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Like nearly all the Stars goaltending prospects, UN-Omaha butterfly goaltender Dan Ellis had what can only be termed an off year. Viewed as one of the top college goalies going into the year because of his excellent first two college seasons, Ellis struggled to find his previous form, and his team suffered for it. The UN-Omaha team is not all that awe-inspiring and has relied heavily on Ellis in the past. Perhaps the weight of carrying a team finally got to him. Ellis has traditionally been a slow starter and come on strong later, but this habit is worrisome, especially when he fails to play as well as he can for an entire year. Currently, Ellis’s reflexes and technique are quite good so it stands to reason that some mental block might have gotten in his way, or perhaps, he was nursing a minor injury. Whatever the case, what is certain is that if Ellis definitely wants a contract with the Stars following his senior year, he needs to re-find his game.

Already signed to a three-year entry contract by the Stars, Moose Jaw Warriors forward David Bararuk had a very good year in the WHL. A fifth round pick in last year's draft, Bararuk hovered near the lead in WHL scoring for the entire year, mostly as a set-up man. He is starting to look like quite a steal, but he might be a little small to transition his junior game to the pros easily. The quick, skilled forward had opted out of his original draft year because of a time lost due to a broken arm, so as an older prospect, he lasted deeper into the draft. Bararuk also played well in the post season for his club, but it is hoped his inability to consistently produce when his team was behind was due to tight checking on Bararuk and not a lack of clutch instinct. Slated to join Utah at the start of next year unless he has a stellar camp, Bararuk should be an asset to what may be a depleted AHL team depending on the outcome of the Stars' attempts to get a team to share the Grizzlies. His quickness, competitive drive, and all-around offensive prowess might get him a prime spot on Utah's roster. Though not one of the top-end prospects yet, Bararuk is one to watch out for in the future. A couple of good years in the AHL might just propel him to a spot on the Stars.

Young Swiss goalie Tobias Stephan had a rocky year just like his counterparts. When Stephan was on, he was great, much like Jason Bacashihua, but when he was cold, he was not good at all. Stephan played a great deal for the Kloten Flyers, and this may have taken a toll on him during the year. The big, nimble goalie's numbers were relatively good in the Swiss Nationalliga during the regular season, but it is quite clear that there is plenty of room for improvement. The big disappointments came at the WJC. Stephan was a key to any success that the Swiss team was going to have at the tournament, and he responded by playing not nearly as well as he could. His playoff season also left a lot to be desired as he was not able to keep his team close. There's still a bit of work ahead of Stephan before he's going to be a capable NHLer, but with the Stars' depth in goal there's no rush to get him there. The lack of pressure might just be enough to get him to turn the corner.

The Stars top prospect in Russia, Alexei Tereschenko plays a game that is not all that dissimilar to rookie Niko Kapanen. A smart, quick, and skilled player, Tereschenko had a decent season for Dynamo Moscow. His offensive numbers do not really explain his value, and he could still produce more. A natural leader, Tereschenko has already made a mark as one of Dynamo Moscow's key players, but much more in a two-way role than as a offensive force. He is starting to garner a little attention in the nationwide scene as evidenced by his first Eurotour appearance this year, but he basically has flown under the radar. Increased production probably would set him on the fast track to North America as would adding muscle to his immature body. Despite the promise, Tereschenko will probably have a rough go of making the Stars with Kapanen firmly in place now. If he has an NHL future, it may well be with another team.

One of the surprise second round picks in last year's Entry Draft, Marius Holtet did some definite growing this year. Viewed mostly as a sleeper pick, Holtet is a physical, skilled, and hard-working forward with a lot of potential. While he is not anywhere near NHL-ready at the moment in a few years, he might be near the top of this list. Starting the year in the little publicized third tier of the Swedish system, Holtet played very well. He was producing fairly consistently and also a physical menace despite his smallish size. His play earned him a promotion to the second tier team Bofors for the key part of the season. Though he did not play much, Holtet managed a few points, but his play did show a need to improve his defensive awareness. Holtet also shone on the international stage for Norway this year. At his WJC section, he led second place Norway in scoring. Also, he was invited to play with the men's team in their WC section. Though his role was very, very minor, the fact that he was invited as an eighteen year old is quite encouraging. Altogether, Holtet had an great year. Though he still has a lot of work to do in some areas of his game, there is lots of cause for hope if he can repeat this year's rapid progress.

It is way too early to say for sure, but Jarkko A. Immonen might be the next in what is becoming a trend of the Stars finding talented Finns in hidden down in the draft. Much like Antti Miettinen and Jussi Jokinen before did him, Immonen stayed among the leaders in scoring in the Finnish Junior A league. While this is promising, Immonen must still make the SM-Liiga first. In all likelihood, he should be able to find a spot next year with the Espoo Blues and should join Finland's WJC squad as well. The smallish, talented center has a sniper's instincts, but needs to add strength and play better in traffic to make better use of his natural talents. He could also use some improvement on his defensive game. Immonen is another guy to keep a look out for in the future. With Dallas's track record with players of this type, he may be the next late round find.

The least known Dallas goaltending prospect may have had the most memorable year out of all of them. Splitting time between the ECHL and AHL, Mike Smith showed good promise in his first pro year. His numbers were not sparkling at either level, but he did at least show he belongs. In the ECHL, he posted decent numbers and also registered a goal and a shutout in his first professional win. That goal also made him the youngest goalie to score a goal in any professional league. However, his playoff performance there was quite dismal. In the AHL, where he played while Corey Hirsch was required in Dallas, his numbers were comparable to those of Jason Bacashihua. A big, feisty goalie with a good glove hand, Smith might be a hidden gem. His main problems at the moment are technical in that he needs better rebound control and must learn to play more effectively with his size. He will be joining Bacashihua in Utah next year, and maybe the competition will help both of them to improve.

Back in Sweden, the other shocking second rounder out of last year's draft had a decent showing. Janos Vas played in each of the SEL, the second tier league, and the Under-20 junior league at some point during the year. He started bouncing between the SEL, where he saw very limited ice time, and the junior league, where he was among the top forwards. His junior league performance was good, but more goal scoring would have been welcome. Finally, he was sent to IF Troja/Ljungby in the second tier league. There, Vas still did not have a prime role, but he managed to rack up a few points. The aggressive, versatile forward needs to get more ice time to develop his skills before he will be a fixture in the SEL. Until he can make it in the SEL, he has little hope of reaching the Stars. It is still early yet, but if his performance for Hungary at their WJC competition is any indication, though the competition can hardly be called fierce, there is significant talent that he has yet to tap.

In his first NCAA year, Geoff Waugh showed the reliability expected of him by the Stars. Another in a line of Stars' drafting trends, Waugh is a solid defensive defenseman with possibly a little offensive upside. He played well positionally and physically, but only provided a few assists on the year. Next season, Waugh's role should expand with the University of Northern Michigan, and perhaps with the increased responsibility will come increased offense. Having three more years to work on his raw talents, he could come out of college a different player than he went in as.

Back in Russia, Artem Chernov put together his best season since his magical 2000-01 season. He has adjusted to his different role with Avangard Omsk, which is very top heavy with Czech stars. After his plummet from the top of the game to just a mid-level player, it is really unclear what his future is. There is almost certainly more scoring ability in him, but he is unlikely to get the chance to try to find it in his current locale. Perhaps a shift to North America is just what he needs, but he suffers from the same problem as Tereschenko. As a small center with a moderate skill level and some defensive responsibility, he is unlikely to find a place with the Stars because of Niko Kapanen's presence. His biggest asset over the other two is that he is a better sniper than either Kapanen or Tereschenko, but that is not likely to be enough.

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