Dallas Stars select Emil Hemming No. 29 overall in 2024 NHL Draft

Emil Hemming is a fascinating draft pick for the Dallas Stars.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Hemming isn’t necessarily a “physical” player by any means, recording a big fat zero penalty minutes in 40 games with TPS Turku of the Finnish men’s league, but his ability to be a reliable defensive player and role guy is what make coaches love him. 

Also, don’t let his seven goals and 11 points fool you: this guy can produce, scoring 18 points in 13 games with the TPS U-20 team, as well as six points in five games with Finland at the U-18 tournament. If given the opportunity to produce, he’ll do it. 

“He’s capable of getting creative offensively, but I feel like he’s a future bottom-six forward who can outmuscle players while staying disciplined and grinding it out all game long,” Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis wrote about Hemming in his final NHL Draft Rankings. “If he improves his skating, I can see Hemming playing a more prominent role in the NHL, but at a minimum, I think he works hard enough to earn himself a spot deeper down.”

Dallas will have to keep an eye on where the right-handed winger’s offensive game goes as he develops. If you’re able to harness his potential and have him drive the net and create offense in a not-so-pretty matter, Hemming might be what scouts refer to as a “modern power forward,” someone who doesn’t need to throw big hits and fight, but use his size and smarts to take advantage of unsuspecting defenders. 

Again, it’s his defensive abilities that will earn him the respect of his coaches and pave the way for more opportunities to climb up the lineup in North America, whenever he makes the jump. How he uses that opportunity will be up to him.