Steel is in his second season in Dallas and has earned himself a two-year contract extension worth $4.2 million ($2.1M AAV) after collecting four goals and 17 points in 53 games played this season. The 27-year-old has spent most of 2024-25 in Dallas' bottom six but still averages 14:45 TOI per game this season.
Rantanen's injury is not believed to be serious, according to Carolina's Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour, but his 4 Nations status is still up in the air. Rantanen missed his first game ever as a member of the Hurricane's on Saturday due to a lower-body injury.
Mavrik Bourque will return to the lineup from an upper-body injury, sending Blackwell to the press box as a healthy scratch against the Los Angeles Kings. Blackwell has two points (1G / 1A) in his last two games and has been an effective contributor from a fourth-line role this season. He has 12 points (5G / 7A) in 47 games.
The Stars are coming off a disappointing 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, snapping a five-game winning streak, and will hope to return to the win column on Friday with Oettinger tending the twine against the Los Angeles Kings. Oettinger has played well lately, allowing three or fewer goals in nine straight (6-3-0), posting a solid .925 SV%. He has a 2.31 GAA and .912 SV% through 39 games this season (26-12-1). The Stars enter Friday's contest as slight -100 road underdogs against a Kings squad riding a two-game winning streak.
Heiskanen exited last Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period with 19:50 time-on-ice after Mark Stone made contact with his knee in an awkward collision. Before his injury, Heiskanen had five points (0G / 5A) during a five-game point streak. His long-term absence is a crushing blow for a Stars club that he leads in ice-time (25:10). Thomas Harley has emerged at the quarterback on the Stars' top powerplay unit since Heiskanen has been sidelined.
With Mavrik Bourque (upper body) out of the lineup, Blackwell will return to the mix on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. The 31-year-old Blackwell is averaging 11:37 time-on-ice and has 11 points (4G / 7A) in 46 games this season.
The Stars are riding a five-game winning streak and will turn to Oettinger between the pipes on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. Oettinger has not needed to be spectacular lately, requiring only a .885 SV% in his last three games (3-0-0). The 26-year-old American goalie has a 2.32 GAA and .912 SV% in 38 games this season (26-11-1). The Stars enter Tuesday's contest as sizeable -222 road favorites against a Ducks squad that defeated them 4-2 on November 18th.
Halverson was the 59th overall pick of the New York Rangers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft but has only played one career NHL game back in 2017-18 with the Rangers. The 28-year-old goalie has been impressive at the AHL level this season, posting a 2.20 GAA and .918 SV% in 26 games (12-7-7).
Seguin was expected to miss 4-to-6 months as of early December, so he's still at least two months away from returning to the Stars' lineup. Moving him to LTIR gives the Stars some cap flexibility and does not affect Seguin's timeline for a return.
Lundkvist last played on January 21st and will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Christian Kyrou was brought up from the AHL to take his spot on the roster.
Capobianco was a minus-2 with four PIMS in 11:23 TOI in his Stars debut on Friday. He gets returned to the AHL and both Kyle McDonald and Christian Kyrou have been recalled.
