Tyler Seguin is expected to miss the rest of the NHL season with a torn ACL in his right knee, another major injury blow to the already-shorthanded Dallas Stars.
Coach Glen Gulutzan said Wednesday that Seguin would be out a significant amount of time. 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 the news. Other guys now have to step in and play."
Seguin got tangled up with Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavirkov in the first period. Seguin went down in pain, could not skate and needed help from multiple teammates and an athletic trainer to get off the ice and more assistance to get down the tunnel to the visiting locker room area at Madison Square Garden.
Gulutzan said the team did not get positive news about Seguin's knee after it was looked at more closely.
"There's lots of injuries piling up and lots of games, so we just got to keep moving forward," Gulutzan said. "There's lots of guys that their opportunity is born from some of this misfortune. We just have to take that away: It's next guy up, next guy's opportunity and run with it. That's what good teams do is they just keep pushing forward with the players that they have."
Seguin missed the vast majority of last season after undergoing hip surgery. He returned for the finale and the Stars' playoff run to the Western Conference final. He has been with Dallas since joining in a trade from Boston in 2013.
"I didn't live it with him last year, but I did talk to our leadership group here and what I did know is just how hard he (worked) and the effort that 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 been a guy, quite frankly, that I've been maybe the most impressed with - just his leadership ability when I've come in here."
Nathan Bastian was expected to take Seguin's spot in the lineup Tuesday night at the New Jersey Devils. Long term, the team hopes center Matt Duchene is able to help fill the void once he returns from his injury.
That could come "sooner than later" if Duchene's current progress continues, according to Gulutzan.
"You're going to have to have other guys step up," Gulutzan said. "If Duchy comes back, he's going to have to take some of that. (Mavrik Bourque is) going to get more opportunity. There's going to be more opportunity for more guys, and then you're going to see who takes it. So, you're not really pigeonholing anybody. You're just seeing who grabs it."