The Dallas Stars were dealt a crucial blow Wednesday as it was announced forward Tyler Seguin will miss a significant amount of time.
The veteran will undergo surgery in New York on Dec. 5 to repair a left-side femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) and the left-side hip labrum. He is expected to miss four to six months, likely sidelining him for at least the rest of the regular season.
Seguin did not travel with the team to Utah for the start of its current road trip on Monday. He last played in Sunday’s win over the Winnipeg Jets.
How Seguin’s Injury Affects the Stars
The Stars have been using some load management techniques with Seguin this season due to a mystery injury. Now we know what it is. He has been in and out of the lineup for games and practices, and his impressive start to the year seems even more unlikely now that the injury has been disclosed.
Seguin’s line combination alongside Matt Duchene and Mason Marchment has been Dallas’ best this season. It has also been one of the best and most productive in the NHL. All three are among the team’s leaders in points, with Duchene leading the way with 28 points in 24 games. Seguin is third with 20 points (nine goals and 11 assists) in 19 games.
Only Duchene, Marchment, and Roope Hintz have more goals for the Stars this season.
What It Means
The Stars have been plagued by injuries and inconsistent lineups this season. The team has rarely played with the line combinations and defensive pairings it expected to have when the offseason began. Jason Robertson missed most of training camp with a foot injury that delayed the chemistry of the first line. Logan Stankoven missed some time from the third line and has just returned to the lineup.
Dallas was just getting up to full strength and will now miss one of its top forwards for the rest of the regular season. Yet, the projected recovery timetable provides a chance for Seguin to return for the postseason. They could turn to the current roster for his temporary replacement or make a trade, and putting him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) would also open up $9.8 million in cap space, according to reports.
In the meantime, someone like Stankoven, Evgenii Dadonov, or even Mavrik Bourque could make sense to play beside Marchment and Duchene. The Stars have Dadonov all over the lineup. He could benefit from the opportunities of playing with Duchene and Marchment while keeping it a veteran line.
On the other hand, there are cases for the rookies, too. Stankoven has been the most productive player outside of the second-line trio. Playing with the veterans could allow him more opportunities to score goals and strengthen his Calder Trophy candidacy. The opportunity would have a similar benefit for Bourque as Dallas tries to get him to play up to his potential on the offensive end.
It just depends on what combinations Dallas thinks give it the best chance to win, and that could take some trial and error. However, previous injury issues this season should provide a clearer picture.
Main Photo: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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