Discussing development of Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist with Stars GM Jim Nill

One spent all season in the AHL and is now an NHL key piece. The other is a healthy scratch heading into the NHL playoffs.

Thomas Harley has been a recent success story for the Dallas Stars.

Recalled from the AHL, he’s played well in four straight NHL games, and when the NHL club opens the playoffs next week he’ll be in the lineup for Game 1.

Harley’s ascension from AHLer to NHL playoff piece has coincided with the final fall of Nils Lundkvist, who has gone from an exciting off-season addition, acquired for a first-round pick, to scratched heading into the postseason.

Despite playing 60 games, the most of his career, Lundkvist was a constant discussion point in Dallas. When he did play it was in a limited role and there were key stretches where Joel Hanley, who was signed to be a seventh defenseman played over him by choice.