Granlund is battling a lower-body injury but will play against the Boston Bruins on Monday. The 32-year-old Granlund is averaging 21:01 time-on-ice and has 37 points (12G / 25A) in 46 games this season.
Hintz exited Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an undisclosed injury early in the first period after only 2:27 time-on-ice. The Stars, already without top-six forwards Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment, can ill-afford to lose Hintz's production for an extended period of time. The 28-year-old Hintz only has 27 points (19G / 8A) in 41 games this season but has been more productive lately, with 11 points (8G / 3A) in his last 14 games.
The red-hot Stars are 8-1-0 in their past nine games and will roll with Oettinger between the pipes on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. Oettinger was excellent in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, saving 27 of 28 shots (.964 SV%). The 26-year-old netminder has allowed two or fewer goals in five of his last six games (6-0-0), posting a stellar .930 SV%. The Stars enter Thursday's contest as -214 home favorites against a Canadiens club they defeated 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday.
Hintz exited Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an undisclosed injury early in the first period after only 2:27 time-on-ice. The Stars, already without top-six forwards Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment, can ill-afford to lose Hintz's production. The 28-year-old Hintz only has 27 points (19G / 8A) in 41 games this season but has been more productive lately, with 11 points (8G / 3A) in his last 14 games.
The Stars season-best seven-game winning streak snapped in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, but Oettinger remains unbeaten in his last five games. Oettinger has allowed three or fewer goals in four of his last five (5-0-0), posting a stellar .923 SV%. The 26-year-old netminder has a 2.35 GAA and .910 SV% in 31 games this season (21-9-1). He will hope for a better result against a Toronto Maple Leafs squad that beat him four times on 12 shots (.667 SV%) in a 5-3 loss on December 18th. The Stars enter the contest as -125 road favorites.
Ceci played 19:19 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights but was not able to practice on Wednesday due to an undisclosed ailment. The 31-year-old Ceci has 11 points (3G / 8A), 76 blocks, and 45 hits in 43 games this season.
Lyubushkin was limited to only 6:39 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the New York Rangers but will return to the ice on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 30-year-old Lyubushkin is averaging 16:56 time-on-ice, recording eight points (0G / 8A), 61 blocks, and 46 hits in 39 games this season.
Matt Dumba will return to the Stars' lineup on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers, sending Smith to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 35-year-old Smith is averaging 13:23 time-on-ice and has three points (0G / 3A) in 16 games this season.
Brendan Smith will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers, allowing Dumba to re-enter the lineup from a one-game absence. Dumba is averaging 15:37 time-on-ice, his lowest total since his rookie season in 2014-15, recording one point (0G / 1A), 20 blocks, and 33 hits in 22 games this season.
The Stars are riding a five-game winning streak and will turn to DeSmith between the pipes on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. DeSmith saved 21 of 23 shots (.913 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. The 33-year-old DeSmith has been solid in limited action this season, posting a 2.37 GAA and .911 SV% in 11 appearances (5-4-0). The Stars enter Thursday's action as -153 road favorites against a Flyers team amid a three-game losing skid (0-2-1).
