FRISCO, Texas — Jim Nill doesn’t like to speak in absolutes.



It’s a smart mechanism for the Dallas Stars general manager when addressing the media. By failing to commit to a certain mindset or approach, he effectively leaves all of his options open publicly, whether or not there’s a private plan he’s been following along.



That’s what is happening with defensive prospect Thomas Harley.



The Stars’ 2019 first-round draft pick has been one of the biggest stories in training camp and a Harley hype machine revved up when Stars coach Jim Montgomery compared him to Miro Heiskanen on the first day of camp. That comparison prompted public speculation that Harley could play in the NHL as an 18-year-old, a murmur that turned into more of a roar as he survived a couple rounds of cuts and then signed his NHL entry-level contract on Monday afternoon.



Harley, however, had just as much of a chance of making the NHL roster...