The Stars have made the decision to play 2014 first-round draft pick Julius Honka in the AHL this season.
Honka played last season with Swift Current of the WHL, and would typically have to return there under the agreement between the NHL and Major Junior hockey.
However, he was on loan from Finland to the WHL, so he’s not allowed to go back to junior this year, according to Nill. That meant the choices for the Stars were to send him back to Finland or send him to the AHL. The Stars have decided to place the 18-year-old with the Texas Stars and leave him there for the season.
“It was a decision that we talked about, and he wanted to play in the AHL, so we feel good about this,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “In seeing him in Traverse City and in training camp, he’s a very mature player who is more than ready for this. If we didn’t think he could handle it, we would have made a different decision, but he proved himself.”
Honka last season played 62 games with Swift Current and had 56 points (16 goals, 40 assists). He also won a gold medal with Finland at the World Juniors. Honka was drafted 14th overall by the Stars in June.
Honka is expected to be in a great group of defensemen in Texas. If Brenden Dillon is signed before the start of the season, there’s a chance Texas will have Honka, John Klingberg, Jamie Oleksiak, Jyrki Jokipakka, Cameron Gaunce, Derek Meech, Maxime Fortunus and Troy Vance.
“You can never have enough depth, so we feel good about that group,” Nill said.