Northeastern's Dylan Hryckowian Signs Two-Year NHL Deal, Joins Texas on ATO

(Credit: Jim Pierce/Northeastern University Athletics)

In a move that was certainly anticipated but wasn't sure enough to seem guaranteed, the Dallas Stars managed to snag college free agent forward Dylan Hryckowian on a two-year NHL entry-level deal. He will join Texas on an amateur tryout for the remainder of this season.

Dylan is, of course, the brother of last year's AHL Rookie of the Year and current accidental Renaissance painting subject Justin.

Dylan Hryckowian is three years younger than Justin. The two played together for one season at Northeastern. Dylan has maintained a pretty even scoring pace in his collegiate year with a point per game in his first two and 37 in 30 in his final season. All of that put him on the collegiate free agent radar coming into this season. Dylan described his own game as being a "fast-paced winger" with a lot of north-south and who can make plays and score.

Dallas extended a development camp invite last summer after Justin's success in the AHL.

Obviously, many are going to look at Dylan and expect a carbon copy of his brother. That's not fair to him as a player or a person, of course. He is his own man and will make his own way. With that being said, it's not a bad path to follow if he can make it happen: instant impact forward on an ATO, AHL Rookie of the Year in year one then chief ... stuff disturber in the NHL a year later.

The development pipeline continues to pay dividends on itself. The Stars got Justin and now certainly got Dylan because of Justin. As I wrote in November 2024 about Justin's decision to join Dallas:

Ultimately, the decision to join Dallas was not a difficult one. The Stars, headed by [then] two-time GM of the Year Jim Nill, have a reputation that precedes them. Hryckowian said that everyone he dealt with was “first class” and that everyone he spoke with about the organization agreed that they did things the right way. 

“Every conversation was positive,” he said. “I really appreciate the honesty from them and how up-front they were during the process.”

With Texas on its longest road trip of the year, Dylan will likely make his debut away from home. The team expects him in the lineup no earlier than Wednesday against San Jose.