Tyler Seguin is set to take the next step in his return, with the Dallas Stars forward scheduled to dress Friday against the Minnesota Wild in his first preseason action since right knee surgery. Elsewhere, Buffalo is sorting through goaltending and blue-line health, Vancouver awaits imaging on Filip Chytil’s shoulder, and New Jersey expects Seamus Casey to miss time.
- Dallas Stars: Seguin will play at Minnesota on Friday at 8 p.m. ET. It will be his first game since Dec. 2, when he tore the ACL in his right knee during a 3-2 overtime defeat against the New York Rangers. He underwent surgery Dec. 16. Before the injury, Seguin posted seven goals and 10 assists in 27 games and carried a plus-10 rating.
- Dallas Stars: Seguin said he was both excited and nervous before the trip, adding that he made sure to get a good night’s sleep and was looking forward to being back on the ice.
- Dallas Stars: Matt Duchene will sit Friday for maintenance, while Colin Blackwell remains out with a lower-body issue. Coach Glen Gulutzan expects both forwards to be available for the regular-season opener against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 2.
- Buffalo Sabres: Alex Lyon is under evaluation for an upper-body injury after leaving Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the first period. The goalie reached for a loose puck, appeared to favor his left arm, then headed to the bench. Colten Ellis took over in net.
- Buffalo Sabres: Jiri Kulich did not practice Friday for maintenance. He exited Thursday’s game midway through the second period as a precaution, but is expected to skate or play in Buffalo’s preseason finale Saturday.
- Buffalo Sabres: Defenseman Olen Zellweger, recovering from a concussion, skated Friday and is set for another skate Saturday. Coach Lindy Ruff expects him to be ready next week.
- Buffalo Sabres: Buffalo added veteran defense depth by signing Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year contract worth $850,000. The 32-year-old recorded 12 assists in 69 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season.
- Vancouver Canucks: Filip Chytil did not return after suffering a right shoulder injury late in the first period of Thursday’s 2-1 preseason loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Chytil was pursuing a puck near the corner when contact caused him to clip skates with referee Riley Brace and crash shoulder-first into the boards.
- Vancouver Canucks: Chytil got to the bench under his own power before heading to the dressing room. Coach Manny Malhotra said the club would have the shoulder examined and expected more clarity after imaging.
- Vancouver Canucks: Chytil appeared in only 12 games last season. A concussion suffered six games into the year led to migraines after his late-January return, and he later sustained a fractured cheekbone when struck by a teammate’s shot in practice during the Olympic break in February.
- New Jersey Devils: Seamus Casey suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period of Thursday’s 4-3 preseason shootout loss to the New York Rangers. He collided with a Rangers player and did not return after his final shift at 9:39 of the middle frame.
- New Jersey Devils: Casey had one assist in 11:58 over 13 shifts before leaving. Coach Sheldon Keefe said the defenseman needs evaluation and will be sidelined for a period of time, though the extent remains unclear.
What it means for Friday in Minnesota
Dallas gets its first live look at Seguin after a long rehabilitation from ACL surgery, a recovery commonly measured in months rather than weeks. Friday’s visit to the Wild is a preseason checkpoint, not a verdict on his readiness for Oct. 2, but it puts the veteran forward back in a game setting for the first time since early December.
The Stars will be without Duchene and Blackwell, leaving a couple of forward spots open for preseason evaluation. Gulutzan’s expectation that both will be ready for the Blues points to rest and caution rather than a major opening-night concern.
