FRISCO, Texas — Marc Methot is likely going to return to the Dallas Stars lineup after missing 26 games with a knee injury.
Methot had his knee scoped on Nov. 19 and hasn’t played since Nov. 6. He has been ramping up his skating lately and if all goes well at the morning skate tomorrow, he’ll be in the lineup against the New Jersey Devils.
“It’s been a lot of stuff going on,” Methot said. “I’m just glad I’m back with the group and practicing again. I’m starting to feel like a hockey player again.”
It’s been a long, patient process for Methot. In theory he could have rushed back, but it was better to manage the injury and keep the long-term plan in mind.
“I’m still managing it, it’s something I’ll probably still have to manage for the rest of the season,” Methot said. “I think it’s just got to get a point where I can help out the team and provide support on the back end. Until I reach that point, I’m not going to jump in and take someone else’s spot who is 100 percent capable and healthy.”
If Methot is ready to go, and all signs point toward him playing, Julius Honka is likely going to be the healthy scratch on defense. Stephen Johns will likely move back to the right side, while Methot will take on a larger role on the penalty kill.
With Methot back on the penalty kill the Stars can give John Klingberg more time on the power play, which creates less of a need for Honka in the lineup.
“It also allows a guy like Klingberg to play more time on the power play, which I think helps us on both ends, so we’ll see,” Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. “If he’s back in, then I think that Methot will take Klingberg’s penalty-killing minutes and Klinger will take more of the power play. He’ll be out there for 1:30 anyways.”
Hanzal ready to return, again
Martin Hanzal is once again ready to return to the lineup after another injury.
This time Hanzal missed three games with a lower-body injury and Hitchcock said he could have played, but they wanted to make sure the center was up to 100 percent.
“Hanzal’s been in this stop-and-go,” Hitchcock said. “We’ve waited and extended the waiting time until it’s as close to 100 percent as we can get it and if he comes through today, if he’s not going to feel good, he’s going to know tomorrow morning based on the way we went at it today with him. It was a hard practice, so if he comes through then he should be good to go for a little while now.”
With Hanzal back in the lineup either Jason Dickinson or Brett Ritchie would likely be a scratch. Remi Elie has already been ruled out for Thursday’s game, and based on lines in practice — Ritchie was skating in Alexander Radulov’s place — it’s possible that Dickinson will get another game.
Practice lineup
Jamie Benn — Tyler Seguin — Alexander Radulov
Antoine Roussel — Radek Faksa — Tyler Pitlick
Mattias Janmark — Jason Spezza — Devin Shore
Jason Dickinson — Martin Hanzal — Gemel Smith
Esa Lindell — Julius Honka
Dan Hamhuis — Greg Pateryn
Marc Methot — Stephen Johns
Ben Bishop
Kari Lehtonen
Not skating: John Klingberg (maintenance day), Alexander Radulov (maintenance day), Remi Elie (illness)
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