 overtime win over Skelleftea on Saturday. Nyberg has four points (one goal, three assists) in eleven games and is averaging 19:00 of ice time per game.
Nyberg Stats: Frolunda (SHL) | 11 GP | 1 G | 3 A | 4 PTS | +3 | 12 PIM
C Jacob Peterson (5th round/2017) had another strong week in Swedish juniors, tallying three points (two goals, one assist) in three games for Frolunda. Peterson is tied for ninth in the league in scoring with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 15 games.
Peterson Stats: Frolunda (Sweden, Jr.) | 15 GP | 7 G | 7 A | 14 PTS | -7 | 4 PIM Frolunda (SHL) | 2 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 PTS | -1 | 0 PIM
LW/C Fredrik Karlstrom (3rd round/2016) had no points in two games for Linkoping in the SHL. Karlstrom, who is averaging 6:43 of ice time, has yet to register a point in 12 SHL games.
Karlstrom Stats: Linkoping (SHL) | 12 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 PTS | -3 | 2 PIM Linkoping (Sweden, Jr.) | 1 GP | 1 G | 0 A | 1 PT | +1 | 2 PIM
D Jakob Stenqvist(6th round/2016) did not record any points in two games for Bjorkloven in Sweden's second league over the past week. Stenqvist has seven assists in eleven games and is averaging 17:07 of ice time.
Stenqvist Stats: Bjorkloven (Allsvenskan) | 11 GP | 0 G | 7 A | 7 PTS | -2 | 4 PIM
G Markus Ruusu (6th round/2015) went 1-2-0 over the past week for Ilves in Finland's top league, allowing a total of 19 goals on 73 shots. Ruusu is 4-5-0 with a 3.43 goals against average and .845 save percentage.
Ruusu Stats: Ilves (Liiga) | 4-5-0 | 3.43 | .845
D Miro Karjalainen (5th round/2014) had no points in two games for HPK in Finland's top league. Karjalainen has two assists in 10 games.
Karjalainen Stats: HPK (Liiga) | 10 GP | 0 G |2 A | 2 PTS | -1 | 54 PIM

NCAA

G Jake Oettinger(1st round/2017) went 1-0-1 over the weekend as Boston University played two games against Connecticut, tying 2-2 in one and winning 6-3 in the other. Oettinger, a sophomore, stopped 53 of 58 shots and is 3-2-1 on the season with a 2.61 goals against average and .916 save percentage.
Oettinger Stats: Boston University (Hockey East) | 3-2-1 | 2.61 | .916
G Colton Point(5th round/2016) stopped 32 of 35 shots as Colgate tied Canisius, 3-3, on Saturday. Point, a sophomore, is 2-0-2 on the season with a 1.68 goals against average and .949 save percentage.
Point Stats: Colgate (ECAC) | 2-0-2 | 1.68 | .949
C/LW Rhett Gardner (4th round/2016) scored North Dakota's lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Minnesota on Friday. Gardner, a junior, has four points (two goals, two assists) in six games.
Gardner Stats: North Dakota (NCHC) | 6 GP | 2 G | 2 A | 4 PTS | +2 | 2 PIM
D Joe Cecconi(5th round/2015) picked up one assist as Michigan swept a two-game series against Vermont this past weekend. Cecconi, a junior, has two assists in four games for the Wolverines.
Cecconi Stats: Michigan (Big Ten) | 4 GP | 0 G | 2 A | 2 PTS | -1 | 4 PIM
D Michael Prapavessis (4th round/2014) recorded two assists in RPI's 4-3 loss to Niagara over the weekend. Prapavessis, a senior, has two assists in four games.
Prapavessis Stats: RPI (ECAC) | 4 GP | 0 G | 2 A | 2 PTS | E | 6 PIM

North American Juniors

LW Jason Robertson (2nd round/2017) recorded one goal and two assists in three games for Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League over the past week. Robertson has 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 12 games.
Robertson Stats: Kingston (OHL) | 12 GP | 7 G | 5 A | 12 PTS | -2 | 10 PIM
RW Nick Caamano (5th round/2016) tallied one goal and one assist in Flint's 7-3 win over Peterborough Friday. Caamano has eleven points (four goals, seven assists) in eleven games for the Firebirds.
Caamano Stats: Flint (OHL) | 11 GP | 4 G | 7 A | 11 PTS | +6 | 21 PIM
C Liam Hawel(4th round/2017) picked up one assist in three games for Guelph in the OHL, giving him three points (two goals, one assist) in ten games for the Storm.
Hawel Stats: Guelph (OHL) | 10 GP | 2 G | 1 A | 3 PTS | -4 | 4 PIM
D Ondrej Vala(Free agent/2016) registered one assist in two games for Kamloops of the WHL. Vala has 3seven points (two goals, five assists) in 12 games for the Blazers.
Vala Stats: Kamloops (WHL) | 13 GP | 2 G | 5 A | 7 PTS | -7 | 18 PIM
C Brett Davis (6th round/2017) scored one goal in three games for Kootenay of the Western Hockey League over the past week. Davis has seven points (four goals, three assists) in 12 games.
Davis Stats: Kootenay | 12 GP | 4 G | 3 A | 7 PTS | -3 | 4 PIM
This story was not subject to approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club. Mark Stepneski is an independent writer whose posts on DallasStars.com reflect his own opinions and do not represent official statements from the Dallas Stars. You can follow Mark on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.