West Notes: Hintz, Faksa, Helenius, Hejduk
The Dallas Stars got a major boost to their forward corps yesterday when they welcomed back Mikko Rantanen. Unfortunately, they’ll likely have to wait until the Stanley Cup playoffs to have all of their forward depth back.
According to the deputy managing editor, Adam Kimelman, injured forwards Roope Hintz and Radek Faksa are more than a week and a half away from returning. Still, they are making positive strides in their recoveries, as both skated today and are expected to return for the postseason.
Like Rantanen, Faksa is dealing with an injury he suffered during the Winter Olympics in Milan. Meanwhile, Hintz has been recovering from a lower-body injury he suffered during the Stars’ loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 6th. Regardless, being one of only two teams to have already clinched a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Stars will spend their remaining nine games ensuring home-ice advantage against the Minnesota Wild in Round One.
Additional notes from the Western Conference:
- Team content manager, Zach Dooley, shared that the Los Angeles Kings were without forward Samuel Helenius at practice today. Dooley indicated that Helenius was “dinged up” in the Kings’ loss to the Utah Mammoth last night and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Helenius, 23, is in his second year with Los Angeles, registering four goals and eight points in 45 games throughout his sophomore campaign.
- The ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, the Utah Grizzlies, has brought in the son of one of the franchise’s former legends. According to Brogan Houston of Deseret News Sports, the Grizzlies have signed Marek Hejduk, son of Milan Hejduk, to a professional contract. Hejduk recently concluded his collegiate career at Harvard University, scoring two goals and seven points in 32 games throughout his senior season. Over his entire tenure with the Crimson, Hejduk registered 17 goals and 32 points in 124 contests.
Stars Notes: Rantanen, Hintz, Faksa, Robertson
There’s some light at the end of the tunnel on the injury front for Dallas. Speaking on DFW The Ticket’s Bruce LeVine (all Twitter links), GM Jim Nill indicated that winger Mikko Rantanen is nearing a return to the lineup.
Injured back in the Olympics, the 29-year-old still sits third on the team in scoring despite missing the last 12 games, tallying 20 goals and 49 assists in 54 games in his first full season in Dallas. Nill noted that he has been skating on his own for the last week and is expected to accompany the team on their upcoming four-game road trip. If all goes well, he could return for one of the back-to-back games against Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Dallas is only three points behind Colorado heading into tonight’s action for first in the Western Conference, a spot that would give them a much easier matchup in the first round compared to taking on Minnesota, one of the top teams in the league. Getting Rantanen back with a couple of weeks left in the season would certainly give them a boost in that pursuit.
Unfortunately for the Stars, the other injury news isn’t quite as positive. Nill added that center Roope Hintz has yet to resume skating as he continues to battle a lower-body injury that has kept him out for a little more than two weeks. At this point, the team is hopeful that the 29-year-old could be back for the final week of the season or the start of the playoffs. Hintz has played in 53 games this season, collecting 19 goals and 25 assists.
Meanwhile, Radek Faksa’s situation is even murkier. Nill noted that the center is dealing with a “unique injury” with “really no history as far as healing time.” As a result, there is no timetable for his return although they are hopeful that he could be ready for the playoffs. In his first season back with Dallas after returning in free agency this summer, Faksa has 17 points in 56 games while being their most-used forward on the penalty kill.
Nill was also asked about Jason Robertson’s contract discussions. The winger is slated to become a restricted free agent this summer where he will be owed a qualifying offer of $9.3MM. He’ll also only be one season away from UFA eligibility and could simply elect to go for a hearing, take a one-year award, and test the open market in 2027. That’s an outcome the Stars are clearly hoping to avoid.
Nill indicated that he has held discussions with Robertson’s new representation; back in January, both Robertson brothers hired Octagon’s Andy Scott as their new agent. However, with the stretch run and playoffs ahead, both sides agree that they want the 26-year-old focused on playing at the moment. That suggests that future talks have been tabled for the time being and will be rekindled in the offseason. Robertson is the leading scorer for the Stars this season, picking up 38 goals and 44 assists in 69 games. It’s the fourth straight season that he has reached the 80-point mark.
Stars Notes: Rantanen, Coleman, Hintz, Faksa
The Dallas Stars will be without their highest-paid player for a little while longer. According to radio analyst Bruce LeVine, winger Mikko Rantanen is 10 to 14 days away from returning, if not more.
Owen Newkirk of DLLS Sports offered additional context, providing a quote from head coach Glen Gulutzan, saying, “We are hoping somewhere in the 2-2.5 week range we could have him back.” At the longer end of that timeline, that means that Rantanen may not return to the Stars’ lineup until the first week of April.
Rantanen suffered his current lower-body injury during the Olympics, missing the Bronze medal game for Team Finland. Regardless, Dallas has performed remarkably well in his absence, managing an 8-0-1 record since returning from the Olympics, outscoring opponents by a margin of 21.
Additional Stars notes:
- Despite acquiring Michael Bunting from the Nashville Predators a day before the deadline, the Stars weren’t necessarily satisfied with their forward corps. According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, Dallas circled back with the Calgary Flames regarding Blake Coleman. Unfortunately, any potential Coleman acquisition would have necessitated the Stars moving out another contract, which they were unable to accomplish before the deadline.
- In the previous report from LeVine, he added that Roope Hintz and Radek Faksa are further away from returning than Rantanen. Hintz (lower-body) has been out for the last week and a half, but he was fortunately able to avoid surgery. Unfortunately, the outlook is more grim on Faksa, who sustained a lower-body injury in his recovery from the upper-body injury he suffered during the Olympics. He is unlikely to return during the regular season.
Roope Hintz To Miss Multiple Weeks
Last night, the Stars got a big boost up front when Roope Hintz returned to the lineup from an illness that had kept him out since the end of the Olympic break. Unfortunately for them, that will be his last game for a little while.
Hintz sustained a lower-body injury in the second period of their game against Colorado and ultimately had to be helped off the ice. Speaking with reporters today including D Magazine’s Robert Tiffin (Twitter link), Hintz is set to miss multiple weeks due to the injury. As he needs to be evaluated by another doctor, no firm timeline is available yet but the team is hopeful that Hintz will be able to return by the start of the playoffs next month.
Hintz has been productive as always this season, putting up 15 goals and 29 assists in 53 games while averaging over 17 minutes per night. The 29-year-old has been their number one center throughout the year while seeing time on both special teams units. On top of that, Hintz is their top full-time performer at the faceoff dot, winning over 59% of his draws. Suffice it to say, his loss will be significant, especially with the Stars in a tight battle for second place in the Central Division to try to secure home-ice advantage in the first round.
With 12 other healthy forwards on the roster, the Stars aren’t yet eligible for an emergency recall, one that wouldn’t count against their post-deadline regular recall limit of five. However, given that Hintz is going to be out for a while, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Dallas utilize one of those five recalls from AHL Texas to ensure that they have at least one extra healthy forward available over the coming weeks.
Stars Activate Roope Hintz From Injured Reserve
March 6th: According to a team announcement, the Stars have activated Hintz from injured reserve. He’ll be back in Dallas’ lineup tonight against the Colorado Avalanche.
March 3rd: Earlier today the Dallas Stars shared that Roope Hintz has landed on injured reserve due to illness, retroactive to February 25.
Since returning from the Olympic break where he represented Team Finland and won bronze, Hintz has yet to play, missing Dallas’ last three games. Impressively they’ve won all three by a combined score of 13-4, while tonight’s action in Calgary marks the fourth straight missing their center.
A player ending up on injured reserve from sickness is rare, and while it may cause concern for his health, the timeline is a factor in the decision. With Hintz off the shelf as he heals up, Dallas has an open roster spot to work with leading up to Friday’s trade deadline. The 29-year-old will be eligible to return then, as his Stars will host the Avalanche; the only team above them in the standings. Dallas is usually active at the deadline, and considering that they’re second in the league with a window as open as ever, it figures that they’ll have some reinforcements coming.
Hintz’s fifth place standing in team scoring (44 points in 52 games) is more of an indication of how deep the Stars are up front. The Finn has an elite 59.2% faceoff win rate this year, a career best by a considerable margin, as he continues to rise as a Selke level player. The scoring has tapered off a bit after back-to-back 37 goal campaigns from 2021-23, but it’s hardly an issue considering his impact in other areas, as well as the Stars’ overall firepower.
Winners of nine straight, Dallas will march ahead without Hintz, likely to return sometime around the weekend.
Central Notes: Mikheyev, Namestnikov, Stars, Parayko
The Blackhawks showed some interest in signing pending UFA winger Ilya Mikheyev to a contract extension but now, they’ve put his name out there in trade talks, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link). The 31-year-old has 11 goals and 12 assists in 53 games this season while averaging a career-high 17:17 per night of playing time. Mikheyev has a $4.0375MM cap charge with Chicago (Vancouver is covering the rest of his $4.75MM AAV) and the Blackhawks will need to further pay that down to maximize their return. Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times suggests that the team might only be willing to go as high as two years on an extension offer for Mikheyev, albeit likely at an above-market rate. While that would allow him to potentially maximize his earnings and would keep in line with similar deals GM Kyle Davidson has done, this might be his last shot at a long-term contract. The stability of that might outweigh the value of getting top dollar.
More from the Central:
- Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov left last night’s game with a lower-body injury, relays Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press. The injury, which appeared to be a leg issue, happened early in the second period when he got tangled up with teammate Adam Lowry in the neutral zone. Head coach Scott Arniel told reporters including Wiebe (Twitter link) that the veteran is listed as out week-to-week. Namestnikov, who has been one of Winnipeg’s more versatile players this season, has seven goals and six assists through 57 outings.
- While he won’t be in the lineup tonight against Nashville, Stars center Roope Hintz is expected to skate tomorrow and travel with the team for their upcoming road trip, notes Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). He has been dealing with an illness since returning from the Olympics but it appears he’s at least nearing a return. Radek Faksa’s situation is a little more uncertain as Assimakopoulos adds that it’s unclear if he will accompany the team on the trip. The center suffered a lower-body injury at the Olympics and is currently on injured reserve although he is eligible to be activated at any time.
- Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will be scratched from today’s game against New Jersey due to back spasms, according to Matthew DeFranks of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). Parayko was a regular for Canada at the Olympics and was a full participant on Thursday, logging over 21 minutes. Through 58 games this season, the 32-year-old has a goal and 13 assists along with 141 blocked shots.
Stars’ Roope Hintz Leaves Due To Injury
Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz left late in tonight’s game after taking a hard shot off his leg, and head coach Glen Gulutzan told Lia Assimakopoulos of Dallas News that there is no update at this time.
With just 1:31 remaining in regulation, in a two-goal deficit, teammate Miro Heiskanen unloaded on a one-timer. Hintz, in front of the crease, attempted to jump out of the way, but it caught him in the ankle area. The 29-year-old went down immediately and had to be helped off the ice, not putting weight on the leg. Minnesota capitalized on the play, cashing in on the empty net and putting the game out of reach.
With Tyler Seguin and Lian Bichsel both on long-term injured reserve – Seguin with a torn ACL, no less – Hintz’s injury is a significant concern. Thankfully, the team has gotten back Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene from their own injuries, but it has been a brutal stretch for Dallas health-wise. They nonetheless rank second in the league, with serious Stanley Cup aspirations.
Hintz has 26 points in 27 games this season as a bona fide top-line center. Although the Stars boast a tremendously deep roster, his status will be watched urgently with the hope that another long-term injury has been avoided. Dallas will not be in action again until Saturday, when they host the Panthers, so an update on the skilled center may not come until the weekend.
Central Injury Notes: Hintz, Duchene, Thomas, Zuccarello
The Dallas Stars will be without some significant talent ahead of the Western Conference Final rematch tomorrow night. According to team reporter Brien Rea, the Stars won’t have forwards Roope Hintz or Matt Duchene against the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow night. Additionally, Jake Oettinger is also doubtful, given that he and his wife just had a child.
It’s more of the same for Duchene. The 17-year veteran will have missed Dallas’ last eight games due to an upper-body injury after tomorrow night’s contest. He’s only appeared in four games this year, scoring one goal and two assists with a 52.2% success rate in the faceoff dot.
Meanwhile, Hintz will miss his fifth straight game due to an undisclosed injury. He’s been a much bigger void to fill, given that he’s been a point-per-game player to start the campaign. Since Duchene left the lineup, the Stars have averaged two goals per game.
Other injury notes from the Central Division:
- In some positive news, the St. Louis Blues will return Robert Thomas to the lineup tonight. According to Lou Korac of the NHL, Thomas returned to practice this morning and was included in all line rushes. He’s missed the team’s last four games with an upper-body injury. Unfortunately, Thomas’s absence was notably evident, as the Blues lost all four contests.
- The positive news isn’t only isolated to St. Louis. According to Joe Smith of The Athletic, Minnesota Wild veteran Mats Zuccarello looks very close to returning. Zuccarello suffered a lower-body injury before the start of the regular season. Like Thomas, his absence has been noticeable. Despite leading the league in power-play goals, the Wild are only averaging 1.61 even-strength goals through their first 13 games.
Afternoon Notes: Pesce, Hintz, Finnie
Amanda Stein, team reporter of the New Jersey Devils, shared mid-game that Brett Pesce did not return for the second period of the team’s matinee tilt vs Colorado. The defenseman notched 6 minutes in the first but missed his final shifts of the period and did not return.
Especially given the Devils’ hot start, currently atop the league, and their consistent stream of injuries, it is certainly the hope that Pesce’s injury is not serious, and many will keep a watchful eye on further updates today.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News wrote earlier today that Stars forward Roope Hintz will miss tonight’s game in Nashville. Given the club’s activation of Oskar Bäck earlier today, it appears the 6’4” center could appear tonight for his season debut. Meanwhile, Hintz was shaken up last night from a big hit into the boards from Taylor Hall, one which gave Hall a charging minor. Further details of Hintz’s injury have not been disclosed, but Dallas will cross their fingers that their star, currently at a point a game pace, is not out long-term.
- Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now shared earlier today a story on Red Wings rookie Emmitt Finnie, a former seventh-round-pick who has burst onto the scene. Finnie first earned a spot on the Wings’ roster which was impressive enough, but now he is featured on the team’s top line, with 8 points in 9 games. As mentioned by Allen, few seventh-rounders even make the NHL (20 since 2019) but zero have made an immediate impact like Finnie, who is right among the league’s best rookies so far in 2025-26. His contributions have helped Detroit to a great start as they aim to finally take a step back into the playoffs. Whatever may happen, Finnie’s all-around-game is showing to be an absolute steal from the Wings at 201st overall in the 2023 draft, a franchise no stranger to such throughout their history.
Central Notes: Hintz, Lowry, Bertuzzi
While the Dallas Stars managed to secure a victory over one of the NHL’s best teams last night, their win wasn’t without cost: center Roope Hintz left the contest with an injury, and the club did not issue an update to his status other than the fact that he is still being evaluated, per Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports. The injury occurred when Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall delivered a heavy hit on Hintz – Hall was assessed a two-minute minor for charging on the play.
Should Hintz miss any time due to this injury, it would be a significant blow to the Stars, who are already dealing with injuries to other key veteran forwards. Last season’s leading scorer Matt Duchene has not played since Oct. 18 due to injury, while captain Jamie Benn hasn’t even made his season debut due to a collapsed lung. Depth forward Oskar Back, who was a full-time NHLer in Dallas last season, also hasn’t yet made his 2025-26 debut due to an undisclosed injury. Those injuries have contributed to the Stars’ somewhat underwhelming start to the season. Expected to be one of the NHL’s most dominant teams, they have a 4-3-1 record eight games into Glen Gulutzan’s tenure as head coach.
Other notes from the Central Division:
- The Winnipeg Jets have been without their captain Adam Lowry for the early part of the season due to an injury, but it appears that absence is drawing to a close. TSN’s Danielle Bain reported yesterday that Lowry was back at practice in a regular jersey, and seemed “to be inching closer to a return.” It’s an important year for Lowry in terms of his Jets future. The respected all-around center is playing out the final year of a five-year, $3.25MM AAV pact, and could end up receiving a notable pay raise. It was previously reported that the Jets, who have managed to re-sign several key contributors over the last few years (including Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Neal Pionk) have made re-signing Lowry a top priority.
- Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Bertuzzi is dealing with a day-to-day injury and is questionable to play in tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings, reports Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. This development positions Bertuzzi to potentially miss a game this season for the first time, as he’s skated in all eight of the Blackhawks’ contests up to this point. The 30-year-old has played a notable role in helping Chicago get off to a fast start to the 2025-26 season, beating most industry projections en route to a solid 4-2-2 record. Bertuzzi has scored two goals and six points through eight games, and combined with the recent trade of Lukas Reichel to the Vancouver Canucks, this injury is only further testing the Blackhawks’ forward depth, although there is a chance Bertuzzi is able to play in tonight’s game.