Stars Recall Arttu Hyry, Reassign Remi Poirier
The Dallas Stars will return to NHL action tonight without several forwards. In need of some depth, the team announced that they’ve recalled Arttu Hyry from the AHL’s Texas Stars, and reassigned netminder Rémi Poirier in a corresponding roster move.
Already without Tyler Seguin for the foreseeable future, the Stars have also placed Mikko Rantanen and Radek Faksa on injured reserve due to ailments suffered during the Olympics. Additionally, Roope Hintz isn’t expected to be in the lineup tonight, either, as he’s dealing with an illness.
Those absences should allow Hyry to participate in his first NHL contest since last January. He’s in his second year with the team after signing as an international free agent last season. Before his move to North America, Hyry spent several years with the Finnish Liiga’s Kärpät organization.
He has provided encouraging results. Last season, primarily with AHL Texas, Hyry finished his rookie campaign with 24 goals and 49 points in 67 games with a +15 rating. That output was good for sixth on the team in scoring. Furthermore, Hyry added one goal and six points in 14 postseason contests.
This year, he hasn’t been as explosive offensively, largely due to an injury earlier in the year, but he is still having a solid season. At the time of writing, Hyry is 12th on the team in scoring with seven goals and 17 points in 26 games with a -4 rating.
Meanwhile, Poirier will return to the AHL as expected. The Stars called him up a few days ago to serve as practice depth, given that fellow netminder Jake Oettinger remained in Milan with Team USA. He’s played exclusively for AHL Texas this season, managing a 16-14-5 record in 34 games with a .906 SV% and 2.74 GAA.
Stars Remain Interested In Evander Kane
He didn’t provide an exhaustive list, but Johnston stated that the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, among others, have each inquired about Kane to some capacity. Johnston doesn’t expect the price to be all that high, and he indicated that the Canucks have no issue retaining half of Kane’s salary for the rest of the season, making him much more financially palatable.
Stars Place Radek Faksa On Injured Reserve
Dallas Stars forward Radek Faksa was placed on injured reserve, as noted by Robert Tiffin of StarsThoughts.com. Representing Team Czechia at the Olympics, Faksa suffered an upper body injury which cut his time short.
The team has annouced the retroactive date as February 17, when the veteran was injured in Milan, meaning he could be activated as soon as Saturday. If such could be the case, he’d only miss one game, tomorrow against Seattle.
The ailment does not appear to be serious, but it’s another tough blow considering that top scorer Mikko Rantanen landed on the shelf from his own injury during the Olympic Games, and top center Roope Hintz is unlikely to play tomorrow as he is ill.
Chosen by the Stars back in 2012, Faksa returned to his long-term organization after a one year stint with St. Louis in 2024-25 to serve as a bottom six center. The 32-year-old has missed just one game, recording 17 points, already surpassing his output in the unusual Blues uniform last year. Faksa’s 43.3% corsi for in at five-on-five is a career worst, however he has started 72% of his shifts in the defensive zone, thanks to his trustworthy 56% face-off win rate. The fifth-ranked Stars hardly need offense from Faksa at this point in his career, as opposed to his usual shutdown play and penalty killing.
Dallas’ forward depth will be tested over the next few days as they return from the Olympic break, but in all likelihood, Faksa will return by next week in time for the team’s two-game Western Canada road trip which starts Monday in Vancouver.
Dallas Stars Place Mikko Rantanen On IR
Feb. 24: Rantanen will be out for at least two weeks and possibly longer, head coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters today, although he doesn’t expect the injury to end his regular season (via Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News). That will nonetheless put him out through the trade deadline and keep him out of at least Dallas’ next seven games.
Feb. 23: The Dallas Stars announced today that they have placed star forward Mikko Rantanen on injured reserve, retroactive to Feb. 20, the date of Finland’s loss to Canada in the quarterfinals of the recent Winter Olympic tournament.
Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan told the media today, including Stars Thoughts’ Robert Tiffin, that Rantanen is doubtful to play in the Stars’ first game back from the break, and is questionable beyond that point. According to Tiffin, Gulutzan “didn’t want to speculate” on Rantanen’s status beyond this week.
The team’s roster move suggests Rantanen isn’t set for an extended absence. Since his IR placement was made retroactive to Feb. 20, he will be eligible for activation as early as Feb. 27. If the team held a firm expectation that Rantanen would miss well over a week, it is less likely that they would have directly clarified the retroactive nature of his IR placement in their announcement post.
Rantanen’s injury didn’t end up costing Finland, as they cruised past Slovakia to earn a bronze medal. His injury, while seemingly minor in the grand scheme of the Stars’ season, threatens to seriously impact their odds of winning the games he’s set to miss. Rantanen is arguably Dallas’ most talented forward, currently leading the team in scoring with 69 points in 54 games.
Rantanen leads all Stars forwards in time-on-ice per game and is widely considered one of the game’s top wingers. Missing him, even for a handful of games, will hurt the Stars. With that said, Gulutzan’s comments combined with how the Stars have announced Rantanen’s IR placement suggest the star winger won’t be sidelined for too long, which is certainly good news for Dallas.
Stars Recall Remi Poirier
The Stars announced that they’ve recalled goaltender Remi Poirier from AHL Texas. They have an open roster spot after placing Mikko Rantanen on injured reserve yesterday, so no corresponding move is required. Poirier is expected to back up Casey DeSmith tomorrow against the Kraken before starter Jake Oettinger returns to the team for Saturday’s home tilt against the Predators, needing some extra time after serving as Connor Hellebuyck‘s backup en route to an Olympic gold medal for Team USA.
Poirier, 24, was a sixth-round pick of the Stars in the 2020 draft. He’s been their best minor-league option since the 2023-24 campaign, although he was often passed over by the more veteran Matt Murray two years ago and Magnus Hellberg last year for spot recalls like this one. Since turning pro in 2022, he’s made 119 AHL appearances with a .906 SV%, 2.82 GAA, six shutouts, and a 59-46-13 record.
With his veteran competition gone, Poirier has emerged as the undisputed No. 3 option this year. His only real competition has come from 23-year-old Arno Tiefensee, a 2023 fifth-rounder who’s in his first season in North America.
His numbers this year are in line with his career average – a good AHL tandem/starting option, but they don’t exactly jump off the page. He’s made 34 appearances, quickly encroaching on his career high of 38, with a .906 SV%. During the preseason, Elite Prospects ranked him as the #13 prospect in the system. Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis also had him out of his top 10, trailing 2025 fifth-rounder Måns Goos as the team’s top goaltending prospect.
Mikko Rantanen To Miss Bronze Medal Game Due To Injury
A handful of key NHL players have been sidelined with an injury at the 2026 Olympics. Another player has been added to that list as Lejionat’s Jaakko Pertilla reported that Finnish winger Mikko Rantanen was scratched for the Bronze Medal Game against Slovakia due to a lower-body injury.
Rantanen was a full participant in Saturday’s semi-final matchup against Canada. He scored the opening goal of the game and logged 16:09 of ice time in 25 shifts. The 29-year-old came into today’s game as Finland’s leading scorer with two goals and four assists in five games with an ATOI of 18:14.
Of course, this is significant news for Rantanen’s NHL team as well as the veteran is the leading scorer for the Stars this season. In 54 games, he has 20 goals and 49 assists while averaging more than 20 minutes a night of playing time. Any absence from NHL games would be significant.
To that end, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the injury occurred in the third period on Saturday and is not considered to be season-ending. He’s expected to be evaluated when he returns to Dallas to determine the exact severity and how much time he could miss.
Taking Rantanen’s spot on Finland’s top line is Oliver Kapanen, who has been scratched for three games and dressed as the 13th forward without seeing the ice in the other two. Meanwhile, Eeli Tolvanen will return to the lineup after being healthy-scratched versus Canada.
Trade Deadline Primer: Dallas Stars
With the Olympic break approaching, the trade deadline is about a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We begin our look around the league with teams that have clear plans at the extremes of the standings, next up with the Stars.
This season has been what you would expect from a roster as talented as Dallas’. Despite their success, they sit third in the very gifted Central Division and would face the Minnesota Wild in the first round if the season started today. That kind of series could be a coin flip and might be the kind of matchup that forces Dallas to add to an already talented roster. The Stars have only a few more kicks at the proverbial can in this contention window, and with a significant extension for Jason Robertson looming, this could be the year they go all in.
Record
33-14-9, 3rd in the Central
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$3.267MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per PuckPedia.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2026: DAL 2nd, SEA 3rd, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th, TOR 7th
2027: DAL 1st, DAL 2nd, DAL 4th, DAL 5th, DAL 6th, DAL 7th
Trade Chips
Dallas doesn’t have a lot to work with in terms of prospects and picks, which is the cost of being a consistent Stanley Cup contender over the past half-decade. The Stars do have some young pieces they could move, though, if they go big-game hunting on the trade market. Defenseman Lian Bichsel was a first-round pick in 2022, and at 6’7”, he is the kind of hulking presence on the blue line that teams line up for. His transition to the NHL hasn’t been smooth, as the 21-year-old has dealt with injuries and inconsistency this season. Bichsel appeared ready to break out last season, but he hasn’t delivered this year and has struggled through 26 games, failing both the eye test and the analytics test. Bichsel has a lot of upsides, though, and could be the centrepiece of a much bigger deal if Dallas goes all in.
Another prospect Dallas could look to move is right winger Emil Hemming. The 19-year-old was selected in the first round (29th overall) of the 2024 draft and is having a strong offensive season with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. Hemming is a potential NHL power forward with a good shot and isn’t afraid to get dirty at the net. He also plays a solid two-way game, which should endear him to teams seeking well-rounded wingers. The Stars could pair Hemming with a second- or third-round pick if they are on the hunt for trade deadline candidates that aren’t in the upper tier of trade targets but are solid NHLers.
Another potential trade piece for the Stars is young WHL forward Cameron Schmidt of the Seattle Thunderbirds, who was recently involved in a significant trade in that league. The Stars took Schmidt in the third round of last year’s draft (94th overall) and might have gotten a steal given his performance in the WHL thus far this season. Schmidt is currently third in league scoring and likely would’ve been a first- or second-round pick had it not been for his size (5’8” and 161 lbs). Dallas had no problem rolling the dice with Schmidt after succeeding with small centre Logan Stankoven, who is now in Carolina, and they could go that route with Schmidt as well.
Now, the Stars might have a pretty barren prospect cupboard, but they do have another promising young player on the NHL roster in Mavrik Bourque, who, at 24, is far from a finished product. Bourque was a late first-round pick in 2020 (30th overall) and has blossomed into a depth scorer, but there is still untapped potential in his game. Bourque tore up the AHL in 2023-24 with 77 points in 71 games, but struggled through his rookie campaign last year, finishing with just 11 goals and 14 assists in 73 games.
This year, Bourque’s offensive numbers have ticked up slightly, a good sign, especially given that many of his underlying numbers are also moving in the right direction. It’s hard to say whether Dallas is willing to part with Bourque, as they have been patient with his development, but if they have a chance to acquire a player who pushes them over the top, one would have to believe they would part with him.
Team Needs
Right-Shot Top Four Defenseman: The Dallas Stars will be joined by several teams seeking a right-shot top four defenseman. The Stars are solid on the top pair, but Thomas Harley has had a tough year on the second pairing, paired with depth options, and the results have been underwhelming to say the least. Harley’s offensive numbers are only slightly off his usual pace from the past two years. Still, his underlying numbers and on-ice results have taken a steep drop, likely due to instability on the right side and playing with depth options such as Ilya Lyubushkin and Nils Lundkvist. A stable right-side partner, such as Dougie Hamilton, would go a long way toward alleviating some of the pressure on Harley. However, the math doesn’t exactly work with Hamilton unless Stars general manager Jim Nill gets extremely creative with the accounting, or forward Tyler Seguin is, in fact, done for the season and the playoffs.
A Top Nine Forward: The Stars would likely look to add a top-nine forward to improve depth up front, ideally on the left wing. Currently, the Stars are deploying Justin Hryckowian on the top line alongside centre Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen. Hryckowian is solid defensively and has some playmaking ability, but he is unlikely to be a top-six player for a team that fancies itself a Stanley Cup contender. There is some versatility with Hryckowian, as he can play centre, so the Stars have options to add a winger and shift the 24-year-old down the lineup and over to centre, depending on their configurations.
Dallas could also opt for a right winger on the trade market and bump Bourque down the lineup, if they want, or perhaps Sam Steel. Given the players currently in the lineup, there is significant shuffling that could occur, but Dallas likely wants to add one more piece to that group so it can place all of their remaining depth into roles that better suit their skill sets.
Photo by Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Stars Remain Interested In Panarin As Rental
In his update, Pagnotta suggested that the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks remain interested in acquiring Panarin with an extension. In contrast, the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Edmonton Oilers view him only as a rental. Additionally, Pagnotta mentioned that unless something changes relatively soon, the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, Utah Mammoth, and Washington Capitals are no longer in the running.
Dallas Stars Acquire Jeremie Poirier
The Dallas Stars announced today that they have acquired defenseman Jeremie Poirier from the Calgary Flames in exchange for defenseman Gavin White.
At face value, this appears to be a transaction more focused on each club’s AHL affiliate, with limited immediate NHL implications. Neither player involved in this deal has made his NHL debut.
While this trade has limited relevance to the NHL depth charts of each involved team, the transaction is a significant one for each of the two involved prospects. Both Poirier and White are pending RFAs, and by landing in new organizations, they each get a clean slate to prove themselves in front of a new set of hockey decision-makers.
Poirier is the bigger name involved in the trade, just based on his pedigree as a prospect. The Flames selected Poirier in the third round of the 2020 draft, 72nd overall out of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. The Flames’ selection of Poirier was lauded at the time, as the public sphere ranked Poirier far higher than where he was ultimately picked. The No. 8 pick in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft, Poirier was the No. 26 prospect in the 2020 draft class according to Elite Prospects, No. 22 according to TSN’s Craig Button, and No. 33 on Bob McKenzie’s list for TSN.
Early in his pro career, it looked as though the media’s higher ranking of Poirier was entirely justified. He scored 41 points in 69 games in his debut AHL campaign, was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team, and looked to be on the cusp of making a real push for an NHL call-up. After that season, he was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Flames’ system by Corey Pronman of The Athletic, who called his debut pro campaign “very successful,” but added that Poirier’s “big issue” was his defensive play.
That was the prevailing narrative surrounding Poirier’s development as a prospect. While his offensive talents were never in question, some scouts had reservations as to whether he’d develop enough defensively in order to be trusted enough to play in the NHL. In his draft year, scouts in the public sphere appeared more optimistic than scouts within the NHL on Poirier’s future as a player, and while his pro debut was strong, Poirier never was able to fully silence his doubters and land an NHL role with the Flames. Poirier’s offensive game remained steady, but questions surrounding his defensive game persisted.
Since Poirier’s value proposition as a player is entirely concentrated in his ability to generate offense from the back end, his status on a depth chart was always going to be highly vulnerable in the case his offense ever dried up. Consequently, the fact that Poirier has only managed six points in 35 AHL games this season is likely what spelled the end for of his tenure in Calgary.
Poirier was the Wranglers’ top power play quarterback in prior years, but other prospects have entered the picture, such as Hunter Brzustewicz and more recently Zayne Parekh, which has cost him that spot. Poirier is no longer considered one of the Flames’ top prospects, and this season, it has looked like he is drifting further from an NHL opportunity, not closer. It’s understandable that the team elected a change-of-scenery trade for a 23-year-old soon-to-be RFA in that kind of developmental position.
By trading him now instead of simply non-tendering him this summer, they get the chance to add a defenseman from outside the organization and evaluate whether he’s a fit to retain beyond this season. They also do a favor to Poirier, who thanks to landing in a new organization, gets a fresh opportunity that could help his development and renew his push for an NHL role. The move is also a worthwhile gamble for the Stars, who lack a true offensive defenseman in their regular AHL lineup. He’s likely to be Texas’ top power play quarterback, a role he lost with the Wranglers.
White, the defenseman headed to Calgary in this trade, is unlike Poirier in several notable ways, including in that he does not have a past as a top-rated prospect. The Stars selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, and he’s spent the entirety of his pro career with AHL Texas, outside of a handful of games in the ECHL.
Although White played a limited role in each of his first two AHL seasons, his development trajectory looks positive. Through 23 games this season, he’s averaging a greater dosage of minutes than he received last season, and is even appearing regularly on the Stars’ penalty kill.
As a right-shot defensive defenseman, White holds almost the exact opposite kind of profile as Poirier, meaning his addition better fits the current construction of the Wranglers’ defense. Ryan Pike of Flames Nation wrote that the Wranglers have “regularly been playing left-shot D on the right side out of necessity,” meaning White will likely get the chance to play a greater role in Calgary than he did in Cedar Park.
Stars Interested In Artemi Panarin As Rental
Jan. 31st: On Saturday Headlines, Friedman expanded on his reporting from 32 Thoughts. According to the Sportsnet insider, the Hurricanes, Red Wings, Panthers, Kings, Sharks, and Capitals are interested in acquiring Panarin with an extension, with varying degrees of interest. Additionally, Friedman shared that the Ducks, Avalanche, and Stars are attempting to convince Panarin’s camp to join their respective clubs without an extension in place, treating him solely as a rental for a postseason run.