Stars' Seguin to miss 3-4 weeks

FRISCO, Texas --Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin will miss 3-4 weeks after sustaining a cut to his right Achilles tendon in the final minute of a 4-3 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at American Airlines Center on Thursday.
The injury came with 22 seconds remaining in the third period during a battle for the puck with Tampa Bay defenseman Anton Stralman near the Dallas blue line.

"The skate cut his Achilles tendon," Stars general manager Jim Nill said Friday. "It's a 15 percent cut of the Achilles tendon, probably the best-case scenario other than the tendon being totally cut. They operated on him this morning, stitched him back up. He will be out 3-4 weeks and should be back for the [Stanley Cup] Playoffs. It's as good a case scenario as it could be, considering how he got cut [and] where he got cut."
If Seguin misses four weeks, he would return April 15; the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 13.
Seguin is second on the Stars in scoring, behind Jamie Benn, and tied for third in the League with 73 points in 72 games.
The Stars have a two-point lead on the St. Louis Blues for first place in the Central Division and are two points ahead of the Blues and Los Angeles Kings for the top spot in the Western Conference. Dallas has 10 games remaining; the Stars play Saturday at home against the New York Islanders (8 p.m. ET; FS-SW, MSG+, NHL.TV).
Nill said the Stars will not need to recall a forward from Texas of the American Hockey League.
That's because Dallas got veteran Patrick Sharp back Thursday after a six-game absence because of a lower-body injury. Rookie center Mattias Janmark, who has missed the past three games with an upper-body injury, is close to returning. The Stars also have several other young forwards on the roster.

Stars coach Lindy Ruff said Janmark skated Friday for the first time since being injured and hopes Janmark can play Tuesday when they begin a three-game road trip at the Chicago Blackhawks.
"We lose one [forward], we get one [back]. That's another man's opportunity," Ruff said. "We've got the depth with Janmark and [Travis] Moen and [Brett] Ritchie. At different times, we've had people out and we've been able to survive."
Ruff said he has seen injuries similar to Seguin's before.
"I have no idea [if he could return before the playoffs]," Ruff said. "I've had the ones where it's been 100 percent [torn] and it's taken six months to get a player back and those are tough injuries to come back from. Like I said, I think we're fortunate that it is diagnosed what it is. It shouldn't be as tough to come back from. It will be a tough time of year to come back, I can tell you that. It'll be tough to catch up and get in playoff mode."
Ruff said he hadn't spoken to Seguin after his surgery, but the two did exchange text messages Friday morning.
"I think it [his state of mind] is good," Ruff said. "I've traded some texts, just wished him well, told him how well I thought he played in the third period, the difference he made."

Seguin missed 10 games late last season with a knee injury, and in his absence several players took on added responsibility. Nill said he sees no reason that won't also be the case this time.
"This is an opportunity for everybody," he said. "It's no different in our back end with the defense. All year we had no injuries and we kept talking about our depth. Now we see where the depth's at, and it's paying off for us. Same thing with the forward position. We got lots of depth, lots of good players. It's an opportunity for somebody else now."
Ruff did have some positive injury news Friday. Defenseman John Klingberg, out the past six games with a lower-body injury, could return Saturday.
"Klingberg is definitely a possibility [for Saturday]," he said. "See how he made it through today. I thought [Thursday] was an option, which turned out not to be, so I would hope after today's practice and some extra work today, a little bit more fitness in the gym afterwards, that he'd be close to being ready for us."
Defenseman Jordie Benn, who has missed the past seven games with a lower-body injury, is day-to-day but could return during a road trip that starts Tuesday against the Blackhawks and includes games March 24 at the Arizona Coyotes and March 26 at the San Jose Sharks.
"Close [to returning]," Ruff said. "I'd put him in the day-to-day category. Not likely for [Saturday]."