DALLAS, Texas – The Dallas Stars, who missed the playoffs for the second straight year, head into the upcoming draft with the vision of upgrading their defensive and offensive play. They were missing solid defensive play and offensive thrust from their blue line during the 2009-10 season, and will look for someone to patrol their blueline who has tremendous upside. One of those players could be defenseman Mark Pysyk.
Although he suffered a broken foot at year’s end and played in only 48 games this past season for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League, Pysyk earned the team’s Greg Tomalty Most Valuable Player and Top Defenseman awards.
Pysyk brings a great deal of skills to the NHL, headlined by a smooth, swift skating style that enables him to cover a lot of ice quickly. He is also a heady hockey player who makes snap decisions well.
According to the International Scouting Service NHL Draft Guide, Pysyk is “one of the better skaters you will ever see. (He) is a good offensive-minded defender who takes care of his own end very well. Pysyk is an example of a tremendous talent playing on a team the past couple of years but has still managed to put up respectable numbers in his situation (7 goals and 17 assists while playing for a non-playoff squad). He has great awareness with and without the puck and can be relied on to make consistently intelligent decisions at both ends of the ice.”
E.J. McGuire, Director of Central Scouting adds that Mark “has a neat knack for following up the play at the right time, leading the rush at the right time, and throwing a crisp (break out) pass to one of his forwards.”
The 6-2, 180-lb. native of Sherwood Park, Alberta brings a physical edge to his game. However, he projects himself as an efficient blue liner who uses his hockey smarts to become a proficient performer in hockey’s spotlight.
“We’re really proud of the way Mark has developed both as a hockey player and as an outstanding member of the community,” said Oil Kings’ GM Bob Green. “He carried our team on his back a lot of nights this winter and the fact that he played on a broken foot for a couple of games before he was forced to end his season early shows how much character he’s developed.”
Pysyk was Edmonton’s first-ever Bantam draft pick (3rd overall) in 2007, and he averaged over 20 minutes a game as a 16-year old. Last summer, he represented Canada at the U18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.
With all of the praise given Pysyk you can expect to hear the following come draft day.
“With the 11th pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Dallas Stars select, from the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League, defenseman Mark Pysyk”.
Contact the author at Mike.Stern@prohockeynews.com
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