Stars centre Roope Hintz won’t play in Game 1 against the Oilers

The Dallas Stars will go without centre Roope Hintz for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers, Stars head coach Peter DeBoer said Thursday morning.

DeBoer had previously indicated on Wednesday that Hintz “skated extensively” prior to his team’s practice that day. He remains day-to-day and is “getting closer, hopeful for Game 2.”

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tweeted out the news from DeBoer’s media availability on Thursday.

Hintz, 27, has been out of the lineup since sustaining an upper-body injury after logging just 6:35 of ice time in Game 4 of the Stars’ Round 2 series against the Colorado Avalanche.

The Stars originally selected Hintz in the second round (No. 49 overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. The Nokia, Finland product collected 30 goals and 65 points to go along with a plus-26 rating in 80 games with the Stars during the 2023-24 regular season.

Through 11 games with the Stars through the first two rounds of the 2024 playoffs, Hintz racked up two goals and six points. He picked up four of those points in Dallas’ 5-3 win over the Avs in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series.

The Stars also went without goaltender Jake Oettinger for part of their practice on Wednesday, with DeBoer describing him as feeling “a little under the weather.” The 25-year-old goaltender is still expected to start Game 1 against the Oilers on Thursday.

Even without Hintz, the Stars can run four strong lines with one of the deepest forward groups in the National Hockey League, particularly with youngsters Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven providing a new dimension to their lineup. The Stars selected those two players with their first two picks in the 2021 NHL Draft.

The Stars defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in seven games in Round 1 of the 2024 playoffs before getting past the Avalanche in six games in the Western Conference semifinals. Their next test is an Oilers team that dispatched the L.A. Kings in five games before needing the full seven to eliminate the Vancouver Canucks.

Game 1 between the Oilers and Stars is slated to take place at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. MT.