Jan 4, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars left wing Antoine Roussel (21) in action during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the American Airlines Center. The Canadiens defeat the Stars 4-3 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Who will the Dallas Stars protect in the upcoming expansion draft? That’s the question that has lingered over the franchise for the past few months. Whatever the final list looks like, Antoine Roussel needs to be on it.

“My name is Antoine Roussel, and scoring is my passion.”

Those were the words spoken by forward Antoine Roussel in his youth highlight tape, though they were initially said in French.

The 27-year-old from Roubaix, France has lived up to his claims through his professional hockey performance. For Dallas Stars fans, it’s been an absolute pleasure being able to watch him blossom into a full-time NHL player.

Ever since scoring in his NHL debut on February 1, 2013, the Stars have possessed a new edge with Roussel on the ice. He’s got a certain element about him that is hard to find in professional hockey players, thus making him a rare acquisition. It’s primarily good, though sometimes it can be detrimental. But whatever the case, Roussel has been an influential piece of the Dallas squad.

And that’s exactly why the Dallas Stars should protect him from the upcoming expansion draft in mid-June.

Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza, Radek Faksa, Brett Ritchie, and Valeri Nichushkin have recently been regarded as six of the seven forwards that Dallas will likely protect come June 21. That leaves one protection spot open, and Roussel is a tossup for it along with Cody Eakin and Curtis McKenzie.

So why does Roussel deserve to be protected over a young center not even in his prime yet and a winger who just had a career year for Dallas? Because Roussel is a spark plug, that’s why.

Simply put, he’s the lifeblood of the team. That cannot be stated enough nor can it be put into words just how much of an impact it has on the team.

His energy is unmatched, and that helps him out in multiple other areas of the game.

First off, he’s physical. Roussel always hounds the puck, plays aggressive on the forecheck and back check, does whatever he has to in order to keep an offensive attack going, and always finishes his checks. That can sometimes lead to more than just shoving.

He also leads the Dallas Stars in fighting majors on a yearly basis. He’s always determined to stand up for his teammates and keep the team above all else. That’s dedication that isn’t easy to find amongst players today.

Some of Roussel’s critics that would prefer him being exposed cite that one of his biggest weaknesses are the penalty minutes he racks up. But when you take a look at his stats, his progress is evident in cutting down his penalties per season. After leading the league in 2013-14 with a whopping 209 minutes (an average of more than two minutes a game), he’s cut them down sizably. This past season he logged 115, and 50 of them were due to a fight (which doesn’t hurt the Stars in play).

He’s a valuable asset on special teams as well. His tenacity and energy help solidify him as one of the Stars’ best penalty killers and he can also provide quality depth on the power play.

And though he’s not always known for it, he is still a prolific scorer. His numbers have been incredibly consistent throughout each season, averaging somewhere between 12-14 goals and 25-30 points throughout his career in every season except his rookie campaign. That’s perfectly acceptable considering he only skates around 14 minutes a game.

Roussel also makes it obvious when he does score, making sure no one is left in the dark. I guess you could say he “scores with passion.”

His reliability is also near perfect. Besides an injury this past season that occurred after blocking a slap shot with his hand that cut his season 22 games short, he’s been a regular member in the lineup (besides one or two suspensions for a violent play).

He’s a valuable asset that is sometimes overlooked in the Stars’ system (even though it seems impossible that anyone could ever overlook Roussel). With all of the high-flying talent that Dallas has on the top lines, Roussel sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. But he provides a sizable advantage for the Stars in terms of depth.

And that’s why he needs to be protected. If he’s left exposed, Vegas would almost assuredly scoop him up. He’s got more value than people give him credit for, and the Golden Knights could get away with a steal by picking Roussel.

If the Dallas Stars don’t protect the Frenchman, they could be making a large mistake. His passion, likability, and talent make him a rare find. Let’s just hope Jim Nill sees that by the time June 18 rolls around when the lists are due. It’ll be a tough decision to make.