HIGHLIGHTS
- Roope Hintz didn’t play in Games 3-5 against the Edmonton Oilers
- Darnell Nurse injured him in Game 2
- Read below to see what Hintz said
The Dallas Stars are out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, losing in the second year in a row to the Edmonton Oilers. While they simply didn’t play well enough, the Stars also had to get by without top centre Roope Hintz after his injury late in Game 2.
The Finnish star was blatantly slashed by Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse and had to be helped off the ice. Hintz missed Game 3 but returned for Games 4 and 5. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Hintz revealed that he sustained a fractured foot from the Nurse play.
That’s a very painful and serious injury. The Stars definitely felt Hintz’s absence in Game 3, as he did play on the first line. The veteran was solid all season and in the playoffs, scoring six goals and tallying six helpers. He found the back of the net in Game 5.
Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston both spent time on the top line. The reality is Dallas didn’t perform, but having Hintz 100% healthy would’ve undoubtedly helped them potentially make the series more competitive.
The injury to the 28-year-old caused controversy because Nurse only received a two-minute minor after officials determined it wasn’t serious enough for a five-minute major. He also didn’t get any punishment from NHL Player Safety.
After Game 2, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer was visibly upset with the whole fiasco, making it clear it would’ve been handled differently if Connor McDavid was involved:
“I’ll answer your question with a question, does anyone in this room think if Connor McDavid gets carried off the ice like that, it’s not a five-minute major,” DeBoer asked. “That’s my answer to your question.”
“Again, if that’s 97 [McDavid] carried off the ice, in the same situation, I think we all know the answer to what that looks like for us,” DeBoer continued.
Hintz will now be looking to recover and come back at full strength in 2025-26.
