[Update by Brandon Worley, 10/20/09 1:27 PM EDT] The Dallas Stars have announced that Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen have been placed on injured reserve. From the press release:
Frisco, Tex. - The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has placed center Mike Modano on injured reserve, retroactive to October 3, and placed right wing Jere Lehtinen on injured reserve, retroactive to October 14. The club also announced that left wing Francis Wathier has been recalled from the Texas Stars - Dallas' primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). Dallas announced that center Perttu Lindgren has been reassigned to Texas.
Mike Heika reports that Pertuu Lindgren has been sent back down to the Texas Stars after being called up on Sunday. Taking his place will be Francis Wathier. [End Update]
The move is significant for this upcoming roadtrip for the following reason:
He fits perfectly on the fourth line and allows the Stars to use more experienced players up the lineup if Richards (groin) can't play. If Richards can play, Wathier could step in where Mark Fistric has been on the wing and allow Fistric to move back to D.
We'll see what they're thinking at practice today.
The Stars do travel later today to Southern Cal, so if Heika can't give us an update on how Wathier was utilized in practice, I'm sure Mark Stepneski will.
The remainder of the press release after the jump:
Modano, 39, suffered a rib injury during the third period of the Stars' home opener against Nashville on October 3. He collected two penalty minutes and one shot in his only appearance thus far in 2009-10. Modano is the highest scoring American-born player and holds every major Stars franchise scoring record. The Livonia, Michigan native has skated in 1,401 career NHL games (all with the Stars), collecting 543 goals and 786 assists in 20 seasons with the club.
Lehtinen suffered a groin injury during Dallas' game against Nashville on October 14. He has appeared in two games for the Stars this season recording one assist and four shots. Lehtinen, 36, has spent all 14 of his NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars, dressing in 819 games collecting 498 points (239g, 259a). The Stars re-signed Lehtinen to a one-year contract June 30, 2009.
Wather, 24, has appeared in six games for Texas this season, picking up two assists with a +2 rating and two penalty minutes. The 6'4, 208-pound left wing spent the 2008-09 season with the Iowa Chops (AHL), where he gathered six goals and 10 assists with 127 penalty minutes in 77 contests. Wathier was Dallas' sixth round selection (185th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He has yet to make his NHL debut.
Lindgren was recalled from Texas on October 18 and made his NHL debut against the Los Angeles Kings playing 8:33 minutes and winning two-of-five faceoffs. He has appeared in six games for Texas this season, scoring two goals and one assist with a +2 rating and two penalty minutes. Lindgren was Dallas' third round selection (75th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
The Dallas Stars will travel to Anaheim to take on the Ducks on Wednesday evening at Honda Center (9:00 pm, FOX Sports Southwest, Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket).