Texas Continues to Fill Roster with Six AHL Signings

Stars re-sign Josh Melnick, ink five other newcomers

Josh Melnick (Credit: Texas Stars)

With the start of the season just two weeks away, the Texas Stars added half a dozen forwards to bolster their roster. Newcomer forwards Nick Baptiste, Cole Schneider, Nick Moutrey, Derek Barach, and Nikita Scherbak all join Texas on AHL deals while Josh Melnick re-joins Texas on an AHL deal after spending last year with the team on an NHL deal with Dallas.

This slate of forwards is heavy on experience, which is something the Texas Stars will be light on this year with the taxi squad sapping many of their veteran players. Other than Melnick and Barach, who are both in their second pro season, this crew ranges from five to nine seasons of pro experience.

Schneider, who is the nine-year pro, is the most notable signing in the mix at first glance. The winger was second in scoring on the league-leading Milwaukee Admirals last season and was an All-Stars in 2017. He was also notably plus-25.

Nikita Scherbak is also interesting for his path back to the AHL. The former first round pick left for the KHL and now returns. He was drafted by the Canadiens in 2014 but was claimed off waivers by Los Angeles in 2018. All told, he has scored in the AHL at nearly a point-per-game pace in the past (30pts in 26 games in 17-18), but his more recent work in Ontario suggests a regression from that clip (11pts in 23 games in 18-19).

There is no information at this moment on training camp for the Texas Stars, who start play on February 5th.