GLENDALE, Ariz. - Julius Honka was the last one off the ice Thursday morning.
While assistant coach Stu Barnes chatted with a friend after he ran the healthy scratches through their paces, Honka was out skating by himself and working on the details of his game.
The Stars this season are carrying eight defensemen because they want Honka to take the next step in his NHL career. He already has logged three seasons and 191 games in the AHL, so the 21-year-old defenseman is ready to move forward. However, he's also an inexperienced player who is going to make mistakes, so the Stars have decided to keep Honka in the NHL and both play him and teach him.