Harley's history is such that he has always been a player who can take risks and create possession in the offensive zone, whether that be by passing or carrying the puck. His biggest area of concern is that risk sometimes leads to too many scoring chances against. That's normal for a 20-year-old defenseman.
In fact, it's one of the reasons he was returned to the AHL after going through training camp. When Harley was sent down, he said he had some things that needed to be fixed.
"For me, it's defensive consistency," Harley said. "I think that's something I've really improved on in the A.' These past six games, I've been really hard on pucks, ending plays on the wall, and gapping up really well, so I think that's a big part of it."<br>Earning the confidence of the coaching staff is a big deal for Harley and doing so can help his own confidence. Part of his success in the AHL has come from knowing when to take a risk, and he said he won't be overly cautious in his call up.<br>"That's the main thing I do," Harley said. "That's what I've done for years and years and years. Now, it's just second nature. I see it and I go. There's no hesitation, there's no thinking about it. I've done it in the
A' and it's got me called up, so I'm going to keep trying to do it."
The Stars are hoping that by putting Harley on the third pairing, they can have three defensemen who can "activate" and help create offense. John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen already are doing that. But, making sure the philosophy goes throughout the lineup is key.
Bowness said he remembers Harley's debut 15 months ago vividly and said while it could've been difficult at times, it helped create the timeline that has brought him here. Because the pandemic shut down the OHL, Harley played in the AHL last season and made significant strides.
"We probably played him against the wrong team because it was Colorado and they were flying," Bowness said. "But what it did was in the long term it showed him the speed, the size, the strength of the guys in an NHL game - not an exhibition game - an NHL game. So it was a really good eye-opener for him."
And, it helped fuel an inner drive, as well.
"Since that game, I want my next shot," Harley said. "I want to prove I can play in this league for a long time."
That shot could come as soon as Tuesday.
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.