Prospect Notes: Stars, Khovanov, Loponen

Stars GM Jim Nill told Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that he hasn’t fully decided on which players will be recalled to fill out their postseason roster due to not being sure about the availability of top prospects Thomas Harley and Ty Dellandrea.  Harley, the 18th pick in 2019, averaged nearly a point per game this season as a defenseman with OHL Mississauga while Dellandrea, the 13th selection the year before, had an impressive 70 points in 47 games with OHL Flint.  Both players are on their entry-level deals and under normal circumstances, they’d be eligible for recall since the OHL season is over.  However, these aren’t normal circumstances and the NHL has already said they’d like to reduce the number of ‘ringers’ joining a team at this point; they’re still trying to block teams from signing their own prospects to make them playoff-eligible even though that is legal in other years.  Until that’s resolved, don’t expect any official word on who Dallas will recall as a result.

Other prospect news and notes:

• Although there is a report from Sport-Express in Russia suggesting that Wild prospect Alexander Khovanov could sign a one-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL for next season, Michael Russo of The Athletic notes (subscription required) that the team is still discussing what the best route for him for 2020-21 will be. Now finished with his junior career in QMJHL Moncton where he had 99 points in just 51 games this season, the 2018 third-round pick can turn pro.  However, with the start of the AHL season in question, the safer play may be to have him play in Russia and get a full year of development in.  Khovanov has already signed his entry-level deal so he would be loaned to the KHL in this scenario without the risk of him trying to sign a long-term pact there.
• Maple Leafs prospect Kalle Loponen won’t be returning to Sudbury of the OHL next season.  Ben Leeson of the Sudbury Star reports (Twitter link) that the Wolves have dropped his rights in advance of next week’s CHL Import Draft and instead will protect Sabres prospect Matej Pekar and Canadiens prospect Frederik Dichow.  Loponen was a seventh-round pick of Toronto back in 2019 and posted six goals and 18 assists in Sudbury this season, a respectable showing for a defenseman in his first year of major junior.  The 19-year-old is expected to return to Karpat’s system in Finland.