The Dallas Stars have not spent many first-round picks in recent years. When they used pick No. 29 in 2024 on a right-shot Finn, Emil Hemming, they invested in a big winger with a real NHL-level shot and pro habits. His progress has been closely watched ever since. Over the last year, he moved from Finland’s top men’s league to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), then into the Stars’ summer program and the two-game prospect set against the Detroit Red Wings in Frisco. This will be a clear look at where he came from, what changed, and what he still needs to improve on before he plays full-time in Dallas.
Where Hemming Started: TPS In Turku, Then a First-Round Call
Hemming grew up in Vaasa, Finland, and came through the TPS program in Turku. TPS is one of Finland’s most respected development clubs. During 2023-24, he split time between TPS’ junior side and the men’s team in Liiga, which is Finland’s top professional league. That season put him on NHL radars because he showed pro details at a young age and scored real goals in a pro league.
“We play a certain way, and he plays the way we play. He can join our Finnish Mafia here, and we’ve got a good group of those guys. It’s just a good fit. He’s a good two-way player, he’s got a shoot-first mentality, he just plays the game the right way.”
Source –Hemming looks to join growing list of Finland-born standouts with Stars – Jim Nill – NHL.com – 7/15/2024
Dallas selected Hemming in the first round, 29th overall, on June 29, 2024. The pick put him into a familiar Stars story, where Finnish players have flourished.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Rankings – Horn’s Final Top 128 for June
For newer fans: when you see “Liiga,” think “Finland’s NHL.” It is a physical, structured league. Succeeding there at 17 or 18 usually means the player understands team concepts, supports the puck well, and can handle contact.
What Finland’s System Added
Finland’s youth-to-pro pathway is intentionally aligned. Coaches use common language from the under-16 level through the under-20 national team and into the Liiga. The goals are tight spacing, early scanning, and reliable support routes. That alignment makes it easier for a teenager to slot into a pro role.
The take-home for Hemming: he arrived in North America with strong habits and a shot that could beat good goalies when he had time and space. What he still needed were North American timing reps in small areas and more touches that force quick give-and-go plays.
Draft Day and the Decision To Cross Over
After the draft, Dallas signed Hemming to a three-year entry-level contract (ELC) on July 15, 2024. The ELC is the standard first NHL deal for young players. The Stars then steered him to the OHL, a high-end junior league that uses the smaller North American rink. The move was about reps. The OHL offered more puck touches and more chances to practice the exact reads he will need in Dallas.
Barrie Year: What Traveled, and What Did Not
Hemming joined the Barrie Colts for 2024-25. His regular-season stat line was 60 games, 18 goals, 30 assists, and 48 points, which works out to 0.80 points per game. In the playoffs, he produced 15 points in 16 games in a run that featured heavy minutes and tighter checking.
Related: Dallas Stars Draft Emil Hemming 29th Overall
What translated right away:
- The shot. He can score with a quick catch-and-release and can lean on a one-timer from the faceoff circle on the power play.
- Off-puck routes. He arrives on time in the slot and supports the puck carrier on exits and entries.
- Willingness to play inside. He did not shy away from contact on North American ice.
What needed work, and still does:
- Playmaking volume. He made good passes in spurts, yet he did not consistently create for others in tight space.
- Small-area speed. He is fine in open ice and on the rush. In the corners and along the wall, he needs more pop in his first steps to separate after winning the puck.
Those two items are echoed in public scouting reports and in the way Dallas staff talked about his summer focus. The club emphasized a quicker release and more explosiveness, which are the first rungs toward better creation at NHL speed. Hemming’s shot helps on the power play already. His next step is adding more pass threats so defenders cannot cheat to his release.
A July Check-In With the Stars
NHL.com’s Taylor Baird published a July feature that spelled out the Stars’ expectations for Hemming. He was training with high-level Finns in the summer, wanted to shoot quicker, and was working on adding explosiveness in his stride. It fits with what Dallas usually asks of a young winger with a good shot: keep the strengths, then tighten the first three steps and the decision speed.
2025 Prospect Games Checkpoint: Red Wings on Saturday and Sunday
Detroit brought a deeper roster to Frisco. The first game went the Red Wings’ way, 6-2. Dallas was chasing most of the night. The Stars pushed back on Sunday and won 6-5, which split the set and reset the tone before main camp.
In Game 1, Hemming shook off rust, kept his shifts simple, and avoided the kind of mistakes that lead to goals against, nothing hugely impressive. In Game 2, he looked more comfortable. He was not flashy, and he did not force plays. He stayed within structure against a strong Detroit group and made very few errors. For a young winger in a prospects setting, that quiet control is a small win.
What this checkpoint actually tells us:
- The floor is steady. He can play clean hockey against fast prospects and not get overwhelmed.
- The ceiling still depends on creation. The way to impress in these games is to add primary shot assists and in-stride slot chances at five-on-five. He showed flashes, although most of his value came from smart routes and safe decisions.
What Hemming Needs Next
- More primary shot assists. These are passes that lead directly to a teammate’s shot. If he adds one per game at even strength in Barrie, it changes how penalty killers defend him on the power play.
- Faster first three steps in traffic. This is not top speed; it is separation speed in the corners. It turns a wall win into a chance to attack the middle. Dallas has already asked for more explosiveness, which fits.
- Keep the middle, not the wall. On entries, carry or bump inside the dots, then move the puck and get it back. That habit shows up in NHL minutes.
- Defensive detail that travels. Low support, clean exits under pressure, and line changes on time. Coaches trust that quickly.
How Hemming Fits the Stars When He Arrives
The near-term role looks like middle-six right wing with the ability to climb the lineup when he is hot. He profiles as a flank shooter on PP2 (second power-play unit) who can also help retrieve pucks and extend offensive-zone time at even strength. Dallas values wingers who support through the neutral zone, win the wall, and then get to the middle. That is where Hemming’s habits and shot can help first.
What To Watch This Season
If you are planning on watching Hemming this season and doing some independent scouting yourself, here are some things I’d look for.
- Five-on-five first assists per game. If this rises, it means the playmaking is coming.
- Controlled entries to the middle. Note how often he crosses the blue line and the next touch is inside the dots rather than glued to the boards.
- In-stride slot shots. Shots he takes while moving in the slot, not with set feet at the wall.
- Power-play variety. Watch for both quick catch-and-release shots and one-timers. When he shows both, defenders cannot cheat.
A Simple Verdict From My Scouting Point of View
I grade players by a clear tool-and-translation method, and I apply it the same way whether I am in Turku or Texas. Hemming already brings an NHL-caliber shot and honest routes. He is coachable, steady, and he fits Dallas’ appetite for structure. The next step is creating at NHL speed in tight areas. The two-game Detroit set did not change the projection, but it also leaves Hemming with more to prove. Against strong prospects, he was steady and clean. But he needs to add more inside-lane passes and in-stride looks so defenders have to respect more than the shot. His structure and maturity need an aspect of play creation.
Hemming sits on the doorstep of the NHL. He can arrive quietly with steady progress or break through with a burst of goals. The difference is sharper plays in tight space and faster first strides. In a shallow Stars pipeline, either outcome helps. Nail those details, and he joins the Finnish Mafia.
