Patrik Nemeth and Devin Shore join Texas Stars before tilt with San Antonio

Patrik Nemeth has joined the Texas Stars on a conditioning stint. (Photo by Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)

Reinforcements are coming for the Texas Stars before tonight’s game with the San Antonio Rampage.

Devin Shore has been reassigned to Texas after a three-game stint in the NHL, while Patrik Nemeth has been assigned to Texas on a conditioning assignment.

Nemeth’s conditioning assignment can last up to 14 days. Theoretically the Swedish defenseman could play seven games during that time before returning to Dallas just before Thanksgiving.

So far Nemeth has only appeared in two games this season for Dallas as the NHL club has carried eight defenseman. This move could also signal that Jamie Oleksiak could join Texas in the future on a similar conditioning stint.

Devin Shore during the Texas Stars season-opening game against the San Antonio Rampage. (Photo by Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)

Shore only missed two games with Texas while he was in the NHL and he’s still Stars leading scorer with 11 points in nine games.

Here is the official release:

FRISCO, Texas – Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has reassigned forward Devin Shore to the Texas Stars, Dallas’ top development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL), as well as loaned defenseman Patrik Nemeth there on a conditioning assignment.

Nemeth, 23, has appeared in two games this season for Dallas registering three shots on net. Per terms of his loan, his conditioning assignment can span up to 14 days.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound native of Stockholm, Sweden was selected by Dallas in the second round (41st overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.

Shore, 21, appeared in his first three career NHL games with Dallas and posted a +2 plus/minus rating. At the time of his recall on Nov. 1, he sat second in the AHL in goals (8) and tied for sixth in points (8-3=11) in nine games played. The rookie was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 18, the AHL’s first week of the season, as he collected five goals and one assist (5-1=6) in three games played, all road victories.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound native of Ajax, Ontario was selected by Dallas in the second round (61st overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.

Understanding playoff waivers for the Dallas and Texas Stars

Colton Sceviour has likely played his last game in a Texas Stars uniform (Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)

For the first time in franchise history, the Dallas Stars and Texas Stars have made the playoffs in the same season.

Obviously, this is good news for the franchise. It does, however, create some wrinkles for Texas’ roster in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Chris Mueller, Colton Sceviour, Dustin Jeffrey, and Patrik Nemeth are the only current Dallas players eligible for the AHL playoffs.

If, or when, Dallas is eliminated from the playoffs before its AHL affiliate Mueller, Sceviour and Jeffrey would have to pass through waivers to join the Texas Stars. Nemeth is waiver exempt, so he could be sent down immediately.

(For those unfamiliar with waivers, a player’s contract and rights can be claimed by any of the other 29 NHL teams during a 24-hour window.)

Even though Sceviour and Jeffrey were initially emergency call-ups, that status has since changed. Jeffrey has been a healthy scratch, while Sceviour has played 18 games since the unfortunate Rich Peverly incident and is no longer an emergency call-up at the start of the playoffs.

So, what does this mean?

In layman’s terms, Sceviour isn’t going to play for the Texas Stars again this season, maybe ever. Nemeth will play for Texas when, or if, Dallas’ season is over, Mueller and Jeffrey probably will too.

Sceviour recently signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Dallas through the 2015-16 season. It’s unlikely Dallas would risk losing Sceviour – a full-time NHL player now – to help Texas’ Calder Cup Chances.

Mueller and Jeffrey both have expiring contracts at the end of this season. Therefore there isn’t much risk in sending them through waivers and they should re-join Texas at some point in the playoffs.

Any team that claimed Mueller or Jeffrey would have to place them on the active NHL roster – even teams that are already eliminated from the playoffs. For other NHL teams, there isn’t much of a reward in doing so since Mueller and Jeffrey both become free agents July 1 and could then re-sign with Dallas.

The good news for Texas fans is the AHL club isn’t going to lose anyone else to the NHL club, barring a rash of injuries for Dallas.

NHL teams have an unlimited number of call-ups during the playoffs, but can only have three called-up players on the NHL roster at a given point, barring an emergency call-up to dress a full roster. The exception being — and this is Dallas’ case — if a team made four call-ups after the trade deadline, then they can carry those four called up players throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

So, what does this mean?

As long as Dallas doesn’t lose three forwards, three defenseman, or a goalie to injury Texas isn’t going to lose any more players to the NHL this season.

Jyrki Jokipakka adjusting to North American game

Jyrki Jokipakka doesn’t speak English very well, but the 22-year-old Finnish defenseman hasn’t had to say much to impress his Texas Stars teammates throughout training camp.

“When a player is as good Jyrki it’s not that hard,” Cameron Gaunce said. “He’s such a good skater and he’s so smart out there … as long as he can understand a couple things I say, I think we’ll be fine.”

Jokipakka played professionally in SM-liiga — the Finnish Elite League — the last three seasons, finishing with 44 points and 56 penalty minutes in 159 games.

In Finland, Jokipakka’s youth wasn’t an issue, in North America that’ll be tested.

The North American game is a more physical, quicker pace due to the confines of the rink. International ice surfaces are 210 feet long and 98 feet wide, in North America the rink is 200 feet by 85.

“The speed and strength, that’s the first thing that stands out,” Stars assistant coach and former NHL defenseman Doug Lidster said. “You’re playing with men. And he played professional in Europe for well over 100 games, but there’s not that physicality that there is in North America and there’s a little bit less space.”

In both of the Stars pre-season game Jokipakka dealt well with added pressure and more aggressive forechecks. He also chipped in offensively and dished out a pair of assists in a 3-0 win against the San Antonio Rampage on Sunday.

A couple current Stars have already made the adjustment from European to North American hockey. Patrick Nemeth and Cristopher Nilstorp are Swedish and were North American rookies last season. Matej Stransky is from the Czech Republic, but played his junior hockey with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League.

“I think it’s just hard work (adjusting to North America),” Stransky said. “In Europe you don’t have to work as had to gain space. It’s big motivation and hard work to play here with the fans.”

The older European players are also helping Jokipakka adjust to life on the ice. All four players are living in the same apartment building and Stransky said they helped Jokipakka find an apartment and buy furniture.

Texas Stars add 7 to training camp roster

The Texas Stars training camp increased by seven players Saturday, just in time for Sunday’s second pre-season game against the San Antonio Rampage.

Dallas assigned defensemen Jyrki Jokipakka, Patrik Nemeth and Jamie Oleksiak to Texas, while forwards Brett Ritchie, Austin Smith and Matej Stransky will also be headed to Cedar Park. Texas Stars captain Maxime Fortunus was released from his PTO with Dallas and will report to AHL camp.

Texas training camp now stands at 30 players:

Forwards (16): Spencer Bennett, Justin Dowling, Mike Hedden, Curtis McKenzie, Justin Mercier, Brock Montgomery, Anthony Nigro, Taylor Peters, Toby Petersen, Brendan Ranford, William Rapuzzi, Taylor Vause, Francis Wathier, Brett Ritchie, Austin Smith, Matej Stransky.

Defensemen (11): Etienne Boutet, Ryan Button, Tyler Elbrecht, Ryan Hegarty, Hubert Labrie, William Wrenn, Cameron Gaunce, Jyrki Jokipakka, Patrick Nemeth, Maxime Fortunus.

Goaltenders (3): Pat Nagle, Josh Robinson, Jack Campbell.

A couple likely Texas Stars are still in Dallas training camp. Including Travis Morin, Colton Sceviour, Luke Gazdic and Cristopher Nilstorp.