Six weeks from today would put Eakin's possible return around the first week of November, meaning he would miss around 12-15 games under that timeline.
The news on the injury to Shore, who limped off the ice during the afternoon session, wasn't promising even though there were no specifics or timetable.
"Looks like he is going to miss some time too. He's getting evaluated, and it looks like he is going to miss some time," Ruff said. "It's disappointing. Devin head a great Traverse City tournament, and he was having a great practice here today. He was a guy we would have really liked to take a look at, but it is going to be hard now."
Eakin and Shore make it a total of six Dallas centers on the injured list. Tyler Seguin is recovering from a hairline fracture in his heel that he suffered in a pretournament game at the World Cup of Hockey. He hasn't started skating yet and will be re-assessed early next week. Radek Faksa missed the last two games at the World Cup with concussion-like symptoms, although he was cleared before leaving Toronto and should skate next week. Jason Dickinson is out until at least late October after undergoing offseason hip surgery. Travis Morin has missed the first two days of camp due to illness.
And also injured is right wing Ales Hemsky, who tweaked a groin Thursday in the Czech Republic-USA game at the World Cup. His status is still unclear.
"In all the years I have never seen this before," Ruff said of the rash of injuries. "It's going to make it hard on lineups. We are going to get pretty thin, especially down the middle. Hopefully, that three, four-week range most of these guys will be back playing."
As for the centers, Patrick Eaves took Eakin's spot in Saturday's practice on a line with Antoine Roussel and Brett Ritchie. Ruff mentioned that Jiri Hudler could be an option at center. Adam Cracknell, a depth signing in the offseason, is getting a look at center in camp as well.
And, Ruff said, with so many forwards out it opens the door for others.
"It's going to give some really good opportunities for some players that may not have got as many looks," said Ruff. "We've already got [Jamie] Benn (offseason surgery) who we were going to go easy on through preseason, and he's not even scheduled to scrimmage with us [Sunday]. We're going to be thinner, but at the same time we are going to have an opportunity to look at some guys."
Notes/Practice lineup
\The Stars will wrap up the Cedar Park portion of training camp with a scrimmage Sunday morning.
\Stars center Tyler Seguin (heel) watched some of Saturday's practice while riding a stationary bike.
\C Jason Dickinson (hip) and C Travis Morin (illness) both skated after practice.
\Here are the practice lineups for Saturday:
GROUP A
Jamie Benn - Mattias Janmark - Jiri Hudler
Curtis McKenzie - Devin Shore - Brendan Ranford
Cole Ully - Adam Cracknell - Denis Gurianov
Samuel Laberge - Mike McMurtry - Branden Troock
Dan Hamhuis - John Klingberg
Patrik Nemeth - Andrew Bodnarchuk
Mattias Backman - Nick Ebert /Chris Martenet
Kari Lehtonen
Max Lagace
Henri Kiviaho
GROUP B
Patrick Sharp - Jason Spezza - Matt Mangene
Antoine Roussel - Patrick Eaves - Brett Ritchie
Remi Elie - Justin Dowling - Matej Stransky
Brandon DeFazio - Gemel Smith - Connor Chatham
Johnny Oduya - Julius Honka
Jamie Oleksiak - Jordie Benn
Stephen Johns - Ludwig Bystrom
Brandon Anselmini - Dustin Stevenson
Antti Niemi
Philippe Desrosiers
Landon Bow
