Hintz Out for Stars' Playoff Start After Setback, But Dallas Getting Healthier Elsewhere
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz won't be ready for the beginning of the playoffs after a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan delivered the tough news Wednesday before Dallas finished the regular season against Buffalo, saying the team had hoped Hintz might be available early in their playoff run but that's no longer the case.
"We thought we could have him maybe for the beginning of the series, and it doesn't look that way," Gulutzan said. "I think he's progressing now, and we're just going to be careful here."
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Hintz has been sidelined since March 6, when he got hurt in a 5-4 shootout loss to Colorado. That's over a month out of the lineup for Dallas's top-line center heading into their playoff matchup. The Stars claimed the Central Division's No. 2 seed and will open the playoffs this weekend against third-seeded Minnesota, meaning Hintz will be watching from the sidelines at the start of that series.
Silver Linings for Dallas
While losing Hintz is a major blow, Gulutzan offered some encouraging news on other fronts. Top defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who suffered a lower-body injury in a 5-4 win over Minnesota on April 9, is expected to be ready for playoff play. Heiskanen was scheduled to miss his third game, but Gulutzan sounded optimistic about his chances.
"He's getting better, but it's kind of day to day right now," Gulutzan said. "So very hopeful, though, on that front. Obviously a big player for us."
Dallas also got back some depth down the middle. Center Sam Steel was set to return against Buffalo in his first game after missing nine with an undisclosed injury. That comes right after center Radek Faksa made his comeback after missing 24 games dealing with upper and lower-body injuries.
The Stars will need all the help they can get when the puck drops this weekend against Minnesota.
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