Like any company in the business world who wants to promote from within, the Dallas Stars are no different. Take any business in the world and more times than not you will find that when upper level positions open up, their first choice is to promote from the talent already existing in the organization. The Dallas Stars are no exception to that rule. And for a hockey team, it all starts with the NHL Entry Draft.
"One of our philosophies is to try and get multiple picks in the top two or three rounds, " said General Manager Doug Armstrong. "For the third year in a row we are going to have multiple picks in the top two rounds.
"You have to pick in that area to get players that will be your future. We're always playing for today with an eye on tomorrow."
The 2004 NHL Entry Draft will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina from Saturday, June 26 to Sunday, June 27. The first three rounds will be on Saturday, followed by rounds four through nine on Sunday. The Stars hold the 20th pick in the first round, the 34th and 56th in the second round, the 86th in the third round, the 104th in the fourth round, the 153rd in the fifth round, the 183rd in the sixth round, the 218th in the seventh round, the 248th in the eighth round, and the 280th in the ninth round. When selecting, the organization doesn't necessarily look at what they need now more than they evaluate which draftee on the board is the best hockey player available.
"We try our best to make sure we pick the best player, " said Assistant General Manager Les Jackson. "When you're dealing with 18 year olds, you don't look at your short-term needs but rather your long-term needs."
The Stars front office and scouting staff will look at players who are 18 and 19 and project what kind of player they will develop into down the road. It's a tough job. Think about it. The team must look at these young men and determine who will be the next Mike Modano or the next Patrick Roy or the next Guy Carbonneau. How do you look at an 18-year old kid and predict that they will have the heart five years from now to become a character player on an NHL club.
To understand the importance of the job lying ahead at the 2004 Draft, we must look back at the past and see where certain players will hopefully fit in to the Stars future plans. If you examine the past seven drafts, one will notice that each draft contains at least one player the Stars have selected whom the team would like to promote in the near future. Promotion is defined as playing a major role in what kind of team the Dallas Stars will be next season and the seasons to come. No more recalls or assignments to the development affiliate. These players look to be in Dallas for the duration, forming the identity of the team.
Below is a look at the key players selected over the last seven drafts as the Stars look to add to this group in Raleigh on June 26th and 27th.
