Tyler Seguin is expected to miss the remainder of the NHL season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, another blow to the already short-handed Dallas Stars.
Coach Glen Gulutzan said Wednesday that Seguin will be out for a while. The 33-year-old forward was injured Tuesday night at the New York Rangers.
“It’s not just us, it’s the league, and it’s very unfortunate,” Gulutzan said. “It’s a tough day for us today with this news. Other guys have to step up now and play.”
Seguin tangled with Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavirkov in the first period. Seguin was in pain, couldn’t skate and needed help from several teammates and an athletic trainer to get off the ice and more help to walk down the tunnel to the visitors’ locker room at Madison Square Garden.
Gulutzan said the team did not receive any positive news regarding Seguin’s knee after further examination.
“There are a lot of injuries and a lot of games, so we have to keep moving forward,” Gulutzan said. “There’s a lot of guys whose opportunity was born out of some of that misfortune. We just have to remember that: It’s the next player, the next guy’s opportunity and run with it. That’s what good teams do, is just keep moving forward with the players they have.”
Seguin missed the vast majority of last season due to hip surgery. He returned for the Stars’ finals and playoff run to the Western Conference Finals. He has been in Dallas since being part of a trade from Boston in 2013.
“I didn’t experience it with him last year, but I talked to our leadership group here and what I knew was how hard he (worked) and the effort he put in to come back last year and how diligent he was,” Gulutzan said. “He’s a great leader for us, and he’s a great pro and he’s a guy, frankly, that maybe impressed me the most – just his leadership ability when I got here.”
Nathan Bastian was expected to take Seguin’s place in the lineup Tuesday night for the New Jersey Devils. Long term, the team hopes center Matt Duchene will be able to help fill the void once he returns from his injury.
This could happen “sooner or later” if Duchene’s current progress continues, according to Gulutzan.
“It’s going to take other guys to step up,” Gulutzan said. “If Duchy comes back, he’s going to have to take some of it. (Mavrik Bourque) will have more opportunities. There will be more opportunities for more guys, and then you see who takes it. So you don’t really rank anyone. You just see who takes it.”
