Alex Chiasson is determined to start the 2013-14 campaign with the Dallas Stars.
Chiasson spent seven games with Dallas this season. "(Now) I'm not going to take anything for granted, I got a taste of what it is to be (in the NHL) and that's my main goal this summer . that they're going to have to keep me," he said. Chiasson had six goals and seven points in his seven NHL games, so he's certainly worth keeping a close eye on during the Stars' training camp.

The Dallas Stars would like to conduct their 2013 training camp in Fort Worth.
That's part of the Stars plans to expand their footprint. "We're very interested in making ourselves the Hockey Team of Texas, and really the entire Southwest," Stars president Jim Lites said. "We'd love to expand our footprint from New Orleans to Tulsa to Houston and beyond. We want to get people excited about the Dallas Stars." The Stars are interested in having future training camps in places like San Antonio and Houston. Meanwhile, the Stars are looking for a head coach to serve under new GM Jim Nill.

Loui Eriksson had two goals and an assist in Sweden's 3-0 victory over Finland in the IIHF World Championship semifinals.
Henrik Sedin had a goal and two assists. Henrik's twin brother, Daniel, assisted on both of Eriksson's goals. Jhonas Enroth turned aside 30 shots to earn the shutout. Sweden will now participate in the gold medal game while Finland still has a shot at the bronze medal.

One time Vancouver Canuck Kevin Connauton is enjoying his time with the Texas Stars.
The defenseman was dealt along with a second round pick to Dallas for Derek Roy and while he was shocked at the time of the deal, Connauton now realizes the deal could have been the best thing that happened to him. "Coming here was really a positive thing, it was a fresh start," Connauton said. "I was able to hit the reset button and it's been nothing but positives since I got here." Connauton had two goals and six points in nine regular season games after the trade and has two goals and five points in nine playoff games. The third round pick in the 2009 Draft has a good shot to crack the Dallas lineup next season.

Glen Gulutzan will serve as a temporarily guest coach with the WHL Saskatoon Blades.
The Dallas Stars decline the option year on Gulutzan's contract. The Blades, which he played for in 1991-92, are participating in the Memorial Cup playoffs. "It's one of those things where you don't want to prepare for it," Gulutzan said. "Certainly with the change of Joe Nieuwendyk, who was the guy that hired me and Jim Nill coming in, I had a pretty good idea that there was going to be changes. When a new GM comes in he wants to bring in his own people." Gulutzan hasn't decided what he'll do after his coaching stint with Saskatoon.

AHL Texas Stars coach Willie Desjardins has been singled out as a possible replacement for former Dallas bench boss Glen Gulutzan.
Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill announced on Tuesday that Gulutzan would not remain with the club for the 2013-14 campaign. Desjardins was named the AHL Coach of the Year. "Willie is definitely going be one of those people, but they're still playing," Nill said. "He's done a great job down there - coach of the year. He's definitely going to get consideration. I think it's important to look internal first, and he's definitely one of the people on my list."

The Dallas Stars announced they've relieved head coach Glen Gulutzan and assistant Paul Jerrard of their duties Tuesday morning.
The Stars held an option year on Gulutzan but new GM Jim Nill was hesitant to commit to the holdover coach when he was hired in late April. Gulutzan didn't make the playoffs in either season behind the Stars' bench but both years got a flawed roster to play above its expectations and at least flirt with the postseason. It's likely that Nill, who came to Dallas via the Red Wings organization, wanted to hire his "own guy" to be coach.

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill is open to moving up in the draft, but it doesn't sound like he would be unhappy to stick with the 10th overall pick.
"Well, just as part of my job, I've talked to a lot of those GMs just to tell them I'm here and open the lines of communication," Nill said. "We're all aware of what each other might be thinking. I think you would get into more specifics as you get closer to the draft, but we'll definitely be in contact with teams and we'll be measuring their interest in a number of things. With moving up, the question is what cost are you willing to pay?" Nill comes from Detroit where he never had a pick this high, but the franchise made the most of their later picks.

The Dallas Stars are interested in playing a game in Cowboys Stadium.
That concept doesn't sound far-fetched now that the NHL has announced that the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings will play in Dodger Stadium next year. If that game is a success, then it could lead to more such contests in warmer weather cities. "You would do it in January or February, and open the roof," Stars president Jim Lites said. "You can turn down the temperature of the ice to zero degrees. What we have at the time of year is not really a temperature issue, but it's the rain. It's seldom humid at that time of year, but it does rain."

Alex Chiasson scored the winner as the Texas Stars eliminated the Milwaukee Admirals from the AHL playoffs Friday.
It was Chiasson's second game winner in two games as he has continued his stellar offensive play that saw him score six goals and seven points in seven games. Chiasson s worth looking at in deeper pools next season as he is a scorer.

Coach Glen Gulutzan believes the Stars will be just fine if they leave Jamie Benn at center and not shift him back to the wing.
"Initially, I thought he was a better winger," Gulutzan admitted. "But watching this year, and especially the second half of this year, and we had some little heart-to-heart talks about bearing down at that position, and what I have seen from the back end is he certainly can play center. He's such a smart player, there's no question in my mind he can play that position and be one of the best at it. But it's a process. You can't just take a guy off the wing and stick him at center and say you're going to be a great center. But he's going to be." Benn said he will work on getting better at faceoffs and at playing in the defensive zone, which are very important aspects of the position.

Now that the season's over, Stars coach Glen Gulutzan went into more detail about Jamie Benn's wrist injury.
"Behind the scenes, [Benn] is getting an injection every day to just play, never mind play against the best players and score," Gulutzan said. "He couldn't shoot a puck for the last six weeks, so those are things that are starting to work themselves out. He battled, just like the rest of the guys with injuries, so I'm proud of that." Benn still managed to score 12 goals and 33 points in 41 games, although he did slow down a bit in April.

Aaron Rome might need surgery due to a hip injury.
Rome was had five assists in 27 games this season. He was able to play in the Stars' season finale, although he didn't participate in the contest before that.

Trevor Daley (neck) is likely to require offseason surgery.
Daley missed the Stars' season finale and before that he was playing through the injury. He had four goals and 13 points in 44 games this season.

The Dallas Stars are expected to unveil new uniforms and a new logo in the first week of June.
The new jerseys come one day after recently hired general manager Jim Nill talked about instilling culture change in the organization. While the uniform and logo switches have been planned quite a while in advance, the timing of the news is still pretty remarkable. Let's just hope they're better than that Taurus bull fiasco from a few years back.

New Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill said it will take time to determine the future of coach Glen Gulutzan.
Nill was introduced as the Stars' new GM on Monday and immediately made it clear he wants to enact "culture change" in Dallas. Whether that includes switching coaches remains unclear. The Stars hold an option on Gulutzan's contract and Nill was coy when asked about the lame-duck coach's future. "It's going to be about a two-week process, and we'll make decisions from there," Nill said Monday. "But right now, we're going to be very patient with decisions, we're not going to rush through anything. I've been sitting on the outside, I need to get on the inside, and we'll go from there."

Stars owner Tom Gaglardi has confirmed that Jim Nill will be the new general manager of the Dallas Stars, replacing the fired Joe Nieuwendyk.
Nill will be introduced at 11 AM CT Monday. "I had a list of candidates and when it became clear that Jim Nill would be interested in leaving Detroit and coming here, I threw the list away," Gaglardi said. "I think he is without a doubt he best candidate to take his job." Congratulations are in order for Mr. Nill who was a big part of the success with the Red Wings.

It's not confirmed yet, but RDS reports that the Dallas Stars have fired head coach Glen Gulutzan.
This seems a little harsh. While Gulutzan failed to make the playoffs in his two seasons behind the Stars bench, he brought flawed teams close to the postseason both times. Then again, Jim Nill might want "his guy," so that could explain the firing.

Richard Bachman made 34 saves in the Stars' 3-0 loss to the Red Wings on Saturday night.
The Stars finish the year with a disappointing 22-22-4 record. Bachman had a good run of starts recently where he was very good, but he was undone by a lousy stretch at the beginning of the year. He had a 6-6-0 record, 3.25 goals-against average and .885 save percentage this season.

Jamie Benn was a minus-two in Dallas' 3-0 loss to the Red Wings on Saturday night.
Benn ends the season with 12 goals and 21 assists in 41 games. He remains one of the bright up-and-coming stars in the league, he just needs to be a little more consistent and be surrounded with some more talent to really take off.

The Stars are expected to fire general manager Joe Nieuwendyk and replace him with Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
Dreger says the new GM will be in place by as early as Monday. Nieuwendyk became the Stars GM in 2009, overseeing a team that has missed the playoffs for four straight seasons. Nill, in his 19th season in Detroit and 15th as assistant GM, is widely respected across the league. It's worth mentioning that Dreger says there is no decision on coach Glen Gulatzan's future with the team.

Alex Chiasson (shoulder) feels healthy enough to play Saturday, but he won't return.
The Stars have already been eliminated from the playoffs, so they want to play it safe with Chiasson. He will finish the season with six goals and seven points in seven games. He will still participate in AHL Texas' playoff run.

Trevor Daley will miss Saturday's game due to a neck injury.
Daley was playing through the injury, but the Stars have already been eliminated from the playoff race, so there's no reason to continue to push him. He might need surgery over the summer.

Richard Bachman will get the start for the Stars in their season finale.
Bachman has a 3.28 GAA and .880 save percentage in 12 games. Dallas has been eliminated from playoff consideration.

Erik Cole had an assist on Thursday.
Cole has just nine goals and 13 points in 46 games this season. The trade from Montreal to Dallas wasn't enough to spark him as he's recorded seven points in 27 contests with the Stars.

The Dallas Stars have been officially eliminated from the playoffs.
"It's the absolute worst," Eric Nystrom said. "There's nothing worse than sitting at home and watching other teams compete for what we want." The Stars have now gone five straight seasons without a postseason berth. The silver lining is that they do have some young players that they can build around and they bolstered their farm system by trading Jaromir Jagr, Derek Roy, and Brenden Morrow before the deadline.

Jamie Benn was the only Dallas player to score a goal in a 3-1 loss to Columbus Thursday.
Benn's power play marker in the second period was his 12th of the campaign and was assisted by Erik Cole and Ray Whitney. The Stars were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.

Kari Lehtonen gave up three goals on 35 shots Thursday as the Stars fell to Columbus by a score of 3-1.
Lehtonen has dealt with injuries all year, but has been solid when healthy. Now that the Stars playoff hopes have been dashed, there's a chance the Finnish netminder gets the final night of the season off.

Alex Goligoski has been playing through a spider fracture in one of the bones of his foot.
"He'll be OK tonight," coach Glen Gulutzan said Thursday morning. "He's got the same thing that Ray Whitney had early in the year. He's kind of got a little of a spider fracture in his foot there that he's been playing with for the last three or four games. It's just a pain management thing for him, but he'll play tonight." Goligoski didn't participate in Thursday's morning skate, but he's projected to play against Columbus. He has picked up three points in his last two games to give a total of 27 in 45 matches.

Alex Chiasson (shoulder) skated Thursday morning, but isn't expected to play versus Columbus.
It will be the fifth straight game he has missed with a shoulder injury after a promising start to his NHL career with six goals and one assist in seven contests.

The Dallas Stars need to beat Columbus on Thursday to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.
"Desperation, do or die," said Jamie Benn of the Stars' mindset. "There are still four [points] out there that we can get, and you never know what can happen." Even if Dallas wins both games, they will also need the Red Wings to lose both of their contests and for Columbus to get no more than one point in their final two games. In other words, the odds of the Stars making the playoffs are extremely thin.

Alex Chiasson (shoulder) might return to the lineup for the Stars on Thursday.
Chiasson has been out the last four games. The forward has six goals and an assist in seven tilts.

Loui Eriksson scored a goal in a 3-2 loss Tuesday.
Antoine Roussel netted the Stars' other goal in the losing effort. Cody Eakin, Ryan Garbutt, Alex Goligoski, and Ray Whitney each registered an assist for Dallas.

Kari Lehtonen kicked out 34 of 37 shots in a 3-2 loss Tuesday night.
Lehtonen surrendered two goals in the span of roughly 30 seconds in the third period. Unfortunately that's all-but killed the Dallas Stars' chances of making the postseason. They are now three points behind the eighth place Columbus Blue Jackets with only two games remaining in their schedule.

It looks like Kari Lehtonen will be the starting goalie against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.
The Stars' season is over but Lehtonen had been playing well before allowing four goals Sunday against the Kings. The problem is Lehtonen's playing behind a team that's basically playing out the string, which makes it difficult for him to win most nights. Still, you could do much worse in net for the season's final week.

Alex Chiasson (shoulder) skated hard at Tuesday's morning skate but will not play against the San Jose Sharks.
Chiasson is a candidate to return Thursday, according to beat writer Mike Heika. Chiasson has been sidelined since April 15 with the injury. He has six goals and seven points in seven games with the Stars this season.

Trevor Daley is expected to play Tuesday night despite an upper-body injury.
Daley has been playing through the injury, although he has zero points and a minus-1 rating in his last three games. Owners should feel free to deploy Daley if you own him.

Ray Whitney has been selected as the Dallas Stars' Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee.
Whitney, 40, broke his foot early in the season and attempted to play through it. He finally had to take some time off because he was making the injury worse, but he has been great since he returned. Whitney has 11 goals and 27 points in 29 games this season.

Matt Fraser and Jordie Benn were healthy scratches for the Stars on Sunday.
While Fraser has only one assist in nine games after scoring 33 goals in the AHL this season but coach Glen Gulutzan has been quite impressed with the youngster. "I've watched Matty quite a bit, and he's not going to wow you with 100 different things," Gulutzan said. "He's a quick-strike guy, and he hasn't had a lot of opportunities to bury pucks. He has an incredible shot and incredible release, and he needs to find those areas in the NHL to get his shot away. That's part of the learning process." Fraser could be someone to look at in a couple of years in fantasy hockey as he knows how to score.

Lane MacDermid returned to action on Sunday April 21.

Kari Lehtonen allowed four goals on 31 shots Sunday as the Stars lost a 4-3 overtime contest to Los Angeles.
The Stars are simply playing out the string at this point so it's dangerous to draw any significant conclusions. What's more important is the fact Lehtonen has played quite well when he's been healthy over the course of the season.

Alex Goligoski registered a goal and an assist for the Stars in a 4-3 overtime loss to Los Angeles Sunday.
With 26 points in 44 contests Goligoski is finally delivering the type of production the Stars hoped for when they made him the central piece of a package that saw them send James Neal and Matt Niskanen to the Penguins. Loui Eriksson and Antoine Roussel were the other goal scorers for Dallas in the losing effort.

Kari Lehtonen stopped 18 of 20 shots in Dallas' 2-1 loss to St. Louis in NHL action Friday night.
It was Lehtonen's 12th loss of the season and worsened his record to 15-12-2.

Antoine Roussel scored Dallas' only goal in a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Blues Friday night.
It was the youngster's sixth goal of the season. Stephane Robidas and Aaron Rome registered the assists on the marker.

Lane MacDermid (chest) is expected to miss Friday's game.
MacDermid has two goals in five games this season. He hasn't played since April 5.

Alex Chiasson (shoulder) isn't expected to return Friday.
Chiasson already missed Thursday's game due to the injury. He has six goals and seven points in seven games with Dallas.

Look for Kari Lehtonen to start on Friday.
Lehtonen returned from a groin injury on Thursday and evidently the Stars have no interest in easing him back into the lineup. That's not surprising, given that they are in a fierce competition for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The Stars will take on the St. Louis Blues on Friday.

Ray Whitney scored a goal on Thursday.
Whitney has four goals and 10 points over the span of his current six-game points streak. He missed a significant chunk of the season with a foot injury, but has been averaging close to a point-per-game when healthy. Look for him to stay strong for what's left of the regular season.

Erik Cole netted a power-play goal on Thursday.
From a fantasy perspective, Cole's 2013 campaign has been a disaster. Even after Thursday's showing, he has just six goals and no assists in 23 games with the Stars. He also recorded six points in 19 games prior to the trade.

Jamie Benn scored a goal and added an assist for the Stars in a 5-1 win over Vancouver.
Cody Eakin matched Benn's line with a goal and an assist of his own while Ray Whitney, Vernon Fiddler and Erik Cole all tallied for Dallas in the win.

Kari Lehtonen made 38 saves in a 5-1 win over Vancouver Thursday as he returned to the lineup after missing time with a groin injury.
His health status has been his real bugaboo this season, as Lehtonen's statistics are just fine. Because of his inability to remain upright he's a second-tier netminder for fantasy purposes.

Ray Whitney will take a five-game point streak into Thursday's match with Vancouver.
He has produced three goals and six helpers over that span. Whitney has averaged nearly a point-per-game (0.96) with the Stars this season despite missing 16 contests with a broken foot.

Kari Lehtonen will be back between the pipes for Dallas on Thursday night.
His teammates are happy to get him back from his groin injury as they are four points back of Columbus for the final playoff spot in the West. "Kari has been our MVP so far this year, in my mind," said defenseman Stephane Robidas. "He's been very good. He's won some games for us. When you get a goalie like that back in the net, for sure you get a little boost." Lehtonen owns a 14-11-2 record with a .916 save percentage and a 2.67 GAA.

The Stars hope that Loui Eriksson will get a lift from being reunited with Jamie Benn on the team's top line.
"It's a chance for Loui to get up there and get his mojo going," coach Glen Gulutzan said. "We've got guys who have worked hard, and I've seen it time and time again that people who put in the effort will get rewarded. Loui is going to be one of those guys." He moved up to the top unit after Alex Chiasson was injured in Monday's contest. Eriksson has one goal and two assists in his last five matches.

Trevor Daley will play Thursday after missing Wednesday's practice because of an upper-body injury.
He has five assists and a plus-4 rating in his last six outings, but he'll be looking to rebound from the minus-3 rating he picked up in Monday's loss to Chicago.

Alex Chiasson (shoulder) missed Wednesday's practice.
Chiasson is doubtful for Thursday's contest. "He'll be a couple of days. We'll see what transpires with him in the next couple of days," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said.

Lane MacDermid (chest) was on the ice Wednesday.
All the same, MacDermid isn't expected to return Thursday. The good news is it shouldn't be too long before he returns. "He's cleared to skate and we're just going day-by-day until the doctors give us the OK to let him play again. He'll be ready before the season is over," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said.

Trevor Daley didn't practice Wednesday due to an upper-body injury and he may not be available for Thursday's game against Vancouver.
"He has a little upper body thing, but we are hoping he'll be able to go tomorrow," coach Glen Gulutzan said. "He's had two days off. He'd be a day-to-day guy, but there is a good chance he is going to go tomorrow." If he can't play then Jordie Benn may suit up in his place.

Kari Lehtonen has declared himself fit to return from his groin injury.
He was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and is anxious to get back in the Stars' cage with the team in the thick of the playoff race. "I played a lot of games there in a row. Hopefully it was good to get a little time off," said Lehtonen. who played 19 straight contests prior to getting hurt. "We have a few games left and I am even more excited now to play. We're in a good spot and trying to climb into the playoffs." Look for him to start Thursday.

Reilly Smith has been summoned by the Dallas Stars on an emergency basis.
Smith will play if Lane MacDermid (chest) and Alex Chiasson (shoulder) are unavailable Thursday. Smith has three goals and seven points in 31 NHL games this season.

Lane MacDermid (chest) will probably miss Thursday's game.
MacDermid has already missed five contests in a row. He has two goals and a plus--one rating in five games this season.

Alex Chiasson (shoulder) isn't expected to play Thursday.
Chiasson sustained the injury during Monday's game. It's a very unfortunate turn of events for the rookie after he recorded six goals and seven points in six games before Monday.

Brenden Dillon ranks fourth among rookies with 21:10 minutes per game.
"I think Dillon is a real physical specimen, so those minutes don't bother him," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "He has the body, he has the big frame, but he also can skate. He doesn't get trapped in his own end and have to take the abuse, because he can skate himself out of some of the problem areas. He's efficient, and he doesn't burn energy when he doesn't have to." Dillon averaged 17:17 minutes in seven January contests, but his responsibilities have increased as the season's progressed. He doesn't excel offensively, but he is an asset in leagues that use some less traditional categories. Dillon has 117 hits and 63 blocked shots in 42 contests.

Dallas Stars assign Radek Faksa to AHL Texas.
Faska was the Stars' first-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He spent the season with Kitchener of the Ontario Hockey League, registering nine goals and 31 points in 39 games.

Alex Chiasson has a shoulder injury and is currently day-to-day.
Chiasson suffered the injury during the first period of Monday's game and didn't return. The Stars aren't giving out more information than that for the time being, but coach Glen Gulutzan said Monday night the team's doctors thought it might be a strain. We'll update you as soon as we know more. Chiasson has six goal and one assists in seven games since being recalled.

Dallas Stars reassign Cristopher Nilstorp to AHL Texas.
Nilstorp was recalled this week with Kari Lehtonen sidelined by a groin injury. Returning Nilstorp to the AHL is a sign Lehtonen should be ready to return to the lineup.

Richard Bachman blamed himself for a 5-2 loss Monday to the conference leading Chicago Blackhawks.
Bachman had been great of late in relief of Kari Lehtonen as he was named the NHL's third star of the week with a 1.09 GAA and a .963 save percentage in winning three straight games. But it was different on Monday as he gave up four goals on 27 shots. "There's a reason they're the No. 1 team in the league," Bachman said. "They're a good squad. They capitalize, but we really hung in there for the majority of the game. Even to start that third, we gave ourselves a chance there. I've got to make one or two more saves to kind of put us in a better position." Kari Lehtonen is getting healthy so this could have been Bachman's last start for a while.

Alex Chiasson suffered an upper body injury in the first period and did not return.
It appears that the injury was to his shoulder. "They had a look at his shoulder and they think it may be a sprain, so he's going to be a day-to-day guy," Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said. Chiasson has been amazing since his recall with six goals and an assist in seven games.

Jamie Benn scored twice in the Stars' 5-2 loss to the Hawks Monday night.
Benn has quietly put together a fine season with seven goals and 29 points in 35 games in 2013. Furthermore, he has been the Stars top offensive player since signing on early in the season. Look for Benn to have a big season in 2013-14.

Richard Bachman made 23 saves on 27 shots in the Stars' 5-2 loss to the Hawks Monday night.
Number one goaltender Kari Lehtonen remains day-to-day with a groin injury. However, Bachman has been playing really well in his absence. He was named the third star of the week after posting a 1.09 GAA and .963 save percentage in three straight victories. He's worth a look for owners in deeper leagues who need help between the pipes down the stretch. Bachman may be called upon to play more if Lehtonen's "mild" lower-body injury keeps him out of the lineup for an extended period of time.

Richard Bachman is projected to start on Monday.
Bachman was named the third star of the week after posting a 1.09 GAA and .963 save percentage in three straight victories. He's been playing between the pipes while Kari Lehtonen recovers from a groin injury.

Richard Bachman was named the third star of the week.
Bachman has stepped up while Kari Lehtonen recovers from a groin injury. Bachman posted a 1.09 GAA and .963 save percentage in three straight victories last week.

Kari Lehtonen is still day-to-day with a groin injury.
Richard Bachman has been terrific in Lehtonen's absence as the Stars, after giving up at the trade deadline, are now in ninth place just two points out of a playoff spot with a game in hand over the eighth place Red Wings. Consider Lehtonen day-to-day and do not be afraid to put Bachman in your fantasy lineup as he has allowed only three goals in 82 shots in his last three games, all wins. Lehtonen is expected to participate in the morning skate on Monday and a decision will be made at that time as to whether or not he will play Monday night against the Blackhawks.

Alex Chiasson has benefited from playing on a line with Jamie Benn and Ray Whitney.
"It's just hard work, really. Playing with confidence, playing with two great guys," Chiasson said. "I'm not trying to do something else out there, I'm just playing my game. I wouldn't see why I would change my game because I'm playing with these two guys. I think we complement ourselves pretty well. They've been good to me, a couple of tips here and there, so it makes it easier on my game." Chiasson has six goals and seven points in six games. He's worth grabbing if he's still available in your fantasy league.

Lane MacDermid (chest) wasn't able to return on Saturday.
MacDermid hasn't played since April 5. He has two goals and 12 penalty minutes in five contests this season.

Kari Lehtonen (groin) didn't dress for the Stars' game Saturday night.
"He skated this morning and still didn't feel he was ready to go and Zeis didn't feel he was ready to go," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "He is still day-to-day." Zeis is a trainer. Gulutzan is optimistic about Lehtonen's chances of being available for Monday's game.

Netminder Richard Bachman, playing in place of the injured Kari Lehtonen (lower body), turned aside 31 shots in the Dallas Stars' 2-1 victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks Saturday night.
Bachman has been outstanding since stepping in for Lehtonen early in the Stars' 5-1 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday, stopping 79 of 82 shots and winning all three contests.

Rookie Alex Chiasson scored his sixth goal in just his sixth game since being recalled from the AHL on April 2 and the Dallas Stars continued their winning streak with a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks Saturday night.
It was the Stars' fifth consecutive win. Also scoring for Dallas was Eric Nystrom.

As expected, Richard Bachman will be between the pipes for Dallas on Saturday night.
Cristopher Nilstorp will back him up as Kari Lehtonen isn't ready to return yet from a lower-body injury. Adjust your lineup accordingly.

Richard Bachman will probably be in Dallas' crease again for Saturday's match-up against San Jose.
Kari Lehtonen (lower body) took to the ice with injured winger Lane MacDermid (chest) for some extra work in the morning, which indicates that Lehtonen isn't ready to return. Bachman made 26 saves in a 5-2 win over Nashville on Friday night and he's stopped 58 of 60 shots, in a pair of victories, while filling in for the Stars' starting netminder.

Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen likely will rest his sore groin and not be in the lineup when the Dallas Stars play the San Jose Sharks tonight.
Cristopher Nilstorp backed up starter Richard Bachman in the Dallas net Friday night against the Predators."I was hoping I would feel a lot better than I did (Friday)," Lehtonen said, "but it's going in the right direction." When asked if that was an indication that he would probably not be ready to go against San Jose at home Saturday at American Airlines Center, Lehtonen said: "We'll just see how it goes tomorrow morning. It's a tough situation." Lehtonen on Tuesday left the Stars' 5-1 win over Los Angeles after 14 minutes with a sore groin. He missed five games earlier in the season with a groin injury.

Ray Whitney potted a goal and also registered an assist in the Stars' 5-2 win over the Predators Friday night.
After missing an extended period of time in February, the veteran winger has been hot of late. With 22 points in only 24 games this season, Whitney should be owned and started in 12-team leagues.

Richard Bachman made 26 saves on 28 shots in the Stars' 5-2 win over the Predators Friday night.
Kari Lehtonen remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Bachman certainly didn't set the world on fire in the NHL before he got sent down to the Texas Stars of the AHL a few weeks ago. However, he's worth a look for owners who need help between the pipes down the stretch. Bachman may be called upon to play more if Lehtonen's "mild" lower-body injury keeps him out of the lineup for an extended period of time.

If things go wrong with Richard Bachman, Cristopher Nilstorp will take his place on Friday. He's serving as the Dallas Stars' backup with Kari Lehtonen out.
It's difficult to recommend either goalie unless you're really pressing for every tiny tweak to your weekly stats. The Stars are simply a very different team with Lehtonen out of the lineup.

Richard Bachman will start and Cristopher Nilstorp will be the backup for the Dallas Stars on Friday.
Meanwhile, Kari Lehtonen remains day-to-day with his lower-body injury. At some point, the Stars would be wise to grow comfortable enough with one of Bachman/Nilstorp to play them more frequently, because it's plausible that Lehtonen's workload might explain some of his health problems.

Richard Bachman was thrust into action Tuesday night, due to an injury to Kari Lehtonen, and he performed well in a 5-1 victory over Los Angeles.
He stopped all 22 shots he faced, including 17 in the second period, in the match to record his fourth win of the year. Bachman may be called upon to play more if Lehtonen's "mild" lower-body injury keeps him out of the lineup.

Trevor Daley registered two assists on Tuesday.
Daley has four goals and 11 points in 37 games this season. He puts up decent offensive numbers for a defenseman, but not quite enough to warrant notice in most leagues. Going into the shortened campaign, Daley recorded between 22 and 27 points in each of his last five seasons.

Alex Goligoski scored a goal in Tuesday's 5-1 win over Los Angeles.
Goligoski has three points in his last four games. He's been doing well this season from an offensive perspective, with 22 points in 38 contests. He also leads the team with a plus-five rating.

Alex Chiasson is on a three-game point streak.
Chiasson registered an assist on Tuesday, the first of his NHL career. He's gotten off his playing career on the right foot with four points in four games.

Stars coach Glen Gukutzan confirmed that Kari Lehtonen sustained a lower body injury on Tuesday.
Lehtonen left the contest in the first period as a result. The good news is that the ailment is "mild," according to Gukutzan. The Stars will reassess it on Wednesday.

Ray Whitney came up clutch for the Stars tallying two goals, including the game-winner, in the third frame to help Dallas to a 5-1 victory over the Kings on Tuesday.
After missing an extended period of time in February, Whitney has played well of late, recording seven goals and seven assists in his past 15 games. The veteran winger could offer some help to fantasy owners who need a scoring punch down the stretch. Vernon Fiddler extended his points streak to four games after notching two goals and an assist in the win.

Kari Lehtonen was forced to leave Tuesday's game against the Kings after suffering a lower body injury near the end of the first period.
There is no word yet on the extent of Lehtonen's injury, but stay tuned for updates as we learn more. Backup goaltender Richard Bachman replaced Lehtonen, and was huge, stopping all 22 shots he faced.

Lane MacDermid has a chest bruise and will miss at least another week.
MacDermid was a late scratch with what the Stars termed an upper-body injury. Coach Glen Gulutzan clarified the injury Tuesday, calling it a chest bruise. MacDermid scored in his first two games with the Stars after joining the team as part of the Jaromir Jagr trade.

Alex Chiasson has three goals in his last two games for Dallas.
After being held off the scoresheet in his NHL debut, Chiasson scored once against the Ducks on Friday and twice on Sunday in San Jose. He will attempt to stretch his streak against the Kings Tuesday.

Lane MacDermid (upper body) is doubtful for Tuesday's match against Los Angeles.
It will be the second game in a row that MacDermid will miss with the injury. He scored in his first two games with the Stars after being part of the Jaromir Jagr trade to Boston.

Kari Lehtonen is slated to get the start on Tuesday.
Lehtonen has started the last 18 games in a row for the Stars without any groin problems so we hope we are not jinxing him with the comment. He is 8-7 in his career against the Kings, the Stars opponent Tuesday, with a 2.51 GAA and a .915 save percentage. Adjust your lineup accordingly.

Jordie Benn has been called up by the Dallas Stars.
Benn has a goal and six points in 23 games with the Dallas Stars this season. He also has 21 points and 33 penalty minutes in 43 AHL contests.

Mike Heika of the Dallas News thinks that the play of Jamie Benn will be helped by the trade of Jaromir Jagr.
Heika is not dissing Jagr, rather stating that Benn deferred to Jagr when they were on the ice and now that Jagr has been dealt to Boston, Benn will be able to play the Jamie Benn style of hockey. Benn is now playing with veteran Ray Whitney and that will help the young star as Whitney will get the puck to Benn and let him control the play. Look for Benn to have a big season in 2013-14.

Kari Lehtonen stopped 32 of 36 shots in regulation in a 5-4 shootout win.
Lehtonen allowed three goals on 13 shots in the second period. The Stars managed to bail him out by closing the gap in the third and forcing overtime. He then stopped all three shootout attempts to earn the second point.

Alex Chiasson scored twice in Dallas' 5-4 shootout victory Sunday.
Loui Eriksson and Eric Nystrom accounted for the Stars' other two goals in regulation. Ray Whitney and Jamie Benn each registered two assists Sunday. Benn also netted the deciding goal in the shootout.