The Dallas Stars got some horrific news regarding one of their top players. On Wednesday, the team announced that veteran forward Tyler Seguin had sustained what would likely be a season-ending injury.
Chris Johnston of The Athletic wrote that Seguin had sustained a torn ACL in his right knee. The injury came during Tuesday night’s loss to the New York Rangers. The Stars’ forward needed help getting off the ice.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters that Seguin will likely be gone for the rest of the season. That’s no bueno for a Dallas club that has fallen behind the juggernaut Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division.
The Stars will more than likely move Seguin to LTIR. That situation should open up some cap space for the club to find a replacement. However, finding one won’t be easy. Just about every contending club is looking for a center and/or top-six forward.
The demand for such players is plentiful, but the demand is stagnant. So, the Stars may have no choice but to pay up, or get in line and hope that a serviceable replacement for Seguin could fall into their laps.
The pressure will be on for GMs to get deals done at this point. December means that the Christmas freeze slows down the trade market. Meanwhile, the Stars have games to play and the need for another forward.
The Stars bounced back well on Wednesday night, shutting out the New Jersey Devils 3-0 at the Prudential Center.
Stars Face Complex Cap Implications
Under the “traditional” CBA rules, the Stars would be eligible to place Seguin’s entire $9.85 million cap hit on LTIR. That situation would open up an equal amount of available cap space to bring in another player or players.
However, the new rules modified that loophole, making it more challenging for teams to address such situations. As Johnston noted in his piece, the Stars could place the full amount of Seguin’s cap hit on LTIR under what’s now known as season-ending LTIR.
Under that designation, Seguin would not be able to return this season, even in the playoffs. If the Stars moved Seguin to LTIR only, a fraction of his cap hit would be eligible. Based on Johnston’s numbers, that would be roughly $3.82 million.
That number is based on last season’s average cost of replacement players. So, if it’s just $3.82 million, it wouldn’t leave a lot of room for a top-six forward.
Dallas Needs Clarity on Extent of Seguin’s Injury
The Stars need to get clarity on the extent of Seguin’s injury. If there’s a chance that he could return at some point this season, the team will need to factor in the cost of his replacement.
It’s worth noting that there will be a playoff salary cap this season. So, the Stars can’t just activate Seguin for Game 1 of the playoffs. The club will have to be cap-compliant in the postseason. That’s why the team needs to know if there’s a chance Seguin can realistically return this season.
That’s why the Stars will need to be careful who they bring in to replace Seguin. Otherwise, Dallas may have to find a solution from within. Fortunately, the Stars are one of the deepest teams in the NHL. So, they have as good a chance as any to weather this sort of storm.
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