The Stars’ season finale in Edmonton final spring marked a altering of the guard for the franchise.
Many gamers have been teary-eyed as they mentioned their goodbyes to NHL vet Joe Pavelski, who performed his last recreation within the Western Convention finals.
In the meantime, throughout the locker room, others like Mavrik Bourque have been bright-eyed and noticed the Recreation 6 finale as the beginning of a brand new chapter.
“I feel it was enormous for me confidence-wise,” Bourque, 22, mentioned in a current interview with The Dallas Morning Information. “Seeing all of the older guys all down once they lose, it’s one thing you don’t need to really feel. And I feel it’s one thing we’re going to construct on all 12 months.”
As final season got here to an in depth, head coach Pete DeBoer determined to offer Bourque an opportunity to contribute to the Stars’ playoff run, as their Stanley Cup hopes diminished. And whereas the staff’s season got here to an finish that evening in Edmonton, it foreshadowed the chance Bourque would get in Dallas come this fall.
4 months after making his NHL playoff debut and 6 months after taking part in in his first recreation within the league, Bourque has earned a extra everlasting spot on Dallas’ NHL roster. Whereas he’ll seemingly miss the season opener Thursday because of harm, Bourque enters the season as one of many league’s most promising rookies.
However not like a few of his teammates, Bourque’s journey to the NHL has required endurance that won’t have been required had he been on every other franchise.
After a breakout, 77-point season within the AHL the place he grew to become the league’s scoring champion and MVP, Bourque has completed all he can to earn his spot on the sport’s largest stage, making it virtually inconceivable to depart him off the roster any longer.
“Mavrik’s completed every little thing we might ask him to do,” Stars GM Jim Nill mentioned. “There’s not rather more he might do. … If it wasn’t most likely for the cap restraints, he most likely would’ve come up extra. It’s his time now. He’s received to earn it, however thus far, he has earned that.”
Taking nothing as a right
There was competitors for a ahead spot in Stars coaching camp this 12 months, however Bourque was not part of it.
With Dallas nonetheless needing a thirteenth ahead, lots of Bourque’s AHL teammates from final 12 months competed for the spot that was in the end received by Oskar Bäck.
For the primary time in his profession, Bourque entered camp figuring out there was one other spot there for his taking.
“It was loads completely different,” Bourque mentioned. “Clearly, the NHL is one of the best league on the earth, so you’re taking nothing as a right, however on the finish of the day, I knew I had my likelihood, they usually advised me I used to be gonna have a very good alternative to indicate up and show that I’m prepared and earn my spot. I sort of knew that they’d a spot for me. I simply needed to present it.”
Conversations with Nill and DeBoer over the summer time led to an understanding inside the Stars group that Bourque would have a spot ready for him, seemingly on Dallas’ third line.
Pavelski’s retirement bumped Wyatt Johnston as much as the highest line, leaving a middle place accessible between Jamie Benn and Logan Stankoven. Since Bourque and Stankoven have been linemates in Cedar Park — and two of the AHL’s finest gamers once they skated collectively — it was a straightforward choice to resume that chemistry alongside the Stars’ captain.
“I feel we simply work rather well off one another,” Stankoven mentioned. “I feel each of us are aggressive guys, and we’re hungry, and we’re simply trying to get higher. It’s good to have one other youthful man come up. We all know it’s going to take a bit of little bit of time to contribute offensively and hopefully do the identical issues we did down within the AHL, however I feel with time, we’re assured we are able to get again to that.”
Bourque mentioned he didn’t change his strategy regardless of the accessible roster spot. Since he was drafted thirtieth total in 2020, he’s needed to work for his alternatives whereas sustaining a degree of endurance many gamers his age might not have had.
Final season, the Stars’ ahead depth didn’t go away any openings throughout camp for Bourque to struggle for a spot, as Johnston had completed the 12 months earlier than. Cap restraints saved him within the AHL for the primary half of the 12 months.
Across the commerce deadline, a spot opened however his linemate Stankoven received the nod. By that time, the Stars’ prime two picks within the 2021 draft (Johnston and Stankoven) had earned spots on the NHL roster, whereas Bourque, a 2020 choose, needed to proceed his 12 months within the AHL.
He lastly made his NHL debut April 6 towards Chicago however instantly went again to Cedar Park for the Texas Stars’ playoff run. He spent a lot of the Dallas Stars’ playoff run as a follow participant earlier than getting in a single recreation.
“One thing we speak to all our prospects and gamers about is you actually can’t management the timing of your alternative,” Texas Stars head coach Neil Graham mentioned. “Everyone seems to be on the lookout for that chance or hopeful to get an opportunity with Dallas, however you may’t management when that comes. One thing we preach is controlling your angle and your effort each day, and there’s no higher instance than Mavrik Bourque.”
There’s a cause these within the Stars group say Bourque did every little thing requested of him. Fairly than feeling defeated throughout an extended AHL season whereas his former teammates shined in Dallas, Bourque grew to become one of the best participant in Texas —and the whole league.
Even with out his linemate Stankoven for half the 12 months, he grew to become the league’s youngest scoring champion since 2013 and continued to supply whilst different groups keyed on him.
Graham mentioned Bourque labored to make his recreation extra well-rounded, taking up a novel place as a number one scorer and elite penalty killer with a powerful defensive thoughts, much like that of Johnston.
“With out the psychological energy he had, that might’ve been very robust in your common particular person or participant,” Graham mentioned. “He was targeted on his day after day. He was the primary man on the rink. He was the final one on the ice day-after-day in follow. He was in a position to be one of the best participant within the league from recreation one via the tip of the 12 months and playoffs, for that matter, till we have been eradicated. He’s proven and confirmed he will be well-rounded. That’s very tough to do.”
Grabbing the chance
The 22-year-old will face one last hurdle earlier than turning into a mainstay of the Stars’ lineup.
He’s starting the season with an harm and is listed as uncertain for the season opener towards Nashville.
DeBoer known as the harm “brief time period” and expects him to lastly get his alternative quickly.
When he does, he’ll have to regulate to a brand new league and a brand new position. He’ll not be the primary scoring menace, nor will he be leaned on for a 70-point season.
“He’s prepared for that problem,” Graham mentioned. “If the factors come, nice, and in the event that they don’t straight away, he now is aware of the way to contribute in different intangibles that don’t at all times present up on the scoresheet.”
The Stars’ philosophy has at all times been to name up younger gamers solely once they really feel could make a distinction every evening. It’s why they’ve been so conservative with creating younger prospects like Thomas Harley, Stankoven and Bourque, protecting them in Cedar Park to make sure they’re taking part in evening in and evening out.
So Bourque’s call-up means the teaching employees is assured he’ll have the ability to contribute instantly.
“It means they provide alternatives to a lot of the younger guys,” Bourque mentioned. “It’s one thing I’m wanting ahead to having the chance, however now it’s on me to seize it.”
Recreation 6 in Edmonton marked a turning level for the Stars’ franchise. With Bourque lastly getting his alternative, Dallas’ future is formally right here.
“In case you take a look at his trajectory and what he’s completed on the American Hockey League degree, it’s fairly particular,” Stars assistant coach Misha Donskov mentioned. “He’s earned the chance to have a possibility inside our NHL staff in a major position.
“He’s earned the chance to be right here.”
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