Kolyachonok, 18, was a second-round pick of the Panthers this summer. The 6-foot-1, 184 lbs. defenseman had four goals and 25 assists (29 points) in 53 games in his first season with the Flint Firebirds (OHL).
Lyubushkin had four assists in 41 games with the Coyotes this season. The 25-year-old defenseman came to the NHL after spending six years in the KHL. Lyubushkin will likely serve as the Coyotes No.6/No.7 defenseman in 2019-20.
Lindell, 24, has become a fantastic shutdown defenseman for Dallas after being selected in the third-round in 2012. Lindell has some offensive flair to his game as well, scoring 11 goals and 21 assists (32 points) in 82 games during the regular season. The Finnish defenseman had a great postseason, leading all Stars’ players in ice-time (26:58 TOI/gm) with four points (1G / 3A) and 34 blocked shots in 13 games. Lindell, John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen will be among the NHL’s best top-3 defensemen for the Stars for many years to come.
Hintz missed the morning skate before Game 7 because of a foot injury he suffered while blocking a shot late in Game 6. The Stars announced that he played through a broken foot in Game 7 but is expected to be ready for training camp for the 2019-20 season.
Hintz missed the morning skate but head coach Jim Montgomery said that Hintz will be available for Game 7 in St. Louis. Hintz will centre the second line with Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov on his wings and comes in with three goals and two assists in six games in the series.
Rantanen missed the final seven games of the regular season but is ready to play in Game 1 in Calgary. Rantanen had four assists in six playoff games a year ago and had three points (1G / 2A) in three games vs. the Flames this year.
Benn will get the night off to make sure that he is 100 percent heading into the postseason. Justin Dowling will move into the Stars top-6 with Benn sitting out.
Faksa was forced to leave Tuesday’s game against the Rangers with a neck injury and will not play Thursday vs. Colorado. Faksa is day-to-day.
Bastian will miss his second straight game with an undisclosed injury that he suffered against the Flyers on Tuesday. Bastian remains day-to-day.
Benn is day-to-day with an upper-body injury but is expected to be back in the lineup on Thursday. The Stars will be in tough without both Benn and the recently added Mats Zuccarello.
Both Benn and Mats Zuccarello were hurt in the Stars game in Chicago on Sunday and Benn is unlikely to play on Tuesday. Monitor his status during the Stars morning skate, but it looks like Dallas will be without 2/3 of their top-line in an important game in Vegas.
Duchene is expected to walk across the hall and make his Blue Jackets debut tonight in Ottawa. It remains to be seen where Duchene will slot into the lineup, but the second line seems like the most reasonable spot. Despite playing for a mostly poor Senators team, Duchene is on-pace to set a new career-high in goals (39) and points (84). The 2019 first-round pick is lottery protected and the Senators will only receive the 2020 pick if Duchene re-signs in Columbus.
