Prospects Lian Bichsel, Emil Hemming Shine Despite 3-2 Stars' Loss in Game 2 in Traverse City

Lian Bichsel in a file photo from September 24, 2023. (Credit: Ross Bonander/Texas Stars)

[Editor’s Note: Tonight’s summary and observations from the first of two games in Traverse City is the debut piece by Chris Chambers, who will be one of the staff writers joining 100 Degree Hockey this season. He and the others will all get their own author logins (and introduction articles) before the season but for tonight, this piece is published as the editor in chief, Stephen Meserve.]

The Dallas Stars prospects lost Game 2 against the Red Wings in the Traverse City Prospect Tournament this afternoon by a 3-2 final.

The Wings largely controlled the first period, finishing up 1-0 on a goal by Alexandre Doucet. Similarly, the Stars controlled the second period, but a great individual play by Detroit’s Johansen had the frame ending 2-1 in favor of the Red Wings. Dallas’ lone goal in the frame came from their newest first-round pick, Emil Hemming. 

The third period saw the Stars hit the post around six times, but they couldn't find twine. The evil iron and solid power play by the Wings led to Detroit leading the game 3-1 late in the third. After a last second 6-on-5 goal by the Stars’ Anthony Romano, the game ended with a final score of 3-2 for the Wings. 

While the outcome of the game was disappointing, the most important part of this tournament is development for these young up-and-comers. Let's dig into some of these players, starting off with the shiniest toy on the Stars’ prospect team: Lian Bichsel.

Bichsel had a big bounce-back game after a dismal Game 1, where he finished with a minus-4 and was on the ice for all four goals against. He finished the game this afternoon with an even rating. He looked a lot more confident in the defensive zone, using his large frame to protect the puck, win puck battles and make cleaner outlet passes from his own end. 

He also showed a little bit of offensive talent. He wasn't afraid to shoot the puck, finishing the night with three shots on goal, and was somewhat frequently drifting towards the net when the Stars got the cycle going in the offensive zone. 

Overall, Bichsel showed that he knows how to use his massive 6’6” size advantage. He is very confident protecting the puck with his body and using his muscle to move a pile during a puck battle on the boards. He did not have any big hits in this series, but there were several times when the Red Wings bench was yelling in warning as the big Swiss lined up a hit. 

The number one issue that Bichsel displayed was his inability to use his stick defensively. He was beaten by the Red Wings forwards when he reached for poke checks or failed to make solid stick checks around the crease, especially in Game 1. While some Dallas fans are hopeful that Bichsel might make a push to play in the NHL this year, I think he will benefit greatly by receiving the Thomas Harley treatment and having a full season to develop in Cedar Park. 

Dallas Stars 2024 first round pick Emil Hemming was another player that was much improved in Game 2. He scored the Stars’ lone goal in the second period with a good shot from the faceoff circle assisted by defenseman Luke Krys. Hemming was also very confident with the puck on his stick. He skated laps around the offensive zone multiple times looking for open passes and found a few for grade-A chances. His options are wide open as far as this year’s playing prospects. Hemming has a lot of skill with the puck, and it will be worth keeping your eye on him. 

Texas Stars regular Matthew Seminoff was named the captain of the prospect team and had a great showing in these two games. He continued his defensive and forechecking proficiency in the second game. He created lots of turnovers in the Red Wings zone, and his tenacity on the penalty kill led to several shorthanded scoring chances in Game 2. Seminoff was not known for his offensive ability in Cedar Park last year, but he showed some improvement in that department during this tournament. 

Speaking of offensive ability, Chase Wheatcroft was without a doubt the Stars’ most dynamic player in the offensive zone. He showed some flashy stickhandling, great sight with some tricky passes that led to scoring chances, and some great shots in Game 1 that somehow failed to find the back of the net. Despite this lack of execution, Wheatcroft was a bright spot on this team and is poised to become a much bigger part of the Texas Stars this season, especially considering he only had 46 games played last season. 

Finally, the biggest surprise of the tournament was the Dallas Stars free agent signing Arttu Hyry. Not only does he already have a great hockey name, he also stood out in this tournament and was rewarded by the coaching staff with lots of playing time. Hyry scored the only Stars goal in Game 1 and set a great screen for Hemming’s goal today. 

Hyry received ice time on the power play, penalty kill, and 5-on-5 for the Stars top line with Wheatcroft and Hemming. Hyry had great positioning and found himself in scoring locations throughout both games. He was also one of the leaders for the Stars in grade-A chances through the two game series. It will be very interesting to see where Hyry is sent to play following training camp. If it is Cedar Park, he showed a lot of good chemistry with Wheatcroft and could be a great fit with the Texas Stars. 

The upcoming NHL training camp and preseason will prove to be very important for these prospects as they try to prove themselves to the coaching staff and earn spots on the roster. Despite the outcome of these two games, the Stars showed that they still have a lot of talent and potential within their organization. With the Stars’ great development program, these Stars will continue to rise.