Today after practice Marc Crawford addressed the media and told ESPN and the DMN that Jamie Benn and Tom Wandell, both out with shoulder injuries, would "not play this week." This presumably includes the Vancouver, Boston and Philadelphia games and leaves re-evaluation for the three day break next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Both players did skate before practice and Marc Crawford called that a good sign.
This is pretty disheartening news given the week ahead. Philadelphia and Vancouver are far and away the top two teams in the league and Boston is no slouch. With the Stars trying to hold on to a Pacific Division lead, this comes at a tricky time.
Then again the Stars have been fortunate this year with injuries and they're just a part of sports.
Meanwhile Aaron Gagnon and Travis Morin were seen practicing in Frisco this morning and will likely take place in all three games this week. Morin had been named to the AHL All-Star team (game tonight) but has been replaced with Francis Wathier, whom the Stars also might wish to recall for insurance on the upcoming road trip.
Gagnon has played 9 NHL games and with one more he will reach the 10 game/30 day limit and need to be sent through waivers if he is to re-join his teammates in Cedar park. Benn and Wandell could be placed on IR retroactively, giving the Stars less than 12 healthy forwards. Then Gagnon's recall and subsequent games could be considered "emergency conditions" and would not count against that total. Otherwise Gagnon might be with the Stars for the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile there is still no news on Toby Petersen. The forward took a puck in the leg four weeks ago in practice and has not been heard from since. His injury was called a bruise.