Having gone undrafted, Hryckowian signed with the Stars in March 2024, after three seasons with the Huskies where he totaled 101 points (35 goals, 66 points) in 94 career games. <\/p>\n
\u201cI knew I was going to have to spend time in the American League,\u201d said Hryckowian. \u201cI wasn\u2019t running from that or anything. It was just accepted, and go build my game down there, and hopefully do enough to impress and get here one day.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Hryckowian did that and then some at the AHL affiliate in Cedar Park, Texas, in the 2024-25 season, and was presented with the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the league\u2019s outstanding rookie after finishing with 22 goals and 38 assists in 67 games.<\/p>\n
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan acknowledged not knowing much about Hryckowian as he entered his first training camp, and thought the former Husky captain might grab a spot on the fourth line, or as a 13th forward. But Hryckowian ended up centering the third line as injuries cropped up for the Stars, and he entered Tuesday with 12 goals and 14 assists in 73 games.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been outstanding,\u201d said Gulutzan. \u201cHe\u2019s competitive, and he\u2019s got sense, he\u2019s got high hockey IQ. Those are two big weapons when you\u2019re at this level.\u201d<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s been more than just the numbers Hryckowian has brought to a team that has been to the Western Conference finals in each of the last three seasons but has been unable to break through to the Stanley Cup Final. Veteran Colin Blackwell, now in his eighth season after four years at Harvard, has been impressed with Hryckowian\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way that he prepares every single day \u2014 practice, games, takes care of himself \u2014 even though he\u2019s a rookie, a lot of people are following suit,\u201d said Blackwell, who grew up in North Andover and played for St. John\u2019s Prep. \u201cHe\u2019s just a true professional at a young age, and he\u2019s been a great addition to our locker room. And the way he plays the game is infectious, too \u2014 and a lot of energy. And he plays the game the right way, and he\u2019s getting rewarded for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hryckowian brought that energy in a March 12 game against the Oilers, who have sent the Stars packing in each of the last two postseasons. Connor McDavid took exception to Hryckowian\u2019s teammate, Arttu Hyry, firing a puck at Leon Draisaitl at the end of the second period and charged toward Hyry. That\u2019s when Hryckowian blocked McDavid\u2019s path and ended up in a skirmish with the three-time league MVP.<\/p>\n
Hryckowian drew four penalties that day as Dallas prevailed, 7-2, and a screen grab of him chirping McDavid and the rest of the Edmonton bench went viral<\/a>, with fans turning the moment into T-shirts and paintings. Hryckowian as agitator has been an unexpected twist, considering he logged just eight penalty minutes across 32 games his final season with the Huskies.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s part of the game that doesn\u2019t come out too much in college hockey,\u201d said Hryckowian. \u201cYou give one guy a weird shot after a whistle, and you could be out for a major. But I always kind of had that side of me, and obviously when the pro game started, I\u2019m trying to feel some passion for the game and give the boys a spark whenever I can. <\/p>\n \u201cAgainst Edmonton, that game kind of just blew up. It was obviously nationally televised and everything. So everyone\u2019s talking about it, but I was just stepping up for a teammate, and [McDavid] was just kind of trying give his team spark.\u201d<\/p>\n There could be another Hryckowian joining Dallas in the future after the organization signed younger brother Dylan this month after his third season at Northeastern. He reported to the AHL affiliate and has appeared in three games.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fired up,\u201d said Justin Hryckowian. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of him. The journey he\u2019s been on wasn\u2019t easy. He\u2019s been overlooked, I feel like, over the years. All he\u2019s done is produced at every level, honestly. So I\u2019m just glad he got recognized for it. He\u2019s a pro hockey player now, and now he\u2019s on the climb to to get here one day.\u201d<\/p>\n Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney<\/a>.<\/p>\n