Stars Rookie Goes Viral for Unique Faceoff Move

Dallas Stars rookie Arttu Hyry goes viral with a unique faceoff technique, showing the creativity and precision behind one of hockey’s most overlooked skills.

Sep 29, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Stars forward Arttu Hyry (12) lines up for a face-off against the Minnesota Wild during the first period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

Through the 2025-26 season, the Dallas Stars have built one of the deepest rosters in hockey, a team that rolls four lines, trusts its defense, and gets solid goaltending behind it all. It’s why they’ve spent most of the year near the top of the Western Conference, right alongside the league-leading Colorado Avalanche.

What makes them dangerous isn’t just star power. It’s detail.

Every part of their game feels intentional, from puck movement to positioning. Occasionally, this meticulous approach shows up where no one expects it, like a practice drill that suddenly makes headlines.

Because this week, one of their lesser-known players found himself going viral.

Viral Faceoff Technique Turning Heads

In a video shared on social media by Dallas Stars beat writer Sam Nestler, rookie forward Arttu Hyry was seen working on faceoffs in a way that looked… different.

Arttu Hyry going 60% on draws as a rookie is not by accident.

Taking draws with his butt end, analyzing each way the puck bounces on different spots on the dot… Spent about 10 minutes doing this with Neil Graham today. pic.twitter.com/Cf30WarUDX

— Sam Nestler (@samnestler) March 16, 2026

The Finnish forward practiced draws by gripping the butt end of his stick instead of near the blade, focusing on how the puck reacts off the ice from different spots on the faceoff dot. It’s a simple concept, but one that requires feel, repetition, and a willingness to think outside the box.

Hyry currently has a 56.7 percent faceoff win rate as a rookie — previously sitting above 60 percent earlier in the season. The drill might look unconventional, but clearly there’s logic behind it.

Faceoffs remain one of the NHL’s most overlooked skills. More than half of all possessions begin with a draw, and winning even a few extra per game can tilt the ice in subtle but important ways. It’s not flashy, but it’s foundational.

And Hyry’s approach shows just how seriously some players take mastering it.

More Than Just a Viral Moment

For Hyry, this kind of creativity fits the path he’s taken to get here.

The 24-year-old went undrafted before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with Dallas in April 2024. Born in Finland in 2001, he developed his game with Oulun Kärpät before making the jump to North America, where he spent the 2024-25 season with the AHL’s Texas Stars.

He made his NHL debut on January 2, 2025, appearing in five games late last season. Even with that brief experience, he’s still considered a rookie this year.

Players like Hyry often carve out roles through details — faceoffs, positioning, defensive awareness. These are the building blocks of trust, the things coaches notice even when the box score doesn’t.

Hyry’s approach reflects something deeper about the way players are evolving. The NHL is faster, smarter, and more detailed than ever before, and success often comes from finding edges wherever you can. Sometimes that means rethinking even the most basic skills.

He may not have his first NHL goal yet, but he’s already showing the kind of mindset that helps players stick in the league.

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