Texas Calls for Aid and Finland Will Answer: Samu Tuomaala Makes an Immediate Impact for the Stars

Credit: Texas Stars

The Dallas Stars have turned themselves into a marquee destination for Finnish hockey players. Especially since Stars Hall of Famer Jere Lehtinen became the General Manager of the Finnish Men’s National Ice Hockey Team in 2014, legend has it that Lehtinen was actually behind the emergency deployment of Joel Kiviranta in Game 7 against the Avalanche in 2020. Of course, Kiviranta scored a hat trick that game, including the series-clinching OT winner that immortalized him in Stars lore. 

As a result of the edge the Stars have in Finland, Dallas is now loaded with notable Finnish draft picks like Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell. They are also not afraid to acquire Finns via trade. They proved that when they acquired arguably the best Finnish hockey player in the world, Mikko Rantanen, last season at the trade deadline. Clearly, Dallas likes the Finns.

So when the Texas Stars season got off to an atrocious 0-6 start, they once again looked to the country of Finland for a little kick in the pants. Finnish forward Samu Tuomaala was acquired from Philadelphia, and the Stars immediately snapped their winless streak and went on to win three straight games. “I think it was really good for me,” Tuomaala said in a recent 1-on-1.  “I just got to fly to Winnipeg with the team, meet the guys, practice once and then just play. Everything happened kind of quickly, but I think it's been great.”  

Tuomaala himself got off to a slow start with his now former team, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The historically 0.6 point per game player had not found the score sheet through his first three contests and was even a healthy scratch for five of the Phantoms’ first eight games. “I felt in [Philadelphia] it might just be better to move on somewhere and get a fresh start. Just get to play and have fun and get that fun look back on my face.”

In his first six games with the Stars, their newest forward already has four points while playing on the top line and top power play unit. With the Phantoms, he was relegated to a third-line role, but he is ecstatic for the opportunity to be back on a scoring line. “It fits perfectly for my game to play top minutes and power play with the good guys on the same line, and I think we have pretty good chemistry there already.”

Tuomaala’s calling cards are his blistering speed and his almost cocky confidence with the puck on his stick. He is likely now the fastest skater for Texas, who are already loaded with talented skaters like Antonio Stranges and Trey Taylor. His knack for finding the back of the net or an open man off the cycle is just what the Stars need since their offensive production has been lacking so far this year.

The Stars’ newest Finn is also excited to be a part of an organization with a history of promoting some of the NHL's best Finnish players. “I think it's a pretty good opportunity for me to get a callup someday. I see [Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell’s] names and photos up in the locker room. So it's pretty cool to see those.”

Tuomaala, at 22 years old, is another relatively older prospect, something the Stars have added a lot of lately. That is mainly due to Dallas’ recent trend of trading a ton of draft picks. Just last year, the Stars dealt away three first-round draft picks. To keep their prospect pipeline healthy, the Stars have relied on older players, either from the NCAA or, like Tuomaala, reclamation projects. 

The Texas Stars have had great results with these experienced prospects. Oskar Bäck earned an NHL roster spot in training camp last year at 24. Justin Hryckowian did the same this year, also at 24. Even Alexander Petrovic, at 33, has earned a rebirth into the NHL after essentially a five-year hiatus.  

That development, especially in some older players,  that the Stars have displayed, gives Tuomaala a lot of hope for his future. “I have thought like, ‘Oh, I haven't got the chance [in the NHL] yet.’ But then I see a lot of those guys who are way older than me, and they get their chance. So I just need to have fun and just focus on the next day and the next game and hopefully it will come someday.”