Alex Peters, Brent Moran Headline Potential Texas Stars ATO Additions

Alex Peters (Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)
As the dust settles from the NHL Trade Deadline, it's time to peek ahead a bit and preview the amateur tryout players who could be added to the Texas Stars roster in the coming months.

From the glossary, here's a summary of the ATO process:
ATOs are usually signed toward the end of the season with players who are coming out of college or major junior. Often, these players are draft picks of the affiliated NHL club and will join the club to get a headstart on what will be their team for the coming season. Texas examples include Jack Campbell or Devin Shore. ATO players can also be undrafted.
I also wrote a story about Texas' ATO tradition for the AHL last year.

Here's the list of players potentially heading to the Texas Stars this season. I'll sort them by likelihood from highest to lowest, in my opinion. Remember that any number of factors can affect the likelihood that a player would come to Texas. If they have played a long playoff run already, Texas may not find value in bringing that player down.

Alex Peters, D
Flint Firebirds, OHL
Out of playoffs
Last game: March 19th


Alex Peters is the captain of the Flint Firebirds and will have completed four years in the OHL after this season. In case you've been under a rock, the Firebirds have been a mess all season off the ice. A Google News search should bring you up to date. On the ice, the team hasn't been much better. Not in last place, but far from making the playoffs, the Firebirds play their last game on March 19th.

Brent Moran, G
Flint Firebirds, OHL
Out of playoffs
Last game: March 19th


Same story as Alex Peters. Four years in the OHL and Dallas certainly wants to get Moran out of the toxic situation in Flint. Moran is a goalie and, if he came to Texas, that would be third on the roster in the AHL. However, Philippe Desrosiers was around as an ATO in the championship season mostly as a practice goalie. If nothing else, you want Moran in a situation where winning is the norm after his rough half season in Flint.

Brett Pollock, LW
Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL
8th seed


Pollock was going to be on this list until yesterday. His trade to Calgary means he will be a Stockton Heat ATO, if anything. However, it's likely the Heat won't be playing playoff hockey long enough for it to matter.

Patrick Sanvido, D
Windsor Spitfires, OHL
5th seed


Another captain, Patrick Sanvido has led the Spitfires for two seasons. He's coming off his fourth year with the club, and they are a fifth seed in the OHL standings right now and look to stay there based on the gaps between 4 and 6.

Aaron Haydon, D
Niagara IceDogs, OHL
4th seed


Haydon's IceDogs haven't clinched a playoffs spot yet, but they will soon. With the playoff spot secured, it's unclear how long Haydon will be occupied. Of course, as with all of these prospects, you'd rather have them playing 20 minutes a night in the OHL than in the press box in the AHL. OHL playoffs will begin in the final weeks of March.

Niklas Hansson, D
HV71, SHL
9th seed


European prospects are a little more complicated to predict, based on the travel and overall effort involved to get them here. Mattias Janmark came over last year and Texas got him into a game. However, he had had very little time to adjust to the time zone and learn the systems. It was a rough game for him and really didn't paint the right picture on his skill set. Hansson's club is the 9th seed, but in the SHL, that qualifies them for the play-in tournament for the main playoff series.

Roope Hintz, LW
HIFK, Liiga
1st seed


Hintz's HIFK is the odds-on favorite to win their league. Given that, it's unlikely he comes over.

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