Highly-Touted Prospect Thomas Harley Joins Texas

(Credit: Texas Stars)

The Texas Stars are getting some highly touted talent on the backend today as first-round pick Thomas Harley was assigned to the AHL today. Harley has not played with Dallas this season but did make it into a round robin game during last season's playoff bubble experience. He is coming off a silver medal performance with Team Canada at the World Juniors in Edmonton. 

Harley is sure to play heavy minutes for Texas, including significant power play time. In a 'normal' year, Harley may not have played a single game with Texas in his career, instead going back to the OHL. However, the unique nature of the season means he can play in the AHL despite being 19.

Here's the release:

Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the team has loaned defenseman Thomas Harley to the Texas Stars.

Harley, 19, skated in one game for Dallas during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, earning one hit in 10:58 of ice time. The defenseman also skated in 59 games with Mississauga of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2019-20, registering 57 points (18-39=57). Harley shared fifth among OHL defensemen in goals (18) last season, while he shared second among OHL blueliners with four game-winning goals and was tied for third with nine power play goals, good for second among all team skaters in both categories. He also ranked seventh among League defensemen and third on Mississauga in points (57) and was tied for eighth among League blueliners and ranked second on the team in assists (39). Additionally, Harley won the silver medal with Team Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championship, finishing first among all tournament skaters with a +14 plus/minus rating and recording one goal (1-0=1) in seven games.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound native of Syracuse, N.Y. was originally selected by Dallas in the first round (18th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft.