The Dallas Stars will receive some extra support ahead of their clash with Central Division rival Colorado Friday night.
Top-line centerman Roope Hintz will enter the lineup for the first time since the Olympic break. Hintz was placed on injured reserve with an illness that sidelined him for over a week.
Hintz competed with Team Finland and won bronze in the Olympic games in Milan. He, Finnish teammate Mikko Rantanen and Czech forward Radek Faksa all returned unhealthy. The other two are not yet ready to return to game action due to injuries.
“It took a little bit longer than I was hoping for, but it got me really bad,” Hintz said. “I’m finally feeling good.”
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Hintz has 15 goals and 29 assists in 52 games for Dallas this year.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan also announced the Stars’ two trade deadline acquisitions — defenseman Tyler Myers from Vancouver and forward Michael Bunting from Nashville — won’t play Friday. The two are expected to debut in Sunday’s game against Chicago.
“We went through a bunch of video today with those guys,” Gulutzan said. “Just getting them acclimated with our systems and the way we play. You always want to make them as prepared as they can to set them up for success, especially when they’ve had long travel days and are packing up families.”
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger will start in net. Hintz will slot in for forward Arttu Hyry, who was loaned to Texas Thursday. The rest of the lineup will stay the same.
Dallas enter the clash between the league’s top two teams on a franchise-record, 10-game win streak. The Stars sit six points behind the Avalanche, who have a game in hand.
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