Stars face injuries to Roope Hintz and Wyatt Johnston ahead of season opener against Blues – Hot

Just three days away from the start of the 2023-24 season, the Stars have set their opening night roster.

But even though the team made the official announcement Monday afternoon, uncertainty remains surrounding some of its top players.

Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Radek Faksa are all still dealing with injuries as the preseason comes to an end. Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said Monday he is still unsure of whether they will be ready by the season opener against the St. Louis Blues Thursday night.

Neither Hintz nor Johnston appeared in a single preseason game, as both are battling upper body injuries. Faksa was boarded in the third period of Tuesday’s preseason game against the Colorado Avalanche and needed stitches. He did not enter concussion protocol, per DeBoer.

All three were limited to non-contact participation in Monday’s practice.

Jani Hakanpää was slated to play Tuesday against the Avalanche but did not participate due to an injury. He has since returned to the ice.

With three of the Stars’ four centermen banged up, Thursday’s lineup could see some changes depending on their status. DeBoer said the team is taking it slow and hopeful the three players continue to take positive steps over the next three days.

The roster moves over the last two days are also promising signs in terms of those injuries.

DeBoer said Monday he wishes the team was able to get a preseason game in with its full lineup but said the injuries gave some of the prospects even more of a chance to show what they could do.

With a preseason schedule loaded with divisional opponents, some of the injuries — or other controversial plays — bothered the Stars head coach. While the team hopes to be healthy by Thursday, a few other plays could have resulted in some serious injuries as well that were fortunately avoided.

The Avalanche’s Nate Clurman was assessed a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for the hit that hurt Faksa.

During the Sept. 26 game against the Wild, Pat Maroon skated into Stars goalie Scott Wedgewood in the crease, which led to an altercation with Jamie Benn that prompted an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Stars.

In the second preseason game against the Wild Saturday, Wild player Ryan Hartman intentionally tripped Jason Robertson — a play that could have seriously injured Robertson and likely would have been assessed a suspension if it occurred in the regular season.

DeBoer commented on the play Monday.

“You tell your kids if you’re gonna keep touching the stove you’re gonna keep getting burned. It’s on us to burn them on the power play if they’re gonna continue to play that way like they have both in the past and obviously that night,” he said.

Hintz led the Stars in postseason points last year with 24. As a member of the top line with Joe Pavelski and Robertson, he finished the regular season with 75 points (37 goals, 38 assists). Johnston made the NHL All-Rookie team after entering the league at just 19 years old. He recorded 41 points in the regular season and scored the game-winning goal in Game 7 vs. the Kraken. Faksa is entering his eighth season with the Stars after recording 11 goals and nine assists last year.

On Twitter/X: @Lassimak

Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.