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Oskar Back

Dallas Stars Recall Kyle Capobianco, Activate Oskar Bäck

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The Dallas Stars announced today that defenseman Kyle Capobianco has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. In addition, the club also announced that forward Oskar Bäck has been activated off of injured reserve, putting him in position to potentially make his 2025-26 debut tonight in Nashville.

The Dallas Morning News’ Lia Assimakopoulos noted that the Stars have likely shifted injured blueliner Nils Lundkvist to LTIR to allow for the necessary financial flexibility to make the Capobianco recall possible.

With center Roope Hintz injured during last night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Bäck’s return from injury comes at a useful time for the Stars. With Matt Duchene dealing with his own injury, the Stars are missing two key forwards, and the trickle-down effect of those injuries could mean Bäck receives more minutes than he might otherwise get if that pair of players was fully healthy.

The 6’4″, 207-pound 25-year-old center was a 2018 third-round pick of the Stars who developed in his native Sweden until 2021-22, when he crossed the Atlantic to join AHL Texas. After three full campaigns in Cedar Park, Bäck broke into the NHL as a full-timer last season, scoring four goals and 16 points in 73 games while playing 11:42 time-on-ice per game. Last season, Bäck was also the club’s No. 3 penalty-killing forward in terms of short-handed ice time per game.

The recall of Capobianco, is, unlike the move to activate Bäck, less about filling an immediate lineup need and more about providing head coach Glen Gulutzan with additional options. With Lundkvist’s injury, the Stars had just six defensemen on their active roster, so adding Capobianco gives Gulutzan an experienced No. 7 to work with.

The 28-year-old left-shot blueliner has 74 games of NHL experience, but just one game over the last two campaigns. He was one of the top blueliners in the AHL in his debut season with AHL Texas, though, scoring 50 points in 64 regular-season games and 13 points in 14 playoff games.

Since Texas doesn’t play until Nov. 2 in Winnipeg, the Stars have the flexibility to keep Capobianco on their NHL roster for most of the week without impacting his availability for his regular role with the AHL Stars.

The recall won’t have an immediate financial benefit for Capobianco, though, as the one-way nature of his contract means he receives the same salary as the NHL as in the AHL. The changes to escrow withholding for this season that were reported earlier this month by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, make it so that at the very least, this recall won’t cost Capobianco any money, whereas a similar move may have done so in past seasons.

Central Notes: Hryckowian, Bäck, Toews

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The Dallas Stars announced a trio of roster moves this evening, recalling forward Justin Hryckowian from their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, and sending down forward Harrison Scott and defenseman Trey Taylor. The moves aren’t a huge surprise, as Hryckowian had a very strong training camp and preseason. After such a successful rookie year in the AHL, in which Hryckowian won the AHL Rookie of the Year award with 60 points in 67 regular-season games and 18 points in 14 playoff games, it was expected that he’d find his way onto Dallas’ NHL roster in short order. He was originally reassigned to Texas two days ago, but that move was part of the Stars’ larger maneuvering to prepare a season-opening roster, and not an indication of where Hryckowian would begin his season.

In addition to Hryckowian’s recall, the Stars sent down Scott and Taylor. Both Scott and Taylor are relatively recent undrafted free agent signings the Stars made out of the NCAA, and both are entering their debut professional campaigns after late-season cameos in 2024-25. Scott, 25, is a 6’0 winger who scored 35 points in 38 games last season for the University of Maine, while Taylor, 23, is a 6’2 left-shot blueliner who had an impressive three-year run with Clarkson University. Taylor was twice named the ECAC’s top defensive defenseman and was a second-team All-American in 2025.

Other notes from the Central Division:

  • Part of the reason Hryckowian’s recall was necessary – other than Hryckowian’s own impressive training camp performance – is an injury suffered by incumbent Stars bottom-six forward Oskar Bäck. Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports relayed word from Stars coach Glen Gulutzan today, who said that Bäck would miss at least the club’s first two games and likely “another week or so.” Back scored 16 points in 73 games last season playing fourth-line minutes with second-unit penalty kill deployment. The Stars signed Adam Erne today which could help fill in for Bäck alongside the aforementioned recall of Hryckowian.
  • Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel told the media, including the Winnipeg News’ Mike McIntyre, that the team is hopeful center Jonathan Toews will be ready to play in the club’s first game of the season, which is on Thursday. The Jets placed Toews, who is dealing with an undisclosed injury, on IR with a retroactive placement date, meaning he is free to be activated at any point. It’s an important year for Toews and the Jets, as he’s currently pencilled in as the club’s second-line center after two seasons spent away from the game recovering from various health issues.

Stars Recall Lian Bichsel, Place Jamie Benn On LTIR

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Oct. 7: Bichsel is back up from AHL Texas while Scott and Taylor have been reassigned, according to the NHL’s media site. While it reverses yesterday’s transactions, it’s not the end of the moves Dallas will make before they open their season against the Jets on Thursday. Demoting Scott leaves them with only 11 forwards on the active roster. They’ll need to move Benn to long-term injured reserve to open up the space to recall a 12th forward from Texas, which the club subsequently announced has happened. Dallas will have $1.88MM remaining in their LTIR pool – meaning they could actually recall two forwards, potentially Justin Hryckowian and Arttu Hyry, if they so choose.

Oct. 6: Like the Edmonton Oilers, the Dallas Stars have made several somewhat unexpected roster moves to make their opening night roster cap compliant. Earlier today, the team announced they’ve reassigned defenseman Lian Bichsel, while recalling forward Harrison Scott and defenseman Trey Taylor from their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars.

The team also shared that captain Jamie Benn and forward Oskar Back have been placed on injured reserve at the start of the season. Additionally, Luke Krys, Kyle McDonald, and Chase Wheatcroft have been placed on the non-rostered injured reserve. All of these injury designations were anticipated.

According to PuckPedia, the Stars sit approximately $150K underneath the upper limit of the salary cap to start the season. Given this, Scott and Taylor’s inclusion on Dallas’ opening night roster is merely for cap compliance, and there’s no indication they’ll play a game for the Stars. On the flip side, Bichsel should be back on the roster after they place Benn on LTIR.

In fact, neither Scott nor Taylor appeared in a preseason game for Dallas, as both were cut relatively early from the team’s training camp roster. Scott, who was signed out of the University of Maine last season, went scoreless in six games for the AHL Stars to end the 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, Taylor was signed out of Clarkson University, tallying one assist in 10 games with Texas.

Central Notes: Johansson, Heiskanen, Back, Colton

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Minnesota Wild winger Marcus Johansson was not in the lineup for today’s 4-3 overtime loss against the Golden Knights, the team announced prior to the game. Johansson left in the third period of game three with an undisclosed injury and did not return to the contest. Prior to today’s game, head coach John Hynes did not provide an update on his injury or a potential timeline for his return.

With Johansson out, veteran Vinnie Hinostroza was added to the lineup and recorded 11:57 of total ice time. Johansson, a fixture in the Wild’s top six, registered 34 points in 72 games on the season. The 34-year-old also brings a wealth of playoff experience to the table, playing in 112 career playoff games with 46 points. His return would be big for the Wild as the series is now tied 2-2.

Elsewhere in the Central Division:

  • Dallas Stars defender Miro Heiskanen will not play in tonight’s game four matchup against the Avalanche, per Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News. Heiskanen recently rejoined practice first time since sustaining his knee injury in late January, and Friday’s practice was the closest he’s been to a full participant, Assimakopoulos notes. In 50 games on the season, the 25-year-old scored five goals and 25 points from the point. He’s also showcased an ability to elevate his game in the playoffs, including last season where he produced six goals and 16 points in 19 games. Coach Pete DeBoer also noted that forward Oskar Back will be a game-time decision after suffering an injury in game three. If he is unable to go, the door will be open for Mavrik Bourque to slot back into the lineup.
  • Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar confirmed that forward Ross Colton is making progress with his lower body injury, but that Colton will remain out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports. Colton sustained his injury in game one of the series and has not been able to dress since. In 61 regular season games this season, Colton produced 16 goals in 29 points.

Stars Sign Oskar Back To Two-Year Extension

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The Stars have signed center Oskar Back to a two-year, $1.65MM extension, the club announced Thursday. The 24-year-old was slated to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and, after signing a one-year deal to remain in the Stars system last summer, became eligible to sign an extension just yesterday.

It’s been a lengthy road to relevancy for Back, who Dallas picked up in the third round of the 2018 draft. After he spent his first three post-draft seasons suiting up in his native Sweden, he signed his entry-level deal with the Stars in April 2021, one year before his exclusive signing rights were set to expire.

Back spent the entirety of his entry-level deal in the AHL, where he slowly upped his offensive production en route to becoming one of the Baby Stars’ best two-way forwards. He posted 19 goals, 69 assists and 88 points in 196 games with a +29 rating over his three years on the farm, including a career-high 36 points in 59 games during the 2023-24 campaign.

With Dallas looking internally to find some cost-effective options for their bottom-six forward group, they re-upped Back on a two-way deal in June to keep him off the restricted free agent market. A strong training camp meant he avoided waivers and made the Stars’ opening night roster. He’s played in 31 of Dallas’ 36 games and hasn’t served as a healthy scratch since early November.

In his first NHL look, Back has been a fine fourth-line piece. He has a goal plus eight assists for nine points with a +4 rating, all the while averaging 11:17 per game and winning 55.6% of his draws. He hasn’t been particularly physical despite carrying a 6’4″, 203-lb frame, only recording 13 hits.

That lack of physicality hasn’t kept Back from recording strong possession impacts, though. His usage has trended defensive at 5-on-5, but the Stars have still managed to control 54.9% of shot attempts with him on the ice compared to 52.1% without him. He’s also received some fringe penalty-kill usage, averaging a tad over a minute per game shorthanded.

Back will now remain in Dallas through the 2026-27 campaign on an affordable $825K cap hit. It’s indeed a one-way deal, Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports confirms. Among players on the Stars’ active roster, 13 are now under contract for next season.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Stars, Oskar Bäck Agree To Two-Way Deal

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The Stars have agreed to a one-year, two-way deal with center/right wing Oskar Bäck, per a team release. It carries a $775K cap hit and pays him $120K in the minors with a $135K guarantee, PuckPedia reports. He’ll return for his fourth season in the Dallas organization after wrapping up his entry-level contract this year.

Dallas is the only NHL home Bäck has known. The Stars picked up the Swedish forward in the third round of the 2018 draft, signing him to an entry-level contract three years later. He played out the entirety of the deal with the AHL’s Texas Stars, where he’s put up 88 points (19 goals, 69 assists) in 196 games.

2023-24 was a high point for Bäck, who recorded career highs with 29 assists and 36 points despite making only 59 appearances, his fewest since joining the AHL club. He’s a good-skating pivot with NHL size at 6’2″ and 205 lbs, but his lack of goal-scoring ability means he’s yet to receive an NHL call-up. The Karlstad, Sweden native is a skilled playmaker, though, and could be a depth NHL option at some point in the right situation.

Given he’ll be 25 next summer, Bäck will almost certainly reach UFA status early as a Group VI free agent. He’ll have accumulated enough professional seasons to hit the open market early while playing fewer than 80 career NHL games. Therefore, it’s an important season for Bäck to try and at least earn a recall to earn another big-league opportunity in 2025-26 and avoid heading back to Europe.

The Stars are up to 33 out of a maximum 50 contracts signed for 2024-25 after re-upping Bäck, per CapFriendly.

Stars Recall Four Players From AHL

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After bringing up a trio of players (Mavrik Bourque, Alex Petrovic, and Lian Bichsel) earlier this week, the Stars have added to their taxi squad of Black Aces.  The team announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled forwards Fredrik Karlstrom, Oskar Back, and Matej Blumel along with goaltender Remi Poirier from AHL Texas.

Karlstrom saw action in Dallas in 2021-22 and 2022-23, spanning eight games in total where he had an assist but played exclusively for Texas this season.  The 26-year-old had his most productive year in the minors, notching 21 goals and 23 assists in 72 games during the regular season while averaging over a point per game in the playoffs.  That should help his case as he reaches Group Six unrestricted free agency this summer.

Back, meanwhile, is wrapping up his entry-level deal and has yet to see any NHL action.  The 24-year-old hasn’t been a big scorer in the minors – he matched his career-best with seven tallies in 59 games for Texas – but he set a new benchmark for assists with 29.

As for Blumel, he played in six games with Dallas last season, registering his first career NHL goal and point in the process.  The 23-year-old finished second on Texas in scoring this year, tallying 31 goals and 31 assists in 72 games while leading them in goals in the playoffs, adding five more in nine appearances.  Like Back, he’s set to be a restricted free agent this summer.

Poirier’s addition is strictly for extra depth as he’ll be their fourth-string netminder for the rest of the postseason.  The 22-year-old played his first full AHL campaign this year, posting a 3.18 GAA with a .904 SV% in 38 games but improved on those numbers (2.60 and .907 respectively) in seven playoff contests.  He has one year left on his entry-level contract.

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