Stars: Important Players Could Be Back Soon

The Dallas Stars are about to wrap up one of their best seasons ever and, in the process, they could get a few key players back from injury.

The Dallas Stars are less than a week away from embarking on their first playoff run in two seasons. The only thing that remains to be taken care of in the regular season is positioning in the standings, as the team is trying to win the Central Division and Western Conference, which would earn them a matchup with the Minnesota Wild in the first round.

As the Stars are looking to take care of business in the dying moments of the season, there is still a question mark regarding what their lines will look like come playoff time.

With some players close to returning and other players suffering from minor injuries, there could be some shuffling in the final games of the regular season as well as the first few games of the playoffs.

The first, and most notable injury, concerns Tyler Seguin and the cut that is in his Achilles tendon. On Mar. 17, shortly after the Stars had defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, Seguin was given a 3-4 week recovery period, as he was lucky enough to avoid a complete cut.

Seguin has continued to say that he won’t miss Game 1 of the playoffs, but after a recent update from head coach Lindy Ruff, it doesn’t seem like a given that he will be playing. The Stars have continued to thrive in his absence, but they will likely need his offense once the first round arrives.

Other injured forwards are Mattias Janmark, Patrick Eaves and Brett Ritchie. The Stars recently recalled Curtis McKenzie should they need an extra player.

As for defensemen on the mend, Kris Russell is set to come back at any time while Jason Demers could be coming back sooner rather than later.

At one point in the season, there was uncertainty as to whether or not Demers would make it back out on the ice at all this season, but according to another Ruff update, he could be back before the playoffs even begin (via SportsDay):

"“Next in line would Demers, and he’s real close, too. He skated in non-contact fashion today and I think there’s an opportunity to get him in by the weekend…whether we would do that, we’d have to see.”"

This could cause some issues within the Stars’ defensive core. John Klingberg, Alex Goligoski, Johnny Oduya and Stephen Johns are locks to stay active. That would mean guys like Jordie Benn and Patrik Nemeth could be fighting for playing time with two defensemen possibly returning soon. That could be especially difficult for Benn, who recently scored a late game-winner against the Los Angeles Kings.

Obviously, getting impact players (Seguin, Demers) back is going to be huge, in terms of what the Stars will be capable of come playoff time, but another factor is added into the situation.

Just how ready will they be? Usually it takes players a little while to adjust after being out for weeks at a time and immediately hopping into playoff action, the most intense time of the NHL season, is not necessarily when you want adjustment to take place.

Take Patrick Sharp for instance. His injury, that kept him out for six games, saw a three to four game streak before he finally looked like he was back to normal.

Though that is certainly a risk to consider when bringing players back into the picture, it’s a risk the Stars have to take. They have been playing well lately, but every added boost, whether it’s on offense or defense, is much appreciated in the playoffs.

More dfw sports: Closing Out The Season Strong Is Critical For The Stars

Overall, the Dallas Stars will be looking to implement players back into their roster as early as this weekend. They’re going to need every bit of help available for what could be an entertaining playoff run.