Stars’ Roope Hintz dealt yet another brutal injury update

The Dallas Stars are in a battle with the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and they could really use the return of Roope Hintz from an injury he suffered in the regular season. The absence of Hintz leaves a massive hole down the middle of their top-six forward group, which was supposed to be an advantage for them against the Wild.

The Stars were hopeful that they would get Hintz back at some point in the first round. However, it doesn’t look like the Stars will get him back before the series ends, according to Lia Assimakopoulos via X, formerly Twitter.

“Glen Gulutzan says he ‘wouldn’t bet on’ Roope Hintz playing this series,” Assimakopoulos reported. “Said he’s officially out for Games 5 and 6. A possibility, but unlikely, if there’s a Game 7.”

Unfortunately for the Stars, the Wild are about to get much healthier with the possible returns of Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin for Game 5. Zuccarello had a massive impact on Game 1, recording three assists in Minnesota’s blowout win, before leaving that game with an injury. If Zuccarello returns and has the same impact, the Stars could be in trouble.

Looking past the Wild, if the Stars do advance to the second round, they’ll need a healthy Hintz for that series. Dallas will need all hands on deck for a series against the Colorado Avalanche, and seeing how easily that team handled the Los Angeles Kings, that might not even be enough.

Hintz being a possibility for Game 7 makes the chances of him playing in that series a bit higher, but the injury seems worse than expected.

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