Dallas News: Sawada Should Make Team

Beat reporter Mike Heika likes Ray Sawada's '08 chances of making the Stars' roster:

Sawada will have to earn his spot.

But if you're drawing up the lines right now, it seems pretty easy to put him in as the fourth line right wing next to Brian Sutherby. That would give you two players who have size, grit and still can play defense and possibly score a goal or two on the fourth line.

And that seems like a pretty good situation...both for Sawada and for the Stars.

Sawada has been interviewed twice for the Sun's 10 Questions feature, once as a senior and once when he was called up to the NHL:

Sun: When you were playing with the Stars, was there any one moment when it kind of just hit you: ‘wow, I’m in the NHL right now’?

R.S.: In my first game I was just so worried about being in position and doing the right thing out there. Then I felt it by the third period –– I was sitting on the bench and we had a power play, so I knew I wasn’t going on the ice. I was just sitting there and looked down at my jersey and I was like ‘Holy crap! I’m wearing a Dallas Stars jersey.’ I look at the team we are playing, and it’s the Edmonton Oilers. I look up in the stands, and I see how many people are there. Then I look to my left and Mike Modano is sitting right beside me, and that’s when I was just like ‘Wow — I’m playing my first game in the NHL.’ That’s when it really hit me, I think.

(Dallas News)