'Looking forward to better days,' Johns opens up about injury situation

Stars defenseman Stephen Johns was on the ice Sunday morning in Frisco as the team held an optional practice before flying off to Ottawa to open a two-game road trip.
It was the second straight day on the ice with the team for Johns, who has yet to play this season due to post-traumatic headaches.
"It's just nice to be around the guys again," Johns said. "I've skated with a few of the guys a couple of times. I think that's been the hardest part of this whole process is being away from the team and the guys."

Johns, who said he is feeling a little better, smiled several times as he skated with his teammates and worked his way through various drills. But after practice he talked about the frustration of dealing with the headaches, not being able to play so far this season, and dealing with daily life.
"It's been more mental. It's hard to be in a good mood when you have a headache all the time, and that's taken the biggest toll," Johns said. "Not being able to do what I've done my whole life and that's play hockey. The most frustrating part is not being able to do anything.
"I am looking forward to better days."
There is still no time frame for a return. Getting better is a one day at a time process for Johns, who said he has tried everything from "A to Z" to move things in a positive direction. But it's been a rough journey.

"It's pretty impossible to describe what I've been through these past couple months," Johns said. "It's the day-to-day things; there are a couple of things I can't really do. Other than that, it's just living with it."
The headaches started to bother Johns as the team returned to Texas from the first three days of training camp in Boise, Idaho. He began to sit out practices and didn't play in any of the preseason games. He has practiced at times, but then sat out again due to setbacks.
Johns shook his head when asked if he knew what might have triggered the headaches.
"I wish. I wish," he said. "Once everything got ramped up a bit (in Idaho) and the output on the ice was a little higher, that might have triggered it. But I couldn't tell you."
As the team heads out on the road for games against Ottawa and New Jersey, Johns will stay in Dallas and do conditioning work as he continues his road back to getting healthy.
"I am still working towards getting better," Johns said. "There is still no timeline set. I am just taking it day by day."
And he is looking forward to better days.

Hanzal skates with team

Center Martin Hanzal skated with the team during Sunday's optional practice. Hanzal, who is working his way back from back surgery, is still slated for a possible return around late November/early December. Hanzal will remain in Dallas while the team is on the road and will do conditioning work with Johns.
"The amazing part about [Hanzal] is he gets in great shape real quick," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "He's already, we think, close to game shape. But he's not cleared for contact and all that yet. I think once that happens it will be two weeks. We've got to wait for the body to heal properly before we do that."

Lineup notes

• Montgomery said he could start the Ottawa game with the lines he switched to during Saturday's 5-3 win over Anaheim. Those moves involved Blake Comeau moving to the top line with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov sliding onto a line with Jason Spezza and Valeri Nichushkin, Mattias Janmark skating with Radek Faksa and Tyler Pitlick, and Jason Dickinson centering Devin Shore and Brett Ritchie.
"We're still thinking about it, but I think we will start with that, especially the Nichushkin, Spezza, Radulov line. And I really like Janmark with Faksa and Pitlick," Montgomery said. "I think it will be the same with the other two lines, but I reserve on that for after we are done meeting tonight."

• Montgomery also said there were a couple of players who were sore after Saturday's game and would have to be evaluated Monday. That could lead to some lineup tweaks for the game against Ottawa.
• Montgomery said he wants to get Gemel Smith, Roope Hintz, and Roman Polak back into the lineup during the two-game road trip, which has the Stars playing back-to-back against Ottawa (Monday) and New Jersey (Tuesday).
• Ben Bishop will start in goal Monday in Ottawa.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mark Stepneski has covered the Stars for DallasStars.com since 2012. Follow him on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.