It is time to see what one of the best players in the American Hockey League is made of.
On Friday, the Dallas Stars recalled forward Mavrik Bourque from their primary affiliate, the Texas Stars.
Bourque has been gaining attention for how he’s played in the AHL. In his second full season of professional hockey, the 22-year-old has dominated with Texas, leading the league in scoring with 72 points in 66 games. Bourque was also named the AHL’s Player of the Month in November.
Prior to the call-up, Bourque had scored 26 goals on a Texas team that had been slipping down the AHL’s Central Division standings, as high-powered offensive weapons like Logan Stankoven have been moved up to Dallas.
The Plessisville, Quebec native was taken 30th overall by the Stars in the 2020 NHL Draft. He earned a reputation as an efficient scorer with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League, captaining the team to a Gilles-Courteau Trophy in 2022. Bourque played two games for Canada in the 2022 World Junior Championship, which was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
He brought that scoring touch to the minors, where Bourque has scored 48 goals and 128 points in 150 career AHL games.
It is unknown what the plans are for Bourque, who has yet to play in his first NHL game. However, with the Stars challenging for the President’s Trophy, Dallas is going to want all hands on deck, with the expectation that the team can make a deep run in the playoffs.
The Stars (48-19-9) are riding an eight-game win streak. They sit atop the Central Division standings, three points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche. Dallas sits one point back of the New York Rangers for the best record in the league.
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