DALLAS — After a busy and mostly successful season, Aram Minnetian is ready to begin the next phase of his development after the 19-year-old defenseman was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round (No. 125) of the 2023 NHL Draft.
He completed his freshman year at Boston College, which advanced to the NCAA Division I championship, and won gold with the United States at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
“It was an unbelievable season,” Minnetian said during Stars development camp earlier this month. “We had such a great team this year, such a great culture too. I think that’s what allowed [Boston College] to go so far. Came up one game short. But at the end of the day, it was a great season; it was successful.
“Playing for that World Junior team was unbelievable. Just such a great experience to go there (Gothenburg, Sweden) to be with all these top-level guys, who a lot of them are my friends, and go compete for a World Junior gold medal and represent my country. It was just an unbelievable experience. I learned so much and had a great time.”
Minnetian, from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, will return to Boston College for his sophomore season in the fall to continue to refine his game. He had nine points (three goals, six assists) and was plus-11 in 40 games as a freshman.
“A lot of it is just progressing and finding my identity, which really came clear through last year, that defensive identity, while also having that offensive game,” Minnetian said. “I think [the Stars] want me to continue to be that reliable defensive player that I can be, [play] a controlled game on the back end, and take strides offensively so that I can be that two-way player.”
Neil Graham, coach of Texas of the American Hockey League, has seen Minnetian the past two summers at development camp and has been impressed with the strides he made at Boston College last season.
“The one thing we keep talking about is how square he is to the play,” Graham said. “His footwork is efficient. You can tell he reads the ice well. Albeit we’re doing a lot of niche development drills, but in the small area games where some guys can struggle with spacing or even with read and reacting, he seems to stand out. Not only being ready to make a play, but from a defensive standpoint, he’s done a really good job.
“We’re excited to see him grow in his collegiate career first. From my standpoint, on the professional side, I see a lot of upside. It’s exciting.”
