Multiple Stars players were banged up during their run to the Western Conference finals, but general manager Jim Nill said none will require offseason surgery
Nill confirmed to The News that Jani Hakanpää, Chris Tanev, Tyler Seguin and Roope Hintz, in particular, battled injuries during the playoff run.
“Were guys banged up? Yes,” Nill told Mike Heika of DallasStars.com, who first reported the news. “But nothing major that has to be taken care of, so we were very fortunate.”
Hakanpää suffered the Stars’ longest injury of the season. He went down with a lower-body injury in a March 16 game against the Los Angeles Kings and missed the rest of the season. Nill said he had an arthroscopic procedure on his knee and was not able to return in time, but that was the extent of the procedures he’ll need.
Defenseman Chris Tanev battled multiple ailments from dental work to a lower-body injury late in the conference finals. Tanev suffered an ankle injury during Game 4 in Edmonton, which Nill said was an injured tendon, after blocking a shot by Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane, sending the shot ricocheting out of play. He still played in Game 5 and Game 6 and is expected to fully recover.
Center Roope Hintz, who missed four games during the playoff run, will not need surgery after suffering a broken finger. He did not suffer any additional injuries beside the broken finger, Nill said.
Forward Tyler Seguin played through lower body pain and didn’t miss any time during the playoffs.
“He needs the time off, but he’ll be fine,” Nill said of Seguin.
Last season, the Stars exited the season expecting multiple procedures in the offseason, including ankle surgery for Jake Oettinger and a procedure for Hakanpää, which he chose to forgo. Given the length of Dallas’ playoff run, the Stars are lucky to avoid any major procedures this year.
