12:30 PM: The Stars have made the deal official. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
11:54 AM: Though the team has yet to make an official announcement, Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas News reports that the Stars have signed Oskar Back to his entry-level contract. The young forward recently finished his second full season in the SHL and will be signing a three-year deal.
Back, 21, recorded four goals and 14 points in 52 games for Farjestad BK, but more importantly, continued his development as a top checking forward. That’s where his future lies if he is to ever crack an NHL roster, using his size and mobility to shadow the other team’s best players. Selected 75th overall in 2018, there’s not a ton of offensive upside in Back, but the Stars obviously believe he can still be an asset to the organization at some level.
The Stars have just 26 player contracts handed out for next season, with a ton of players hitting free agency in one form or another. Back should be able to find room in the minor leagues to play substantial minutes unless the team feels it necessary to send him back to the SHL for further development. At any rate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in a Dallas uniform pretty quickly, though his potential to play more than just a fourth-line role is limited.
“I’ll be Oskar”..I mean “I’ll be Back.”
Oskar Back, meet Felix Front! Oskar and Felix – The Odd Couple!
Back from where?
@Grim_work – *Any* where…*Every* where…
Back is back to play back to back games! :D
@Gbear – I’ve got your Back! (Unless that 200-foot guy shows up again!)
@Mac – Hey, back off man! :D
@Gbear – Wow! I was all over your Back…and NO WHISTLES! Yeeha! Rodeo Hockey is BACK! We should celebrate! With Have-Another-Donuts and…(wait for it)…Back Bacon! :)
@Mac – I’m just glad Dallas moved forward with Back, as this whole thing could’ve gone sideways. :D
@Gbear – Sidewayz…and detoured into a Backwaters town never to post on PHR again, but with plenty of time to work on backchecks against those pesky Czechs! Maybe this is why Bonesy didn’t go with “Holy Mackin-back!” ;)
Dallas got Back.