Originally, Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa was listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. However, head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters yesterday including Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News that the blueliner isn’t skating and won’t be available in the near future as he has been undergoing tests to determine his status. It’s the second time that the 31-year-old has been injured this season as he had an upper-body issue last month. Hakanpaa doesn’t put up many points as he has just 12 in 64 games but leads the team in hits (196) with nearly twice as many as Mason Marchment who sits second (100) while he’s second on the team in blocks with 123 behind only Esa Lindell (133).
Elsewhere in the Central:
- Jets head coach Rick Bowness will not return to the team this weekend as Postmedia’s Scott Billeck relays that Bowness remains in Winnipeg while recovering from a minor medical procedure. Scott Arniel will continue to serve as the interim bench boss for their games against the Islanders and Capitals.
- Center Cody Hodgson has inked a second PTO deal with the Predators’ AHL affiliate, per the AHL’s transactions log. Hodgson was forced into early retirement following the 2015-16 season due to malignant hyperthermia but has recovered well enough to attempt a comeback which started in January. So far, the 34-year-old has done quite well in limited action, notching six goals and two assists in 12 games. This second PTO is a 25-game one which would easily take Hodgson through the rest of the season.
Malignant hypothermia sounds wild.
Wishing Cody all the best!