The Dallas Stars are returning another key piece to the lineup Tuesday for their road game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Defenseman Thomas Harley will play after missing the last 12 games with a foot injury, Stars coach Glen Gulutzan announced Tuesday.
Harley last played in the Stars’ Nov. 13 game against Montreal.
“They’ve been watching him while we’ve been gone, and the injury to the foot has healed, so there’s nothing on the medical side,” Gulutzan said. “It’s been five full days of skating now, so the player is chomping at the bit to play, so you’re not gonna hold him out.”
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Harley recorded 10 points (one goal and nine assists) in his first 18 games. In his fifth season in Dallas, he’s become one of the Stars’ top defensemen, playing nearly 23 minutes a night.
“He’s an elite defenseman,” Gulutzan said. “We’re not expecting to use him for 25 minutes tonight. Just get him back in and get him touches.”
The Stars’ blue line, which has been down four of its top six defensemen through its first 30 games of the season, is getting closer to full strength.
Dallas returned defenseman Nils Lundkvist Sunday. Lian Bichsel is still out for the next 6-8 weeks after surgery for a lower-body injury, and llya Lyubushkin remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury but did not travel with the team on its current road trip.
Vladislav Kolyachonok will be the healthy scratch amid Harley’s return. Casey DeSmith will start in net.
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