Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tuesday's overtime loss to the New York Rangers, likely sidelining him for the remainder of the NHL season. The 33-year-old veteran left the game early after tangling with Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. Coach Glen Gulutzan confirmed the injury on Wednesday, calling it a tough blow for the team.
Tyler Seguin's injury occurred at 1:44 of the first period in the Stars' 3-2 overtime loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The forward had played just two shifts before getting tangled with Gavrikov, falling awkwardly, and requiring assistance from teammates and trainers to leave the ice.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan addressed the media on Wednesday, stating, "We didn't get great news today. Haven't spoken to Tyler yet, but probably just letting everybody know that he's going to be out for a significant amount of time -- probably the rest of the season." Gulutzan added, "It's a tough day for us today with the news, but other guys now have to step in and play."
This marks another major setback for Seguin, who missed most of last season following hip surgery but returned for the final regular-season game on April 16 and contributed eight points (four goals, four assists) in 18 playoff games during Dallas' run to the Western Conference final. This season, Seguin had recorded 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 27 games, including his 1,000th NHL appearance on Oct. 30. A 2010 second overall pick by the Boston Bruins, Seguin has 826 points (367 goals, 459 assists) in 1,016 regular-season games and won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011.
The Stars, sitting second in the Central Division at 17-5-5, were set to face the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday without Seguin. Nathan Bastian was expected to fill his spot in the lineup. Forward Matt Duchene, sidelined for 23 straight games since an upper-body injury on Oct. 14 against the Minnesota Wild, is day-to-day and could return soon. Gulutzan noted, "I'd still say it's day to day for him. But if he can stack a few good days upon each other, then I think it's going to be sooner than later."
Gulutzan praised Seguin's leadership: "He's a great leader for us, and he's a great pro... just his leadership ability when I've come in here." The injury also opens possibilities for salary-cap relief under new NHL rules, potentially allowing Dallas up to $3.82 million for a replacement, or more if Seguin is placed on season-ending long-term injured reserve.
