DeSmith stopped all five shots that he faced after replacing Thatcher Demko (illness) during the Canucks' blowout win over the Oilers on Wednesday. Tonight he will make his first start with the Canucks, as he goes head-to-head with the Oilers again. This is a brutal matchup, so leave DeSmith on the waiver wire on a busy 14-game slate.
Hintz was originally a game-time decision but with five days between games, the Stars coaching staff has opted to give him the extra rest instead of rushing him into the season opener. Hintz tallied 75 points last season (37G / 38A) while primarily centring Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski on one of the top lines in the NHL. Tyler Seguin is expected to slot into the first-line center role in Hintz's absence.
Oettinger is one of the premiere young goalies in the NHL and enters the 2023-24 campaign as a contender for the Vezina Trophy. In 62 games with the Stars last season (37-11-11), Oettinger had a 2.35 GAA and .919 SV% along with five shutouts. The Stars enter the season as -210 home favourites against a St. Louis Blues team that parted ways with talented scorer Vladimir Tarasenko in the offseason. In his lone appearance against the Blues last season, Oettinger recorded a 25-save shutout victory.
Hintz had 37 goals, 38 assists, 184 SOG, 30 PIMs and a +31 plus/minus through 73 games in 2022-23 but will be a game-time decision for Dallas' season opener vs. St. Louis due to a preseason upper-body injury. The 26-year-old is a key piece of the Stars' impressive offence but has missed 11 games due to injury in the previous two seasons.
Blackwell had two goals, eight assists, 53 SOG, six PIMs, and a -16 plus/minus through 53 games with Chicago in 2022-23 but will begin the 2023-24 season on the injured reserve due to a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old veteran forward is considered out indefinitely as he begins his sixth NHL season. He will be used as a key depth piece when he returns to the Blackhawks.
Johnston had a "little bit of a procedure," according to head coach Pete DeBoer. The Stars will be forced to shuffle their lineup around and Craig Smith will likely dress if Johnston isn't able to play on Thursday.
Hintz practiced with the team for the first two days of training camp but hasn't been with the team recently due to an upper-body injury. He's been skating on his own and head coach Pete DeBoer is still optimistic that Hintz will be ready for Game 1. His availability for practice this week will be a good indication of if he'll play vs. the Blues or not.
Despite having an impressive preseason, recording five points (2G / 3A) in six games, a logjam of offensive talent on the Dallas Stars' roster has prevented Stankoven from cracking the opening night roster. Stankoven will likely see some time in the NHL this year but as he awaits his callup, the Stars' top prospect should see top-line minutes playing with the Texas Stars of the AHL.
Bourque had a successful first year of professional hockey last season, scoring 47 points (20G / 27A) in 70 games with the Texas Stars (AHL). The 30th overall pick from the 2020 NHL Entry Draft has yet to make his NHL debut and will have to continue waiting as he begins this season in the AHL. Bourque is a high-end prospect for the Stars and could see some time in the NHL this season.
DeSmith was 15-16-4 with a .905 SV% and a 3.17 GAA in 38 games played with Pittsburgh in 2022-23 and has been traded to Vancouver for Tanner Pearson and a 2025 third-round pick. The 32-year-old has spent his entire five-year career in Pittsburgh after breaking into the NHL in 2017-18 and has a 58-44-15 record, with a .912 SV% and 2.81 GAA through 134 career games played. He carries a $1,800,000 cap hit into the 2023-24 season.
Lyubushkin had two goals, 12 assists, 41 SOG, 38 PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus through 68 games with Buffalo in 2022-23 and has been traded to Anaheim for a 2025 fourth-round pick that originally belonged to Minnesota. The 29-year-old defenseman joins his fourth NHL team in the last three seasons and has five goals, 39 points and 130 PIMs through 279 career NHL games.
Dumba had four goals, 10 assists, 99 SOG, 81 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 79 games with Minnesota in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year deal worth $3.9 million with the Arizona Coyotes. The 29-year-old defensemen leaves Minnesota after 10 solid seasons which saw him amass 79 goals, 236 points, 399 PIMs and 1121 SOG throughout 598 career games played.
DeSmith was acquired by Montreal as part of a three-team deal with Pittsburgh and San Jose that include Erik Karlsson going to the Sharks. The 31-year-old goaltender will join only his second team after five season in PIttsburgh and has a career 58-44-15 record with a .912 SV% and a 2.81 GAA. He was 15-16-4 with a .905 SV% and a 3.17 GAA in 33 starts in 2022-23 with Pittsburgh.
Lind had 30 goals, 32 assists, 91 PIMs and a +11 plus/minus through 72 games with Coachella Valley (AHL) and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV with Seattle. The 24-year-old right-winger was a 2017 second-round pick for Vancouver (33rd overall) and has two goals and eight points across 30 career NHL games with both Vancouver and Seattle.
Pettersen was a sixth-round pick of the Flames in 2018 and has spent the first three years of his pro career in the AHL. The 2023 season was his best to-date, finishing the year with 19 goals and 25 assists (44 points) in 61 games. Pettersen should once again be among the Wranglers' leading scorers in 2024.
Hellberg was 5-8-1 with a 3.20 GAA and a .888 SV% with Detroit and Ottawa in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $785,000 AAV contract with Pittsburgh. The 32-year-old goaltender has appeared in 23 games throughout his NHL career, holding a 7-8-1 record, .886 SV% and 3.14 GAA while appearing for three teams.
Steel had 10 goals, 18 assists, 85 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +11 plus/minus through 65 games with Minnesota in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year contract worth $850,000 with Dallas. The 25-year-old centre was a first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft (30th overall) and has 34 goals, 93 points, and 311 SOG through 262 career games played with two different teams (ANA/MIN).
Duchene had 22 goals, 34 assists, 168 SOG, 32 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus through 71 games with Nashville in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year contract worth $3.0 million with Dallas. The 32-year-old centre joins his fifth NHL team and is one season off of a 43 goals, 86 point season in 2021-22. The veteran has 316 goals and 744 points through 976 career NHL games.
Duchene had 22 goals, 34 assists, 168 SOG, 32 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus through 71 games with Nashville in 2022-23 but has been placed on unconditional waivers with the purpose of a buyout Friday. The 32-year-old centre has been one of the Predators' best players for years, but was expected to carry a $8 million cap hit into 2023-24 for three more season and will therefore only cost the Predators $2.56 million next season. The veteran is just 24 games from reaching the 1000 game plateau, having picked up 316 goals and 744 points across his 14 year career.
Dadonov had seven goals, 26 assists, 110 SOG, 18 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 73 games with both Dallas and Montreal through 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $4.5 Million contract extension ($2.25 Million AAV) with the Stars Tuesday. The 34-year-old right-winger was acquired by Dallas in February and succeeded with three goals and 15 points in 23 games.
